Data Visualization Portfolio

In conjunction with Carengie Mellon University’s course Telling Stories with Data

About Me

Hello, my name is André Solomon (He/Him/His) and I am originally from Methuen, Massachusetts (a small town up north from Boston). Before coming to Pittsburgh, I resided in Syracuse for 5 years. With my studies, I have a Bachelor of Arts with a Flute concentration from Syracuse University and in-candidacy at Carnegie Mellon University through Heinz College pursuing a Masters degree in Arts Management concentrating on Community Engagement. With both degrees, I hope to enforce social justice for the arts; a belief that the arts are not frivolous but a necessary component of human development. Since I am a minority in the Arts world, both as an artist and arts manager, I want to provide opportunities for people of color to visualize representation; therefore, ownership to actualize their dreams. Upon graduation, job prospects lie in performing arts organizations either in Arts Education or Community Engagement, while trying to balance a musical career on flute. Besides the constant flow of school, I enjoy talking walks, playing video games, working out and trying to explore hidden gems. In Pittsburgh, I have the pleasure of co-directing Make Music PGH, which has its annual celebration on the Summer Solstice.

What I Hope to Learn

As an advocate of community centric futures in the arts, I desire to use data efficiently to narrate/facilitate the stories of undeserved communities, especially those of black and brown bodies, with intent of projecting their already formed voices, not to create a voice for them
The arts world has a good grasp on intrinsic value/experiences but fails to attach quantifiable data or economic value. As numbers are tangible, it is crucial for securing funding and audience engagement. How can we achieve this with data visualizations?
As a polymath, I am interested between the intersections of data/art/design

Portfolio

During the course of Fall 2019 Semester’s Mini 2, I will display major assignments here, including a final project that describes the process of discovering new music with Spotify.