Blooming Relationships Mobile (Data Visualization Time Capsule) by Savannah College of Art and Design

This data visualization mobile emphasizes that geographical distance and physical presence or absence no longer dictate a relationship's significance, relevance, or depth in today's interconnected world.​

This Time Capsule, made out of acrylic, captures the interaction data of four personal relationships over a three-week period.

It uses the metaphor of flowers, leaves, and stars to depict the way relationships can attract meaningful interactions and experiences that contribute to the richness of one's life.

The total weekly interactions with four individuals determine the number of petals of the sunflower that represents me. Each person was assigned a shape - leaf, petal, or star. Leaves represent interactions with a family member; petals that combine into flowers represent friends living on the same continent as me; stars represent a friend who lives abroad.

Each hour of connection counts as one interaction, even if there are multiple interactions within that hour. Each shape contains five interactions; the repetition of that shape visualizes the weekly interactions with an individual, and some shapes include in-person interactions. Finally, the proximity to the sunflower and the size of each shape reflect the individual's geographical distance from me - with the exception of the leaves, as their location is determined by genetic proximity.