Pie Battle

11 / 2013

Pie battle
The emotional function of the data
Muthesius Kunsthochschule, Kiel, 12–15.11.2013

Normally information design consists of the analysis, the organization and understanding of the data that is to be designed. The goal is the translation of complex information into a visual form, easily accessible and understandable at the first glance.

But what if this data is translated into a visual language that appeals not primarily to the mind but instead to the feelings of the viewer? We wanted to venture a more experimental, more emotional approach.

For that we compared the process of visualization with the image of holding a pie in one hand, aiming at the public, with the intention to open up an emotional debate.

Based on a controversial topic such as the food industry, a discussion should be raised, where the designer emerges behind the abstract data and takes a stand.

So we jumped from the pie to its ingredients, or more precisely to the egg and its industrial production in Germany.

Within the four workshop days the twenty participating students developed in group work four graphics. The choice of tools and materials was up to them.

Eigelb-Generator [egg yolk generator]
Depending on the mixture of the food for the laying hens the yolk takes on a different color. The official color guide for yolks includes fifteen shades of yellow, which are shown on the central gear. Depending on the desired color the respective food additive is shown. The aim is to let the consumers themselves choose their favorite color, which sets a many geared machinery in motion that shows a lot of information, but not one single hen.

AktionsEi [campaign egg]
A guerrilla action which is aimed at buyers of eggs from the cheapest way of livestock farming. These campaign eggs are smuggled into the egg cartons with the aim to raise awerness for the consequences of this purchase for the laying hens.

Die Eier Maschinerie [The egg machinery]
The patent on the world’s bred for hybrid laying hens is the hands of two large companies. One company holds the patent for brown, the other the patent for white eggs. All the eggs, that are produced in Germany each year, derive from these two “GenTanks”. The machine reduces the process to absurdity in which it is no longer a matter of a living chicken, but only of an optimized production processes.

Hühner Glück & Erden Wohl [hen happiness & earth good]
The analysis of the data revealed that consumers need to decide on the purchase of an egg, what it is more important to them: animal welfare or environmental protection. The posters show the advantages and disadvantages of the various forms of intensive livestock farming. It is getting clear, that both at a time is impossible. An open conclusion.

Thank you very much Prof. Tom Duscher (Digital and Interactive Media) und Prof. Wolfgang Sasse (Language and Communication) for the invitation.

And of course many thanks to the workshop participants: Janike Beste, Talea Büscher, Lisa Debacher, Katjia Duwe, Celina Gertz, Matthias Grimme, Marko Grujić, Mirko Hamann, Juliane Hohlbaum, Gerrit Hoffschulte, Jan Kristian Jensen, Elina Martian, Manuel Reitz, Stephan Schakulat , Florian Scheske, Vanessa Schnurre, Uwe Steffen, Marina Veselova, Julian Wallmeroth.