DEMOCRACY IN MOTION

DemocracyXChange 2023, DesignTO 2023, Nuit Blanche 2022

Democracy in Motion is an original multi-media installation exploring the visualization of an existing data set about the state of democracy in countries around the world. The installation includes a dance film, musical score, data projection, and display of 3D crystalline-shaped models inspired by the data. 

The installation explores how we might better understand human stories and insights within data to nurture our relationship with information and make learnings more experiential, in ways that facts and figures alone simply cannot do.

Visualizing Democracy Data

Democracy in Motion was born as an exploration of data from The Economist Group's annually published Democracy Index. The index comprises 60 indicators of the state of a country’s democracy, in five categories:

  1. Electoral process and pluralism

  2. Functioning of government

  3. Political participation

  4. Political culture

  5. Civil liberties

Using data points corresponding to these categories, a series of radar charts representing five countries between 2005-2021 was created. Using 3D modelling software, stacking these charts (see image below) created crystalline shapes that embodied the condition of democracy existing in each country during this period. Taking this one step further, we then 3D-printed these crystalline shapes to create physical objects.

Visit our Crystal Vision story to learn more about the crystals.

A red radar chart with five axes labeled Political Culture, Political Participation, Electoral Process and Pluralism, Functioning of Government, and Civil Liberties, showing high scores across all categories.
Seven 3D geometric shapes, resembling buildings, displayed in a virtual modeling environment with coding script on the right side.
Five translucent, white, 3D-printed pyramid-shaped objects with varying heights and angles are arranged on a dark surface, with a blurred background.

From Data… to Sound and Dance

After rendering and printing the crystals as three-dimensional objects, we considered other media that might be suitable to express the data, as well as other senses that could be engaged. In particular, we were interested in how music might be applied, and proceeded to assign sounds to each of the indices. A layered soundscape soon evolved for each country that could either be played individually or woven together in conjunction with other countries, creating a fascinating and “otherworldly” atmosphere. In seeking to take our exploration of sound further, we partnered with composer and musician Marc Ganetakos for the Nuit Blanche installation to compose a musical score with data from Canada, the United States, India, Brazil, and Russia.

Our initial experiences with sound inspired us to imagine how these same data might be communicated through movement. By teaming up with Roberto Campanella and dancers from his contemporary ballet company ProArteDanza, we pursued the idea further to see what creative expression might unfold.

Comparison of two screenshots of a digital audio workstation, showing four tracks labeled 'Political Culture', 'Political Participation', 'Electoral Process and Pluralism', and 'Functioning of Government' with green waveforms indicating audio or data levels.
Four people in a dance studio with brick walls and a large mirror, two women sitting and two standing, with domino tiles on the floor, one woman using a smartphone, and the 4th looking at the dominoes.

Expressing Data Through Movement

How is one to interpret data through movement? Our original interpretation and approach are inspired by actual differences existing between different nations in The Economist Group’s Democracy Index Score. Their graph depicts averages of each country’s data over the same 16-year period visualized through the medium of our crystals. The dancers have translated these two-dimensional data represented on the graph into movement. For example, India, which has been the most volatile of these countries during this period, required more pronounced, jerky movements, while the U.S. and Canada, which have been more stable (other than a discernible dip in recent years), experienced less change, therefore requiring smoother movement. The dancers’ movements were captured on film and layered with the musical score.

This installation was featured at the Nuit Blanche Festival in October 2022, and at DesignTO, January 2023 and DemocracyXchange March 2023.

Line graph depicting the Economist Democracy Index Score from 2005 to 2021 for Brazil, Canada, India, Russia, and the United States, with each country represented by a different colored line.

Design TO 2023 Installation

A tall, illuminated art installation resembling a cone or cylinder with red, yellow, and blue sections, standing next to a large informational poster about democracy trends from 2005 to 2021, displayed in a window of a modern building.
Nighttime view of a modern building with large glass windows, displaying colorful abstract sculptures inside and neon lighting, street in foreground with sidewalk and a person walking, utility pole with wires in front.
An indoor digital display shows a person in yellow athletic clothing doing a yoga pose or stretch, with text indicating it represents Russia.
An indoor space with colorful illuminated blocks in red, orange, yellow, and blue, and a projection showing a person with a backpack walking, with the word 'INDIA' in the bottom left corner.

Nuit Blanche 2022 Installation

An outdoor scene at night with a brick building and a projection of a dancing woman's silhouette on the wall. In the foreground, there is a sign that reads "Democracy in Motion" and provides information about an event or exhibition in Toronto, Ontari

An outdoor scene at night with a brick building and a projection of a dancing woman's silhouette on the wall. In the foreground, there is a sign that reads "Democracy in Motion" and provides information about an event or exhibition in Toronto, Ontario.

People sitting on a concrete ledge outside a building at night, watching a large projected image on the brick wall of the building.

People sitting on a concrete ledge outside a building at night, watching a large projected image on the brick wall of the building.

A group of people waiting in line outside a building at night, some wearing masks, on a city sidewalk.

A group of people waiting in line outside a building at night, some wearing masks, on a city sidewalk.

Murals depicting political and civic development in Brazil from 2005 to 2021, including charts for political culture, civil liberties, political participation, functioning of government, and electoral process.

Murals depicting political and civic development in Brazil from 2005 to 2021, including charts for political culture, civil liberties, political participation, functioning of government, and electoral process.

Nighttime view of a brick building with a projection of a boy in a red shirt seemingly reaching up or falling, painted on the wall.

Nighttime view of a brick building with a projection of a boy in a red shirt seemingly reaching up or falling, painted on the wall.

Nighttime scene showing a brick wall with a metal door and a circular sign to the right. In the foreground, there is a glass display case containing illuminated white objects resembling small figurines or sculptures.

Nighttime scene showing a brick wall with a metal door and a circular sign to the right. In the foreground, there is a glass display case containing illuminated white objects resembling small figurines or sculptures.

We want your opinion! Answer five questions about your take on democracy and how Canada is faring.

On a dark stage, two people are standing and one person is performing a fire-breathing act with flames. A computer monitor displays a shot of the performer, showing flames coming from their mouth.
A girl in a yellow shirt lying on a stage with a spotlight, being filmed by a person with a camera. Two other people are nearby, with one looking at the girl and the other looking at a mirror.
A person sitting and holding a tablet, filming or observing a stage performance with two people in the background, one lying on the floor and another standing and holding an object, in a dimly lit theater or studio setting.
A person standing in a spotlight on a stage, with two people filming or photographing, on a dark stage or theater setting.
A woman standing in a spotlight on a dark stage while a person films her with a camera.
A woman lying on the floor in a dance studio with two men, one filming her with a camera and the other smiling and standing nearby.
A drum with five plastic objects placed on top, located near a table covered with papers and charts.
A man sitting in a music studio surrounded by computers, monitors, speakers, an electric guitar, and a keyboard, smiling at the camera.

Acknowledgements

We at Arctrn are ever grateful for the artists and technicians who have contributed their expertise to this data visualization experiment! Our most heartfelt thanks go out to all our collaborators for their invaluable input and time.

Arctrn Collective

Ian Chalmers, Dave Brennan, Brenda Little, Robin Uchida

Collaborators 

Roberto Campanella, Co-Founder and Artistic Director, ProArteDanza
ProArteDanza dancers Sasha Ludavicius, Connor Mitton, Evan Webb, Carleen Zouboules, and Joey Arrigo

Andy Huckle Huck Media

Marc Ganetakos, Composer, Musician, and Producer
Justin Hawley, @justmakeralaker
Artscape Wychwood Barns
Charles Street Video

Bill Perry: 360° Video Projection System

Pro Art Danz logo with the words 'Passion in Performance' underneath.
Logo of Artscape, featuring a stylized green and dark blue design with the word 'ARTSCAPE'.
Black background with white text that says "MARC GANETAKOS".
Logo for Charles Street Video featuring three icons: a black circle with a line and dot resembling a power button, a black circle with lines and pitchfork shape, and a red circle with a play symbol, with the text "charles street video" below.
The name 'Melina' written in black and red 3D block and cursive font.