Data Vandals, Jen Ray (art) & Jason Forrest (dataviz)
- Pronouns – She & He
- Place of work – New York City!
- Role – Data Artists
Can you share a bit about yourself and your work?
Our artwork transforms data into experiences that invite curiosity and create conversations, turning passive observers into active participants.
Data Vandals is Jen Ray (artist) and Jason Forrest (dataviz expert). Driven by the conviction that meaningful change happens when art meets community, we have engaged thousands of people through exhibitions, performances, and workshops, collaborating with global brands, universities, and social groups worldwide.
What was your introduction to public interest technology?
During the pandemic, both of us started poster campaigns to motivate the city to take more pride in itself. Eventually, we had the idea to team up for the Data X Design exhibition as part of Open Data Week. We held an outdoor street-data performance on what must have been the coldest day in history. Despite the chill, over the last few years, we have become more interested in how civic data could be used to shape civic participation.
Jason’s “day job” has been in full-stack software development and design for over a decade, so we certainly embrace technology, but we find ourselves preferring the handmade and analog because it fosters a more empathetic connection with people.
What gives you hope on a daily basis?
The people of NYC! Four years after that first performance, we opened a data-art gallery called “Newsstand” on the Downtown 6 Platform at 51st & Lex. These days, we find ourselves speaking to literally every type of person who rides the subway. New Yorkers all have stories, and you never know how a person will surprise you. Just today, we met a building manager, a fabric designer, a group of fashion students, and a member of the District Attorney’s team.
How do you see your work progressing in the future?
Our goal has been to integrate our work into public spaces so we can experiment with how regular people use data to spark conversations. The Newsstand will be up for a year, so we’ll be actively experimenting with different formats, events, and ways for the city to connect with data and each other.
Ideally, we’d like to create a variety of projects, from large murals to books and videos. We’d love to create projects for some of the NYC Museums!
What advice would you share with the next generation of public interest technologists?
Find a way to use your skills to connect with people. There are many ways to do this: it might mean making a better, more intuitive dashboard, or it could mean taking the time to explain why your work matters to city leaders or the general public. It’s easy to get lost in the data, so try to make sure your focus is always on how a person can use or better understand the data.
Join Jen and Jason underground this Friday (4.26) and Sunday (4.26) from 3-6pm!
Data Vandals Newsstand – As part of the MTA’s Vacant Unit Activation Program, the Data Vandals created a data-art kiosk and conversation space on the downtown 6-train platform at 51st & Lexington. More information at: https://datavandals.com/newsstand or find them on Instagram @datavandals. All photos copyright Mark Shaw.
Hack the planet!!