Abstract
For many years, the view existed that images can be understood globally, irrespective of the place of origin and/or place of consumption. Especially after WWII, social sciences and semiotics held on to that belief. Furthermore, it would seem that with the arrival of social media, this belief has been strengthened even more. Over the last 20 years or so, a budding counter-movement can be observed which is challenging this belief. Much of this is based on more recent studies, e.g. naming practices of object by Trobriand islanders (Russell, 2003), internet research on dress colours (Bleasdale, 2015); or the exchange and circulation of memes (Briel 2023). While it is true that science accepts a basic universal understanding of lines and shapes (Dolev, 2001), when visual cognition goes beyond these, cultural determinants take over. In my paper, I demonstrate how these culture-dependent visions are providing much needed insight into how cultural transmissions are working (or not), and why understanding this phenomenon is becoming ever more important in a world bracketed by and based on visual internet exchanges. I also introduce the concept of the VisionByte and enlarge upon is usability in vision studies.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—Traveling Concepts: The Transfer and Translation of Ideas in the Humanities
KEYWORDS
Culture-dependent vision, VisionByte, Cultural transmission, Visual regimes, Image sciences
