Artists Discover the Art of Crunching Numbers
By V.L. HENDRICKSON

Most artists want nothing to do with numbers, and they certainly don't want their work quantified in a spreadsheet. But several data pioneers are working to convince the city's art community that number-crunching isn't only a crucial tool—it's got sex appeal.

"There is mystery in data, anticipation, adventure, even sensory gratification," said Ian Moss, the research director of Fractured Atlas. "There's a whole world out there of numbers to explore, and we in the arts are just starting to map it out. To be involved in that effort is to feel like a pioneer, in a way..."

To help convince people how hot these new technologies really are, Mr. Moss and four others spoke on a panel at the Eyebeam Art + Technology Center in Chelsea on Wednesday evening. The event, "Data = Sexy: Everything You Wanted to Know (But Were Afraid to Ask) About the Arts' Love Affair with Numbers," was hosted by Emerging Leaders of New York Arts.