Having studied the abstract data type of graph in computer science, I am familiar with the appearance of networks, which is very similar to how graphs look(with all nodes and edges linking them). However, their purposes are quite different: in short, graphs are used to represent the flow of computation and find an optimized solution; networks are used to show connections between people or objects as subjects and find the relationships between them.
I have explored Inventing Abstraction by MoMA, a network commemorating the pioneer artists and intellectuals “inventing abstraction.” The diagram maps the relationships among the artists who played a significant role in the development of a new modern language for the arts, abstraction, with nodes representing the artists and edges representing connection between individuals whose acquaintance with each other could be documented. For those who have the most connections in this diagram, their names are marked red(among which are famous artists like Vasily Kandinsky and Pablo Picasso).
By clicking on names of artists, you can enter a page with a diagram showing the connections of the artist on the left and basic information about the artist on the right, including works, birthplace, places worked, interests, and a brief biography. Instead of having to go back to the entire diagram to proceed, you can just click on the artists connected to your previously chosen artist and a new page of the artist will be shown. A little pity I had when viewing the diagrams is that there is no specific explanation of how two artists are acquaintances.
This chart was created in collaboration between, Inventing Abstraction, 1910 – 1925, the exhibition’s curatorial and design team and Paul Ingram and Mitali Banerjee.
Overall, this diagram shows to me the power of network: with accurate data and appropriate definition of “connection,” it can clearly and intuitively show the relationships between subjects and also provide information of them.
