The Shanghai Wet Market Index

The Shanghai Wet Market Index is a data visualization project based on tracking a single Chinese vegetable market's inventory over the course of a year.

It started as a seasonality calendar for produce in Shanghai and evolved into an analysis of the channels used to supply food to a city of 25 million people.

In addition to the analysis, the project formed the basis for artist Miguel Emerico's mechanical "data paintings".

The paintings, one of which is included in this package, were created with a DIY electronic plotter outfitted with a paintbrush, which he used a surgical needle to apply paint to every few strokes.

The package as a whole is both a critique of the food supply system, the emerging "zombie markets" of urban areas, and a beautiful if somewhat abstract illustration of what produce remains seasonal (or not) in Shanghai's markets.

The physical print, on high-quality archival art paper, remains available in China only.