Johanna

Johanna is a visual research laboratory created to understand the relationship between information and electromagnetism: both fundamental elements of contemporary communication. Transmitting information with electromagnetism has brought a revolution not entirely understood: the concepts and dynamics used to produce and exchange information are adopted as a model to give structure and form to the changes in society. To understand this revolution is essential to grasp the nature of information: according to Claude Shannon, American mathematician, and inventor of the bit, information is the basic element of language. He considers the value of information as a function of the reduction of the uncertainty and entropy. For this comes the bit with the simple elements of language: 'yes' and 'no' and as strings of 'one' and 'zero'. These, in visual translation, are represented by dots and lines, the simple elements of visual communication. This translation also manages to represent the particle-wave duality of the photon, quantum of the electromagnetism. Speaking of electromagnetism, is inside its physical peculiarities as a medium that we find the outright effects of the revolution of information exchange. Indeed, the speed of information exchange through electricity has created a standardised field of experience, a nervous system for the entire planet, reshaped space and condensed time; in other words, making our planet a small place. Therefore, despite their geographical origins, communities are based on common interests and, in addition, goods and services follow the same dynamics of online information production. In the resulting pictures I have operated a visual translation. In particular, dots, lines and pattern represent the effect of contemporary communication, they interpret the evolution of our way of life, yet they also read form, proportions, interaction, chaos and order of the society according to the concepts used by Shannon to invent its language, the bit.