Maker with a Mission Residency at Makerversity in Somerset House, London
Exploring Flooding Through Data and Art: Kerrie O'Leary's Residency at Makerversity
As part of her 'Maker with a Mission' residency at Makerversity, Irish artist Kerrie O'Leary is in the research and development phase of a new project addressing the environmental impact of flooding in the UK. Leveraging open-source flood data and physical computing, Kerrie is working toward a kinetic installation that transforms abstract information into a tangible, immersive experience that encourages reflection on human responsibility in environmental crises.
With an undergraduate degree in Management Science and Information Systems and an MFA in Computational Art, Kerrie’s interdisciplinary approach merges data analysis, technology to push traditional art forms.
Building on her research into hyperobjects — a term used to describe phenomena so large they defy individual comprehension, such as climate change and ocean pollution—Kerrie seeks to make the enormity of flooding more accessible. By turning flood statistics into physical forms, the moving sculpture will allow the audience to engage with the overwhelming scale of the issue on a personal level, bridging the gap between data and lived experience.
Another key influence in this project is hydrofeminism, a philosophy developed by Astrida Neimanis that frames all life as interconnected “bodies of water.” Kerrie aims to show how flooding is not just a distant natural disaster but something deeply tied to human existence, sparking dialogue about our shared responsibility to the environment.
Throughout her residency, Kerrie has used Makerversity’s workshop space, including its 3D printers, to prototype elements of the sculpture. She has also engaged with the RNLI crew at Tower Bridge to gain insights into the real-life effects of flooding on the River Thames. This field research is crucial to her process, grounding the project in lived experience while integrating personal narratives alongside raw data. While the final piece is still evolving, Kerrie’s research at Makerversity is laying the groundwork for an installation that brings together data, technology, and human stories to explore our complex relationship with the environment.