Clacker- Looking Outwards 07
Meshu is a project by Rachel Binx that uses data visualization to make custom jewelry. By connecting Meshu to foursquare, the shape of custom jewelry is determined by ones foursquare check ins. A line is drawn between each point an individual has checked in at, and the resulting polygonal shape filled with lines and connections is a representation of where they have been. It can be printed in acrylic, wood, nylon and sliver. This project interests me because it taps into numerous aesthetic and design tropes that people are curious about in contemporary culture, and pushes them one step further. Custom 3D printed jewelry is a preexisting commercial market, though the ability to print the same shape over and over does not leverage the 3d printer as a unique tool. This project also taps into a contemporary desire to visualize ones self and share that with others. Using tools like foursquare allow people to be both unique and connected. Large-scale data visualizations have also become an entire field of work and a recognizable aesthetic. This project wraps all of these common themes into one art project and the final result is both practical and poetic.
