Databases + Georges Adeagbo

Further follow-up on The Database and how we present information

Over spring break, I was lucky enough to get a chance to visit Israel. While there I went to the Israeli museum, and one exhibit in particular stood out to me. The exhibit featured Georges Adeagbo, a Beninese sculptor known for his work with found objects. Walking through his exhibition, I immediately thought of this class, and in particular, the reading on databases. When originally reading the chapter on databases, I was quite convinved that most everything is now arranged in a hierarchial fashion, whether it be information or photos or stories. Adeagbo has a much differnet take. At first sight, his work is comprised of a seemingly haphazard assortment of found objects. A New York Times article described his work well in saying, “He’s a cultural anthropologist and a storyteller, who uses objects to reveal parallel and intertwined narratives”. I thought it was incredibly interesting how Adeagbo manages to tell a convincing story in such a non-hierarchial manner.