From data to graphs: An aesthetic narrative by Deniz Cem Önduygu

The original article was published on December 27, 2025. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/artdesign/article/1839044

Abstract

The production of technology and information has increased the interrelatedness of art and design with other disciplines. This transformation, particularly under the influence of digital culture, has expanded the conceptual boundaries of art and enabled creative processes to take on a multi-layered structure. In this context, art has taken on an eclectic structure, and with the inclusion of data in the aesthetic creation process, graphic formations have become an artistic narrative. The fact that data has become usable as an aesthetic material has offered artists new possibilities, both technical and conceptual, for their forms of expression. The study analyzes the work of artist-designer Deniz Cem Önduygu, who makes graphics and tables interactive, creating new semantic experiences by visualizing information through data. Önduygu's work occupies a unique position within contemporary data art practices, particularly in the way he establishes a relationship between data sets and narrative structures. The artist, who produces experimental works with data art, systematically and interpretively examines the formal aspects of his productions, which are created by bringing together his conclusions from sound analyses, photographs, and many other works obtained from data sources such as biology, philosophy, and television programs. This study is limited to Önduygu's works produced from data, which bring innovation to data visualization graphics. National and international theses, articles, books, and various websites were used as data collection tools. This study aims to analyze how the artist-designer visualizes data as a narrative tool and the role of visual perception in making sense of information. Furthermore, it aims to reveal the place and importance of data graphics in art and design, defining the unique contributions of different disciplines and data sources to the field. Thus, the research aims to make visible the position of data-driven creative practices in contemporary art and to contribute to theoretical discussions in this field.

Keywords

• Deniz Cem Önduygu
• data visualization
• data-driven creation
• digital culture
• art and design

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