Isabel Anguera

My thesis project, titled Woven Data, is a handmade coat, assembled from 42 woven squares, each of which represents a tracked data point about me. Each square is tied to a story that brings context to this information, detailing the significance of that data point and the role it plays in my life. It serves as an exploration into the dichotomy between how we view our identity as represented through our data and how it's used for profit, and touches on the information that is lost through the often reductive processes used by big data. The format of weaving was a choice informed by research on Andean textiles and patterns. Its use and strength as a storytelling and identity-encompassing medium felt appropriate to the exploration I was looking to carry out with big data and my own identity. The design of each individual tile reflects on the memories, experiences, and people I attribute to each data point, from family dynamics to losing loved ones to playground shenanigans. The result is a visual notation of my identity as I view it through my data. The designs, photos, and stories are all documented on a website: woven-data.com. People can explore my personal data points and correlated stories, or navigate to the "do it yourself" tab in which I encourage others to look at their own tracked data. The process in itself brought with it feelings of nostalgia and allowed me to form a relationship with my data, which encouraged me to protect it.