“On the Cultural Anchorage of Knowledge Visualization”

Baur, Ruedi; Felsing, Ulrike

This article concerns knowledge graphics from Chinese culture. These graphics are linked to specific designs based on concepts anchored in their own culture and time. The major question behind our research was: What kinds of special qualities do traditional Chinese diagrams have, as regards their cultural framework and their specific design? The main object of the team’s research was a body of images visualizing knowledge compiled chiefly from a Chinese encyclopedia, the 三才圖會 Sancai Tuhui. At the heart of the research is the conception and creative development of “visual translations.” By redesigning existing knowledge graphics, the research team was able to perceive the cultural implications of the Chinese graphics. Practice-based research primarily allowed us to better understand the originals via the process of tracing the images, which permitted us to recognize their special characteristics. One of the most important results was the observation that, in traditional Chinese diagrams, both visual and written signs face different directions, corresponding to the four cardinal points, and that the direction in which the signs are turned also provides information about particular spatial directions. During the research process, practice-led research and scientific processes are closely connected. Reflecting upon and realizing visual translations are processes relevant to information design, visual studies, and, in an expanded sense, to the disciplines of “intercultural design” and diversity research. This is also an interdisciplinary research project, where our design team investigated a research topic in collaboration with Sinologists and cultural education scientists.
Open Closed Print

2019

https://direct.mit.edu/desi/article/35/1/52/69343/On-the-Cultural-Anchorings-of-Knowledge

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Applied Fine Performing Arts - Switzerland - HEAD - Haute école d'art et de design, Genève Applied Fine Performing Arts - Switzerland Applied Fine Performing Arts catalog - mediathek catalog - network catalog - Artists catalog - HGK catalog - HGKplus

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AccessDate: 2021-04-07T09:19:13Z
DateAdded: 2021-04-07T09:19:13Z
DateModified: 2021-08-10T09:18:54Z
Issue: 1
Key: GUXBE4KH
Language: de
LibraryCatalog: http://p3.snf.ch
Pages: 52-66
PublicationTitle: Design Issues
Rights: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Volume: 35

- Applied Fine Performing Arts

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“On the Cultural Anchorage of Knowledge Visualization”

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Visual coexistence informationdesign and typography in the intercultural field

The Visualization of Knowledge: Researching for New Methods for Information Design in the Intercultural Field

L'expérience singulière de la lecture

HEAD - La Recherche en Art et en Design Research in Art and Design.

"A Visual Translation."

Des corps compétents (sportifs, artistes, burlesques)

PDF

“On the Cultural Anchorage of Knowledge Visualization”

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More from "Applied Fine Performing Arts - Switzerland - HEAD - Haute école d'art et de design, Genève"

Sans le socle

Produire du paysage, produire de l’identité. Regards artistiques, ethno-historiques et anthropologiques sur le sud du Chili | HEAD

soma-esthétique et architecture: une alernance critique | HEAD

Rechercher la mode

Visual coexistence informationdesign and typography in the intercultural field

The Visualization of Knowledge: Researching for New Methods for Information Design in the Intercultural Field

L'expérience singulière de la lecture

HEAD - La Recherche en Art et en Design Research in Art and Design.

"A Visual Translation."

Des corps compétents (sportifs, artistes, burlesques)