from nick…
In his introduction to The Language of New Media Lev Manovich distinguishes between representation and simulation. Summarise this distinction and discuss with reference to any ideas that you have for your design for simulation project.
for wednesday please
Josh B
19/10/2010
From what I gathered from the text, representation involved representing and physical space within a virtual space in such a way that is not seamless. In the context of Virtual Reality, representation discourages any movement from the spectator but instead creating a new condition; require the viewer to move within the virtual space instead. The idea of being immobilize in front of a rectangular frame.
However as far as simulation go, the aim is to de-emphasize the border between virtual and physical spaces. When the scale of a representation is the same as the scale of the world that we know, the two spaces merge continuously rather than separate them. Enable the spectator still able to move around in the physical space.
Ryan
19/10/2010
Lev Manovich talks about representation as a ‘front page’ if you like to cultural objects, as he says in the text a website, computer game or digital image is a form of representation for maybe a physical object or historical fact. He could be hinting at the fact that representation is a way of introducing real world ‘objects’ into the virtual almost like a hidden message.
Operating systems again are a form of representing, ‘organizing data in such a way that they show particular models of the world and the human subject. I will use programs such as excel which takes in data to create charts for the real world.
If so then all virtual creations such as programs, 3d, websites are a representation of the world, which in simpler terms means that whatever is made in the virtual is made as a representation of the time it was created, websites for example change all the time in appearance and use to be the most advance and modern website in today’s world because that’s what today’s ambition.
This is completely different to simulation which is an ‘imitation’ of the real world within the virtual; the purpose of simulation is to immerse the viewer within the virtual screen. To make it real to the viewer takes away any form of representation and tries to make it the reality, the cultural object. To blur the physical and virtual borders so we cannot tell where they separate and become two separate forms.
But a word he uses at the end of the text is ‘Illusionism’ which is true for both terms but only within the screen (virtual).
(Lev Manovich, The mitt press, 2007)
Jacques
19/10/2010
Short, but anyway, original linked here.
Lev Manovich describes representation as an artifact or object that uses a screen to show something, such as a painting, film or television. In contrast, he describes simulation as being something that completely immerses a person within a virtual or real environment, for example ancient churches and cinema theaters.
I like these definitions, because conventionally, I think people often struggle to think of the difference between the two words, and Manovich manages to make a clear and concise distinction between the two things.
Manovich’s idea of simulation is relevant to my project because my aim is to create an installation which completely immerses the viewer within an environment that I’ve created.
jamiecreamer
19/10/2010
In his introduction to The Language of New Media Lev Manovich distinguishes between representation and simulation. Summarise this distinction:
After reading Manovich’s introduction I believe that representation and simulation can be separated and defined as follows.
Representation is the creation of a virtual world that is viewed on a physically present screen. The viewer is never fully immersed into the fabricated reality, they are merely observers.
This can be seen when Manovich describes representational objects as never “.. completely blocking her visual field” .
I believe that this means the viewer is always aware of the the fact that they are viewing an artificial creation and thus this strengthens their distinction between the physical world and the virtual object.
Simulation in contrast refers to the complete immersion of a viewer into a virtual universe.
I interpret this to mean that any simulated environment can be said to hold a physical presence alongside the virtual one. The viewers is enveloped completely into the fabricated reality.
He uses the example of “twentieth century movie theaters” in his definition of simulation. A place where they viewer must detach themselves from the physical reality, to fully believe and experience the virtual universe that is presented to them. I believe this links directly back to the Plato’s cave discussion.
My work:
I am not fully set upon an idea for my work yet, but after Marks suggestion I have been looking at maps and travel.
Maps can be a representation of geographical relief & distance, they can represent a journey by various modes of transport.
Yet the viewer is always aware that they are observing a map, a version of the physical world. They never remove immerse themselves fully into the map.
What if a map could become a simulation instead of a mere representation?
This concept is very interesting and an appealing avenue to take my research down.
jamiecreamer
19/10/2010
*Edit*
should have been:
Yet the viewer is always aware that they are observing a map, a version of the physical world. They never fully immerse themselves into the map.
will
19/10/2010
Reference to my idea, keeping in mind the differences between representation and simulation in The Language of New Media by Lev Manovich. The representation would be the set up of booth with the screen that the viewer will be in and the screen in front of the viewer. The simulation is the video.
My idea is to show in the video a simulation of depravity (deprived) not allowed to have something, filming shadows instead of reality (Plato’s cave). I’m going to try and make the viewer anxious, annoyed or frustrated. So I’m going to film things that make the audience want to know what’s going on but wont show them only the shadows.
I will accompany this with immersive headphones so the viewer feels they are trapped. I hope to also have a light shining on the booth, which would be a representation. So as the viewer leaves they will become blinded by the light maybe dazed and confused, which would be again the simulation, referencing to Plato’s cave again.
Karvan Swara
19/10/2010
I’m still trying the find a representation as well as a simulation that surrounds my idea. I feel that it has a lot of potential but just needs refining. This is something I need to discuss with you tomorrow.
However Lev Manovich’s introduction has made me think a lot about the discussion we had about representation; about the viewer perceiving the art for something more than what it already is…… revealing something that isn’t there. I’m a bit lost as to how to distinguish representation with simulation because in some ways they are more or less the same on opposite ends. You’re just creating a piece that is either digital or non digital that that immerses the audience that comes to the conclusion that it’s a representation. Much like what Nick said last week… the difference between a designer and an artist id that an artist is more of a thinker and a designer is more of a manufacturer. In this case I perceive ‘simulation’ coming from a designers perspective and the representation to be in the form of the thinker/ philosopher