Revealing the Interface: Live Coding as a Critical Practice of Artistic Data Visualization

In a highly data-driven reality, where code and algorithms are shaping most everyday digital interactions, and with the possibilities introduced by generative artificial intelligences (AI), data visualization challenges traditional systems of representation and opens up a world of analytical and graphical opportunities. However, graphical user interfaces shaping these visualizations influence how we experience the world, extending into the social realm. Mainstream visualizations conceal their construction mechanisms, ignoring underlying socio-cultural tensions. Live coding can be seen as a visualization practice that challenges this opacity, promoting active interaction, experimentation, collaboration, and transparency, embodied by the “show us your screens” ethos. This practice not only generates live music and visuals but also provides visual metaphors, allowing observers to explore the depths of the interface and discover new forms of interaction.