Visual Culture Week

Shaping Perceptions THROUGH Maps, images and ARCHIVES

THE POWER OF PERCEPTION

Visual representations profoundly impact our understanding of the world. Maps, images, and archives are not just passive representations of the world, they are powerful tools for shaping cultural narratives. These visual elements can both reinforce and challenge existing perceptions.

Distorting Global Perspectives

Mercator projection, type of map projection introduced in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator. It is often described as a cylindrical projection, but it must be derived mathematically. The meridians are equally spaced parallel vertical lines, and the parallels of latitude are parallel horizontal straight lines that are spaced farther and farther apart as their distance from the Equator increases.

SUGGESTED VIEWING

In this video, we delve into the fascinating world of map projections, discussing how they shape our understanding of the world. From navigation to cultural perspectives, we explore the implications of map projections on global perception.

How does the Mercator projection influence our understanding of geography, and what are its practical implications and distortions?The Mercator projection is widely used for navigation charts because any straight line on a Mercator map represents a line of constant true bearing, enabling navigators to plot a straight-line course effectively. However, it is less practical for world maps due to significant scale distortion; areas farther from the Equator appear disproportionately large. For example, on a Mercator projection, Greenland appears larger than the continent of South America, despite being smaller than the Arabian Peninsula in actual area.

In our society we unconsciously equate size with importance, and even power.

How has this influenced perception? Exaggerated size of Europe and North America reinforces Eurocentric worldviews, and misrepresents the size and importance of countries in the Global South.

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