Mark Lumsden: Pop-Up Data Centre

A project for the analysis of personal artifacts and social objects in a shifting data centered world. UoR MA Fine Art final show proposal.

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Time frame: December 2023 - December 2025

In December 2023 I had an interview for the MA Fine Art course at the University of Reading (course starting September 2024), I had the interview with Annabel Frearson in the UoR Art building. I mentioned to Annabel that I worked in IT and she asked if I had ever thought about including my IT work in my art practice. I hadn't. After the interview, I started to think about how to integrate the component of my IT work which was visual; 'network diagrams', into my artwork. Initially this presented itself as 2D work, but eventually become 3D.

[note 1: all images below by Mark Lumsden]
[note 2: photographs not always on white background: sometimes it is carpet, table, off-white walls and network cabinets]

  Network diagram.
  Water colour painted shaped paper (pink, blue and dark green)
  laid on A3 and A5 paper.
  Painted with network cable (see 'paint brush' cable below).
  Basingstoke.
  Oct 2024.
  Colour templates for nodes and network diagram .
  Top: painted water colour templates (pink, blue and dark green)
  on A3 paper.
  Bottom: water colour paint on shaped paper laid on A3 paper.
  Painted with network cable (see 'paint brush' cable below).
  Basingstoke.
  Oct 2024.
  Photograph of network cable 'paint brushes'.
  Made from copper Cat5e cable.
  The top cable brush is approx 10cm long, the middle brush is 8cm.
  Cable brushes used to 'paint' and normal brush used to mix paint.
  Basingstoke.
  Oct 2024.
  3D Network Diagram.
  Paper painted on both sides inserted into white PVC trim.
  Left view (for right view see below)
  Width 20cm.
  Basingstoke.
  Nov 2024.
  3D Network Diagram.
  Paper painted on both sides inserted into white PVC trim.
  Right view (for left view see above).
  Width 20cm.
  Basingstoke.
  Nov 2024.
  Joined 3D Network Diagram.
  Paper painted on both sides and white PVC trim.
  Right view (for left view see below).
  Width 50cm.
  Basingstoke.
  Nov 2024.
  Joined 3D Network Diagram.
  Paper painted on both sides and white PVC trim.
  Left view (for right view see above).
  Width 50cm.
  Basingstoke.
  Nov 2024.
  Assemblage of 3D network diagrams on fixed wall board. CLose up.
  Paper painted on both sides and white PVC trim.
  Board 25cm wide by 10cm high.
  Room 104 in the mathematics building, UoR.
  Nov 2024.
  Assemblage of 3D network diagrams on fixed wall board. Wide view.
  Board 25cm wide by 10cm high.
  Room 104 in the mathematics building, UoR.
  Nov 2024
  3D Network Diagrams.
  Paper painted on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim.
  Total width 1.5m.
  Winter Cabaret exhibition, Art building, UoR.
  Dec 2024.
  Close-up of 3D Network Diagram (detail of above).
  Paper painted on both sides and inserted into white PVC trim.
  Width 10cm.
  Winter Cabaret exhibition, Art building, UoR.
  Dec 2024.
  Wide angle view of MA studio.
  (L-R) Marion O'Donnell, Mark Lumsden, Guocheng Li (Anson).
  Winter Cabaret exhibition, Art building, UoR.
  Dec 2024.
  Close-up of 3D Network Diagram.
  Painted paper inserted into white PVC trim with cable tie.
  Right view (see left view below).
  Length 30cm.
  Interim Show, studios, UoR Art building.
  Sep 2025
  Close-up of 3D Network Diagram.
  Painted paper inserted into white PVC trim with cable tie.
  Left view (see right view above).
  Width 30cm.
  Interim Show, studios, UoR Art building.
  Sep 2025
  'Interim Show' Instagram advert.
  All three part-time students in the Interim Show had work shown on
  Instagram, as did all the five full-time students, in their Final Show.
  Oct 2025
  Wifi Network Diagram.
  Painted paper and white PVC trim with shaped cable tie.
  Right view (for left view see below).
  Studios, UoR Art building.
  Oct 2025
  Wifi Network Diagram.
  Painted paper and white PVC trim with shaped cable tie.
  Left view (for right view see above).
  Studios, UoR Art building.
  Oct 2025
  Wifi Network Diagram.
  Painted paper and white PVC trim with shaped cable tie.
  Sine waves at left, part of future course work presentation.
  Right view (for left view see below).
  Studios, UoR Art building.
  Nov 2025
  Wifi Network Diagram.
  Painted paper and white PVC trim with shaped cable tie.
  Future course work presentation.
  Left view (for right view see above).
  Studios, UoR Art building.
  Nov 2025
  (Incomplete) Network Cabinet Diagram.
  Metal face plate from network device with screws and some inserted
  paper being prepared on my desk in the Cabinet Office.
  100 Parliament Street, London
  Dec 2025
  Network Cabinet Diagram in situ in a network cabinet.
  Metal face plate from network device with screws and inserted paper.
  Attached to network cabinet in basement 'SER' (server room).
  100 Parliament Street, London
  Dec 2025
  Network Cabinet Diagram in situ in a network cabinet.
  Metal face plate from network device with screws and inserted paper
  attached to network cabinet in basement 'SER' (server room).
  Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, London
  Dec 2025
  Network Cabinet Diagram in network cabinet (bottom right)
  with PDU Boxes to the Left.
  Metal face plate from network device with screws and inserted paper
  attached to network cabinet in basement 'SER' (server room).
  Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, London
  Dec 2025