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April 21st, 2026

Data Vandals: Taking Data Visualization Off the Screen and Into the Streets

  1. Data Vandals: Taking Data Visualization Off the Screen and Into the Streets Jon 51:36

In this episode, I sat down with Jen Ray and Jason Forrest—the married duo behind Data Vandals—to talk about their remarkable approach to bringing data visualization off the screen and into the physical world. What started as a pandemic-era poster campaign in New York City evolved into street theater, interactive gallery installations, and a Piaggio Ape three-wheeler touring London with opinion surveys. We talked about how they use isotypes, stickers, and hand-painted signs to spark real conversations between strangers about everything from gun violence to foxes to billionaires. We also got into their recent workshops in the Netherlands and Budapest, and their stunning new installation at Los Angeles Union Station about the city’s native wildlife. If you’ve ever wondered whether people will actually stop and engage with data—even on a cold March day in the East Village—this episode will convince you they will.

Keywords: data visualization, data vandals, Jen Ray, Jason Forrest, physical data visualization, data art, community engagement, isotype, street data, data physicalization, data communication, PolicyViz podcast, data storytelling, interactive data, data literacy, public data, data journalism, data design

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Follow Data Vandals on Instagram @datavandals and visit their website at datavandals.com

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Email: [email protected]

My name is Jon Schwabish, and I am an economist, writer, teacher, and data communications expert. I am widely recognized for advancing clarity and accessibility in how analysts, researchers, and scholars communicate their findings. I am the author of four books—Better Presentations, Elevate the Debate, Better Data Visualizations, and Data Visualization in Excel—which provide practical guidance for people looking to improve how they create, present, and communicate data-rich content. I am also the host of the PolicyViz Podcast, the longest running podcast dedicated to helping listeners better understand data and data visualizations.