Investigating the Role of Video Mapping in 21th Century Environmental Graphics Based on the Comments of Paul Virilio and Lev Manovich

 
Historically, avant-garde artists have always used new technology, tools, and materials to express their vision. Currently, video mapping is a technology that, in terms of our time and the current media environment, may seem that digital culture and the framework of new media are its recent background, but video mapping has an older history. According to Paul Virilio, it is impossible to separate the history of visual display (from which video mapping is one of its new forms) from the history of artificial light, due to their technological affinity. Video mappings are one of the new and effective forms of environmental graphics in the city with a deep and old history. Simply, video mapping is a display of an image, movement and setting with sound and a specific concept in different aspects like cultural, social, advertising and amusement. Due to the importance of communication in modern cities, video mappings are so essential. Today, the use of urban video mapping to beautify and instill cultural, social, etc. concepts is considered a significant element in the development of modern technologies for society's communication, which quickly engages the audience in the message of the work and makes it last in the audience's mind. Unfortunately, the review of reliable articles and texts in domestic publications and books shows that no complete and specific research has done in Iran in the field of video mapping and their role and impact on environmental graphics and video mapping is a new topic in Iran. It is essential to better understand and research this matter in Iran according to the progress of this type of 3D specialization in the world and the increasingly progress of this technology. Based on the demand and necessity and considering the importance and impact of video mapping in the environmental graphics of modern cities, this research has addressed the issue of how video mapping in modern urban communication can be effective as an art and medium. It is a qualitative research wherein analytical and descriptive methods have been used. It tries to examine the effect of video mapping and its appearance in 21^st century environmental graphics based on the Paul Virilio’s opinions and by reviewing reliable domestic and international sources and documents and searching on websites.
Le Manovich is a French philosopher in the field of technology and art, as well as a media artist and digital culture theorist. He concluded that video mapping is a fundamental factor in the development of the industry and the culture of a high-performing society as well as a large audience in the world. Virilio considers the man's perception of the environment is a daily and pre-determined understanding and states that the horizon of the human vision makes his understanding of the environment. He refers to man's understanding of geometric and non -geometric shapes before recognizing that shape. Thus, he draws attention to the things that apparently don't exist, not to those that do. In his opinion, this attention to the aesthetics of visible and invisible causes the emergence of noble and valuable works. Manovich also considers a work with a beneficial effect on the environment and the individual as a valuable work that can be a cultural work with influential and significant consequences. The findings showed that, according to the daily interaction of the citizen with the urban environment, cities are one of the most substantial factors affecting the citizens. In the 21st century, video mapping (with its historical background) can be an effective media in the fields of culture, social, advertising, decorations and even be personal. For example, in architecture, especially the architecture of buildings, one of the main applications of video mapping is at night, that can be as considerable as at day. Virilio's theory invites people to observe spaces and negative spaces and anti-forms instead of forms and sizes, as well as positive space and form, and gives equal importance to them. Video mappings can also have an impactful use in the same way. Thus, Using the passive, physically active, or metaphysically functioning video mapping in cities can create a memorable and effective scene both at day and especially at night and attract not only present but also absent audiences from all over the world. In addition, in Manovich's opinion, the layers of the media are cultural and computerized, so in the cultural layer, so in the cultural layer, the computer layer affects culture and literature. Therefore, new arts like video mapping have an impact on our culture and environment, using it has a specific and positive effect on our lives and our surrounding environment.
The interactive feature of video mapping is one of the most influencial and seminal features of video mapping in environmental graphics, which engages and interacts with the audience. Thus, the role of the audience is powerful and impressive in the video performance process. With further investigation, the video mapping usage divided into some pivotal groups like advertising, entertainment and recreational, educational, decorative, and thematic (personal) groups. The advertising is the most well-known area in this field. Corporate companies and reputable brands use video campaigns to reach a large audience at the venue and even outside the scope of the video campaign, where the audience is absent. We see more fun and entertainment in competitions, games and various events. Educational video mappings convey tips, messages, and lessons well to the audience and can also take on an interactive mode, which is more effective in didactic items. Decorative video mapping in environmental graphics gives a detailed and enjoyable look and effect to the space, especially the urban environment, and attracts the audience to this space. Also, there are a range of video mappings used as personal and thematic items in parties.
As a result, using video mappings in different and diverse groups is one of the indicators of the improvement of urban spaces, and environmental graphics have a positive cultural and social impact on citizens and audiences. So, it is worth paying attention to and using in modern man's society.