Artist and computer scientist Jonathan Harris makes online art that captures the world's expression — and gives us a glimpse of the soul of the Internet.

Why you should listen

Brooklyn-based artist Jonathan Harris' work celebrates the world's diversity even as it illustrates the universal concerns of its occupants. His computer programs scour the Internet for unfiltered content, which his beautiful interfaces then organize to create coherence from the chaos.

His projects are both intensely personal (the "We Feel Fine" project, made with Sep Kanvar, which scans the world's blogs to collect snapshots of the writers' feelings) and entirely global (the new "Universe," which turns current events into constellations of words). But their effect is the same -- to show off a world that resonates with shared emotions, concerns, problems, triumphs and troubles.

What others say

“Jonathan Harris [is] a New York artist and storyteller working primarily on the Internet. His work involves the exploration and understanding of humans, on a global scale, through the artifacts they leave behind on the Web.” — Edge.org

Jonathan Harris’ TED talks

More news and ideas from Jonathan Harris

Global Issues

“Balloons of Bhutan”: Bringing Gross National Happiness from the Himalayas

November 1, 2011

In his latest project, “Balloons of Bhutan,” artist, computer scientist and storyteller Jonathan Harris explores how the Kingdom of Bhutan measures quality of life — not through Gross National Product, but through Gross National Happiness. In 2007 Harris spent two weeks talking to 117 people — students, farmers, road workers, monks, even a firewood seller, […]

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Art

Collecting stories: Jonathan Harris on TED.com

July 24, 2008

At the EG conference in December 2007, artist Jonathan Harris discusses his latest projects, which involve collecting stories: his own, strangers’, and stories collected from the Internet, including his amazing “We Feel Fine.”(Recorded December 2007 in Los Angeles, California. Duration: 20:29.)   Watch Jonathan Harris’s 2007 talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate […]

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