Editorial. The Geography of the Image

Abstract

In his editorial, Franco Purini reflects on the role of images in the age of globalisation, challenging the idea of a supposed planetary homogenisation. On the contrary, the contemporary world appears to be crossed by new borders, reasserted identities, distinct cultural landscapes and increasingly recognisable visual forms, able to convey the complexity of places and societies. Within this scenario, “XY” offers a critical reading of contemporary iconic proliferation: a vast, transient and plural universe of images, yet one that is also shaped by the mechanisms of consumption. The ‘geography of the image’ thus becomes an ideal map for understanding how cities, territories, art, cinema, architecture, and media construct new representations of the world, between reality, virtuality, local identities, and the global imaginary.