art.object.story with Bonny McClain

art.object.story

Here is the invitation. We are going to build stories together. Bring in a physical object, like a photograph, piece of art, or even something as ethereal as a memory, we can reimagine them – art as words.

These fragments can be catalysts for establishing a writing life or creativity at large.

I am a geospatial data scientist. Geospatial data science focuses on spatial intelligence and location. Peel away the gobbledy gook and we are fundamentally talking about “place”.

There is a saying coined by mathematician Alfred Korzybski, the map is not the territory. Pretty heady commentary to a room full of cartographers and analysts. The equivalent of debunking myths like the tooth fairy or Santa himself.

What we mean is, you can create, observe, or hold a physical map in your hands or on your phone and that’s all there is. Extrapolating what you see confined to the limits of your perception is not what that place feels like in real time.

A map is a reduction of a reality and just by the nature of the limits, important details are often left out. How you see things isn’t how things actually are.

Our storytelling can close these gaps. Think of a map as a piece of art. Honestly the first graphic visualization we explore is likely a map.

Now let’s explore the patterns, textures, topography, color etc. We are now holding an object.

My perception is unique to my lived reality. My story will be different. Now if we accept an invitation to engage with other lived realities – stepping outside our worlds – now we can experience different perspectives. The art of impactful storytelling. And often a stepping stone for radical empathy.

(Your ticket gets you one complimentary drink!)

bio…

Bonny is a dynamic quantitative storyteller facilitating narratives at the intersection of geospatial data science, climate and sustainability.

Highlighting place and location as memory, audiences explore our interactions with ecosystems revealing that what appears completely factual is often, not factually complete. Recognized as a leading voice in thinking beyond words to illuminate climate science and the human impact on our planetary boundaries, Bonny describes storytelling as where perception and truth create friction. Her expertise transforms raw data into compelling narratives that drive impactful decision-making.

Defying the conventional paths to tech bringing a refreshing perspective to the field blending art and science to convey complex ideas through the power of numbers we are reminded that our first data visualizations are often maps.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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