From Data to Graphs: An Aesthetic Narrative by Deniz Cem Önduygu

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 1 Sayı: 1, 139 - 154, 27.12.2025

Medine Şan , Ekin Su Kuzu

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

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

Kaynakça

• Akman, M. ve Uçar, T. F. (2019). Bugünün ve geleceğin grafik tasarımı [Graphic design of today and the future]. Journal of Akdeniz Sanat, 14(25), 9-21.
• Bigumigu (May 7, 2018). Yeni Yaratıcılar: Deniz Cem Önduygu [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sYzVTFersw (Access date: October 24, 2024).
• Bora, E. (2023). Kentsel ölçekte veri görselleştirmenin önemi ve Ankara'daki çevresel sorunlara ait bir uygulama projesi (The importance of data visualisation in urban context and a project on environmental problems in Ankara) [Unpublished Master’s Thesis]. Hacettepe University, Institute of Fine Arts, Ankara, Turkey. Contemporary Arts (n.d.). Deniz Cem Önduygu- Art Director. Retrieved from https://contemporaryarts.mit.edu/deniz-cem-onduygu (Access date: October 24, 2024).
• Çilek Ağacı (2012). Hollywood Economics [Design], Çilek Ağacı. Retrieved from https://cilekagaci.com/2012/04/04/hollywood-economics/ (Access date: October 24, 2024).
• Demirkılınç, C. (2018). Cinemicroscopy: Film afişleri mercek altına yatırılırsa. Bigumigu. Retrieved from https://bigumigu.com/haber/cinemicroscopy-film-afisleri-mercek-altina-yatirilirsa/ (Access date: October 24, 2024).
• Fugamundi (April 11, 2021). Bager Akbay X Deniz Cem Önduygu: Sibernetik| Sekme #2[Video]. Youtube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsS_-k3ZChc (Access date: October 24, 2024).
• Hemzemin Common Ground (n.d.). Deniz Cem Önduygu- About. Hemzemin Common Ground. Retrieved from https://www.denizcemonduygu.com/about/ (Access date: October 21, 2024).
• Işık, R. (2024). Veri görselleştirme: TR Dizinde indekslenen Ankara Üniversitesi adresli makalelerin üst veri kayıtları üzerine bir araştırma (Data visualization: A study on the metadata records of Ankara University articles indexed in TR Index) [Unpublished Master’s Thesis]. Ankara University, Institute of Social Sciences, Ankara, Turkey.
• Kuzu, E. S. (2022). Tüketim estetiği ile gelişen- dönüşen teknolojiler ve grafik tasarımı eğitimi anasanat dalına yansımaları (Developing-transforming technologies with consumption aesthetics and their reflections to the Graphic Design Department) [Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation]. Ondokuz Mayıs University, Institute of Graduate Education, Samsun, Turkey.
• Önduygu, D. C. (n.d.). About [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.denizcemonduygu.com/ (Access date: October 24, 2024).
• Önduygu, D.C. (2025). Works [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.denizcemonduygu.com/ (Access date: October 24, 2024).
• Türk Dil Kurumu (TDK). Algoritma. https://sozluk.gov.tr/ (Access date: October 24, 2024).