New Visualities of Space and Place: Mapping Theories, Concepts and Methodology of Visual Communication Research on Locative Media and Geomedia

Abstract

The integration of geolocative data and locative photography generates a new way of seeing: what is called ‘emplaced visuality’. This article explores the features and the research advancements in the direction of the visual aspects of locative media and geomedia to expand on the understanding of what appears to be a new visual regime. To do this, the text explores the developments of locative media and geomedia to link them to a series of disciplinary ‘turns’ that bridge areas of interdisciplinary thought within the knowledge ecosystem: from the spatial and mobility turns to the (visual) algorithmic turn. The paper points to current research strands in the field as a way of grasping the visual regime emerging from adding location to imaging. Exploring these features assists in mapping the expanding field of geomedia and visuality while also opening more opportunities for further research.