dataplays

Dataplays is a term describing a category of performance and installation works that use data as a primary material to drive live sensory output—visuals, sound, movement—resulting in a performative data narrative. They blend data visualization with theater or concert formats, often featuring real-time processing, audience interaction, and generative systems. The practice treats datasets as sculptable material, converting statistics, sensor streams, or network data into choreographed sequences of light, sound, and space.

Formats and methods: live-coded performances, data-driven stage projections, interactive installations, and immersive environments. Data sources include public records, environmental sensors, network telemetry, or user-generated inputs; privacy and consent are typically addressed through anonymization and design choices. Tools commonly used range from live-coding platforms (such as TidalCycles or SuperCollider) to visual programming and generative tools (Max/MSP, Processing, p5.js, TouchDesigner) and data visualization libraries. Workflows often involve data ingestion pipelines, preprocessing, and mapping rules that translate data into artistic parameters like tempo, color, or form.

Context and reception: dataplays sit at the intersection of data art, digital performance, and human-computer interaction. Critics note the potential for compelling storytelling through data yet warn of overreliance on technique, data misinterpretation, and privacy considerations. Notable related practices include data art exhibitions and live coding performances; while the term dataplays is not universally defined, it is used to describe performances where data drives a live artistic experience.

See also: data art, live coding, generative art, data visualization.