Deconstructing Data Visualisations
Feb 2012] ‘Hunger Strikes’ was created as Palestinian administrative detainee Khader Adnan concluded the second month of a 66-day total voluntary fast (Crosby, Apovian, & Grodin, 2007).
A traumatic “media- constructed” social dilemma is hunger. Citizens are depriving themselves from food for various reasons that encourages them to reach image goals spread on many media platforms. This issue became epidemically spread until it became normalized. The obsession with a certain physical image has reached people to having illnesses and health problems.
Content analyses announce that the size of women appearing all media outlets has decreased significantly since the 1960s, becoming even more prominent with an increase of reported eating disorder situations (Capodilupo, 2016).
However, the isuue grew big becoming a meme graphic spread over social media accounts. The visualization above stands as two: a health warning campaign, and a cruel depressing message. The colors used play a massive role in persuading the message especially through the red that is mostly reflected as dangerous, since it’s the color of blood. Thus, the moment a person looks at this image would instantly consider something bad in its content. The usage of the heads of public figures (i.e. Mahatma Ghandi) stimulates a real and closer meaning of the message. The impact that the mixture of black and red leaves the viewer with is influential and eye-grabbing. Moving on to the owrds and numbers, some are highlighted and enlarged, stressing on the idea that they tell, stamping the image inside the head. How detailed this image is, leaves us with twist yet belief. On one hand, it’s a bit complex and long to read quickly on the way. On the other, the emphasis on body organs and presentation of statistics improves the credibility of such a post; thus, triggering the reader’s mind. However, the seperation of the colors pointing out the importance of some words on others defeats the message in a discriminated criteria. Yet, the utilization of historical events’ dates not only strikes its’ power amomg other pictures, but also proves that it’s based on research and should be taken into consideration. Hence, the image would leave a stamp in the reader’s mind and would encourage them to participate in this well-based campaign.
The first attracting icon in this visualization is the color. This color is said to be the color of the Palastenian Israeli carplates. The attracting tool is successfully practiced by spreading a calm and sad mood, only through colors.
Nevertheless, the famous face, Ahed Tamimi, has became a heroic representation. Thus, as the media propagated for this girl and pleased the acts she’s done in her homeland Palestine, she became a well recognized figure. Therefore, portraying her face centered in the image plays a huge role of telling the story of the image. It directly gives an impression of a patriotic message encountering resistance, for those who are familiar with Tamimi. It does rely on her presence more than the words written since they appear smaller. Yet, they accompany the image with an expected aim of calling for support to Palestine and speaking out. Nevertheless, the numbers shown collaborate with the effectiveness of such credible visualization. The metrics circulate dimensions and possibilities that are stimulated in the mind. They follow up with the conscience of communities reading, and blow their minds.
The above visualization shows a comparison between the two international celebrities: Shakira, labeling her with pink, and Rihanna, labeling her with orange. First of all, the main topic is social media platforms. Mentioning social media accounts on this newspaper by itself, asserts that the obsession in them, is a normal habit. Generally, the whole topic is publicity on Facebook, Twiiter, and Instagram.
Therefore, if the media is releasing such photos, what’s the blame on the people to be media maniacs now? Since media itself publishes such a post, it indirectly makes the audience think about the numbers of likes and followers and try to elevate them. Even though it’s never been a social issue, it became a social habit nowadays.
Other than making people’s minds focused on numbers and screen material, they make them love one part of people. Portraying these two celebrities on a cover page encourages people to look like them and be image- oriented. Yet, no one ever is going to be like anyone else. We’re born to be different. However, providing the graphic with numbers shows credibility, especially while comparing one thing to the other. This comparison generally demonstrates a better effect of Shakira (101 M followers) on social media than Rihanna’s (36 M followers).
This catalog is set to sustain these two celebrities’ importance in the society and keeps on motivating followers to look up to them and give them more love. This whole process controls the society’s mindset by idealising people and making the colors they wear and physical appearances play role in how we see each other. That proves how much an image is powerful, because of the media.
These visuals affect a person’s mindset on a certain perspective. The messages they carry and successfully shape out a social norm explain how media through it’s constructed visual contsruct our thoughts, data visualisation are an indespinsible part of visual storytelling in the media (Gynnild 2013).”
