WAVY GRAINY
WAVY GRAINY is a browser-based animation controlled in real-time by sensors that measure wave height and wind speed at surf beaches across Aotearoa and further afield. Moving in real-time, at the pace of nature, the work invites soft reflection and a wandering of the mind back to nature, and the beaches where the sensors driving the animation are connected.
About the artist
Annemarie Duff is a multidisciplinary artist, and founder of Cusp Studio, working at the intersection of data transparency, communication design, and art. In recent years her projects have focused on generative, ambient data visualisations controlled by live data feeds that modulate the rate of movement within the animation. She aims to bring data communication into an art form, connecting audiences directly with live data, inviting reflection on nature, ecosystems, and surface information that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand with over a decade of experience at the intersection of technology, creativity, and communication. Her visual practice has developed alongside a passion for data communications, and is informed by a background in sound design (T. G. Shand) for art installations, film, apps, and live data storytelling.
Data engagement as an art form.
There’s plenty of live data “available”, we’re here to make it more accessible and meaningful by connecting people directly to the source.
See our first projects below.
Get in touch to talk showings, new projects, commissions or licensing.
WAVY GRAINY
An animation driven by real-time wave height at your local beach. Freely available and easy to access in any browser, the intensity of the wave shimmering through the grain is controlled by live wave height and wind speed at your local surf beach.
We connect the animation with real-time IoT data from environmental sensors via the Tomorrow.io API.
Just choose your beach, hit full screen and enjoy :)
Team:
Concept, visuals, UI: Annemarie Duff
Development: Lane Wirihana Le Prevost-Smith
Consulting: Kirsten Marsh
Lyttelton weather
Deliberately literal, this first project was created to accompany a painterly music video. A live weather data API controls the animations, thanks to The MetService Point Forecast API.
Wave movement height: controlled by live wave height from an IoT sensor in Lyttelton Harbour.
Birds: controlled by live wind speed and direction from an IoT weather sensor in Lyttelton.
Cloud transparency: controlled by live % cloud coverage in Lyttelton.
The local time of day in New Zealand controls four visual phases: sunrise, day, sunset, night.
At sunset and sunrise time in New Zealand each day, the music video plays.
See the project page here and watch the live visualisation here!
Antarctica
Animation controls:
Speed of stylised ice sheet/waves melting is based on historic sea ice data over time.
Speed and appearance of the swirling snow driven by real-time wind speed and wind direction.
The sky in the background fed by a camera on location, pointed directly up at the sky. This live image feed could also be processed via video platform Mux to reflect other live data points.
Installation:
Suited to an immersive screen environment, wrapping the animation around 4 walls and a ceiling screen.