What is Visualization?

Abstract

From its beginnings in the 18th century until the end of the 20^th century, information visualisation used points, lines, curves and simple geometric shapes to stand in for objects and relations between them. This article discusses a new visualization method that can be called “direct visualisation” (or “media visualisation”): creating new visual representations from the visual media objects (images, video) or their parts. This method is particularly relevant for humanities, media studies and cultural institutions. Using the actual visual artefacts in visualisation as opposed to representing them by graphical primitives helps the researcher to understand meaning and/or cause behind the patterns she may observe, as well as discover additional patterns.

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