Ashton Reeder
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Are.na
Selected Works
Ashton Reeder (1999- ) is a visual investigator / multidisciplinary designer from Gig Harbor, Washington, educated in Salt Lake City, Utah, and currently working in Salt Lake City Tacoma Istanbul Austin, Texas.
His work centers around using data and computation to address environmental exploitation.
Ashton is currently a Research Affiliate of the University of Utah and founder of the research studio Material Investigations.
Ashton Reeder is a visual investigator / multidisciplinary designer using data to address environmental exploitation.
Counterveillance - A Case Against Big Data
Surveillance in the United States operates with insufficient regulation. The omnipresent surveillance often ignores the profound social implications of an emerging corporate-police state. In this research, my personal data serves as a case study to visually depict the colossal expanse of big data, which has been translated into large, immersive scrolls for a comprehensive perspective. Subsequently, a series of counter-surveillance products have been created, reclaiming and reinforcing individuals' digital autonomy, addressing the increasing necessity for personal data protection in the digital age.PRESENTATIONS
- Digital Humanities 7, Cedar City Utah
- Utah Design Exhibit
METHODS
- Installation
- Data Investigation
- Data Visualization
- OSINT
Aliağa
Shipyard - Global Waste
The
Aliağa shipyard holds the title of being the largest EU-sanctioned facility for large-ship recycling. However, it is also a focal point of concern due to its perilous working conditions, environmental threats, and significant global ramifications. This shipyard serves as my subject of an extensive and systematic documentation of various shipbreaking yards worldwide. As vessels routinely journey eastward for disassembly, cost-saving measures undertaken by corporate shippers and cruise lines, oftentimes egregiously prioritizing fiscal considerations over essential human safety and environmental preservation.LOCATION
- Aliağa, Türkiye
METHODS
- Site Visits
- Photogrammetry
- Data Collection / Visualization
- OSINT
Work In Progress - Central Business District
Current photoproject centered around the contrasting emptiness and chaos of the urban cores of Asia.METHODS
- Photography
- Publication
Portland Teargas Simulations
During the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, there was a notable trend of American law enforcement using tear gas and other chemical deterrents frequently to deter peaceful assemblies, particularly in western states. One day in Portland, Oregon, exemplified this trend with the deployment of numerous tear gas canisters, an action which had severe ramifications on the city's air quality. This case underscores the potential environmental implications of such crowd-control tactics, implicating law enforcement strategies in the larger discussion of urban environmental health by simulating potential teargas clouds in Unreal Engine.
LOCATION
- Portland, Oregon
METHODS
- Digital Twin Creation
- Unreal Engine Simulation
- After Effects Final Edits
Air Quality Live Data Art Installation
I leveraged the creative capabilities of TouchDesigner to craft a real-time data art installation that serves as a captivating and visceral representation of air quality data from various regions across the United States. The primary objective was to use real time data to shed light on the environmental inequalities and the disparate impact of air pollution on communities.
LOCATION
- Aliağa, Türkiye
METHODS
- Weather API
- Touch Designer Real-time Render
- Installation
Tracking Russian Aggression - The Kahkovka Dam
The incident of the Kakhovka Power Station explosion on June 6, 2023, near Kakhovka, Ukraine, marks a key moment in Putin’s war. The substantial impact of this event, which included the inundation of nearby towns and the loss of civilian 9 lives, also raises concerns about the stability of the Kakhovka Reservoir, an essential Ukrainian national asset. Additionally, the Dnieper river's prominence as a critical waterway for the country heightens the significance of the event's potential implications. The understanding among experts suggests a deliberate assault by a foreign entity, Russia, with the intent to sow discord in regional economic stability and evoke terror within the affected communities. I believe this is the only 3D model of the power station pre-explosion.
LOCATION
- Nova Kakhovka, Ukraine
METHODS
- 3D Modeling
- Unreal Engine Simulation
- Data Visualization
The Shrinking Great Salt Lake
A systems level analysis of the political decisions leading to the demise of the Great Salt Lake. Research presented at Oxford University, Saïd School of Business.
PRESENTED
- The University of Oxford, Saïd School of Business
METHODS
- 3D Modeling
- Data Vis
- Systems Analysis
The Pod Mill Audio Reactive Visualizations
A series of plug-and-play visuals for a local podcast studio seeking to utilize generative videos. Using TouchDesigner and podcast audio clips we can create video content allowing for client expansion onto various social media platforms.
CLIENT
- The Pod Mill, Salt Lake City, Utah
Digital Archive of Urban Decay
An exercise I conducted to create an improved workflow of converting videos produced in the field into manipulatable point clouds in Blender. I utilized a After Effects for frame creation, Agisoft3D for high detail point cloud, then finally Blender as a place to upload and manipulate the 3D space. I picked scenes of street art and urban decay I found around the world as a test case.
METHODS
-Blender
-Photogrammetry from Video