Modulation

Modulation: The Parameter-Image offers a new way to understand what images are and how they work. Instead of treating pictures as fixed representations of the world, this book argues that every image is a field of variation—something continuously adjusted, tuned and transformed. From the mechanical...

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Glavni avtor: Dvorák, Tomáš
Format: Online
Jezik:angleščina
Izdano: University of Exeter Press 2026
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Online dostop:ONIX_20260529T115620_9781804132517_2
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author Dvorák, Tomáš
author_browse Dvorák, Tomáš
author_facet Dvorák, Tomáš
author_sort Dvorák, Tomáš
collection Directory of Open Access Books
description Modulation: The Parameter-Image offers a new way to understand what images are and how they work. Instead of treating pictures as fixed representations of the world, this book argues that every image is a field of variation—something continuously adjusted, tuned and transformed. From the mechanical instruments of the Renaissance to today’s generative AI, images have always been shaped by certain parameters: brightness and contrast, scale and resolution, signal and noise. Modulation, the art of varying within limits, is the deep logic behind all imaging. Tracing this idea across mechanical, optical, electrical, electronic and algorithmic media, the book shows how images emerge not as single artefacts but as dynamic processes. It links the sliders of photo-editing software to the vanishing points of perspective drawing, the tuning of radio signals and the latent spaces of machine learning. Each chapter demonstrates how cultures of modulation have organised the visible—technically, aesthetically and politically. Drawing on philosophy, media archaeology and art history, this volume reinterprets thinkers such as Gilbert Simondon to propose a theory of the ‘parameter-image’: an image defined by its range of possible variations rather than its fixed form. Written by a scholar whose background bridges philosophy, media theory and visual culture, it offers both conceptual clarity and historical depth. It will appeal to readers in media and cultural studies, art and design, philosophy and aesthetics and anyone interested in how images—past and present—are made to move, vary and think.
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language eng
publishDate 2026
publishDateRange 2026
publishDateSort 2026
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publisherStr University of Exeter Press
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spelling doab-20.500.12854ir-1770182026-06-04T05:49:29Z Modulation Dvorák, Tomáš Latent space Contemporary visuality Philosophy of modulation Modulation in image history Processual media theory Technical images Computational aesthetics Statistical individuation Optical and mechanical instruments in early modern imaging Parametric imaging Algorithmic image generation Control in digital media Modulation Philosophy of individuation Simondon Image technologies Media archaeology Visual culture thema EDItEUR::A The Arts::AF The Arts: art forms::AFK Non-graphic and electronic art forms::AFKV Digital, video and new media arts thema EDItEUR::Q Philosophy and Religion::QD Philosophy::QDT Topics in philosophy::QDTN Philosophy: aesthetics thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies thema EDItEUR::T Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Industrial processes::TT Other technologies and applied sciences::TTB Applied optics::TTBM Imaging systems and technology thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies::JBCC Cultural studies thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies::JBCT Media studies thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social and cultural anthropology Modulation: The Parameter-Image offers a new way to understand what images are and how they work. Instead of treating pictures as fixed representations of the world, this book argues that every image is a field of variation—something continuously adjusted, tuned and transformed. From the mechanical instruments of the Renaissance to today’s generative AI, images have always been shaped by certain parameters: brightness and contrast, scale and resolution, signal and noise. Modulation, the art of varying within limits, is the deep logic behind all imaging. Tracing this idea across mechanical, optical, electrical, electronic and algorithmic media, the book shows how images emerge not as single artefacts but as dynamic processes. It links the sliders of photo-editing software to the vanishing points of perspective drawing, the tuning of radio signals and the latent spaces of machine learning. Each chapter demonstrates how cultures of modulation have organised the visible—technically, aesthetically and politically. Drawing on philosophy, media archaeology and art history, this volume reinterprets thinkers such as Gilbert Simondon to propose a theory of the ‘parameter-image’: an image defined by its range of possible variations rather than its fixed form. Written by a scholar whose background bridges philosophy, media theory and visual culture, it offers both conceptual clarity and historical depth. It will appeal to readers in media and cultural studies, art and design, philosophy and aesthetics and anyone interested in how images—past and present—are made to move, vary and think. 2026-05-30T05:09:28Z 2026-05-30T05:09:28Z 2026-05-29T11:18:34Z 2026 book ONIX_20260529T115620_9781804132517_2 https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/113776 9781804132517 9781804132500 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/177018 eng open access image/jpeg image/jpeg Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/113776/1/9781804132517.pdf https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/113776/1/9781804132517.pdf University of Exeter Press University of Exeter Press 10.47788/YSHT1618 10.47788/YSHT1618 1417d5ed-2c7f-456e-84f4-e75128a86747 9781804132517 9781804132500 University of Exeter Press 98 open access
spellingShingle Latent space
Contemporary visuality
Philosophy of modulation
Modulation in image history
Processual media theory
Technical images
Computational aesthetics
Statistical individuation
Optical and mechanical instruments in early modern imaging
Parametric imaging
Algorithmic image generation
Control in digital media
Modulation
Philosophy of individuation
Simondon
Image technologies
Media archaeology
Visual culture
thema EDItEUR::A The Arts::AF The Arts: art forms::AFK Non-graphic and electronic art forms::AFKV Digital, video and new media arts
thema EDItEUR::Q Philosophy and Religion::QD Philosophy::QDT Topics in philosophy::QDTN Philosophy: aesthetics
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies
thema EDItEUR::T Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Industrial processes::TT Other technologies and applied sciences::TTB Applied optics::TTBM Imaging systems and technology
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies::JBCC Cultural studies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies::JBCT Media studies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social and cultural anthropology
Dvorák, Tomáš
Modulation
title Modulation
title_full Modulation
title_fullStr Modulation
title_full_unstemmed Modulation
title_short Modulation
title_sort modulation
topic Latent space
Contemporary visuality
Philosophy of modulation
Modulation in image history
Processual media theory
Technical images
Computational aesthetics
Statistical individuation
Optical and mechanical instruments in early modern imaging
Parametric imaging
Algorithmic image generation
Control in digital media
Modulation
Philosophy of individuation
Simondon
Image technologies
Media archaeology
Visual culture
thema EDItEUR::A The Arts::AF The Arts: art forms::AFK Non-graphic and electronic art forms::AFKV Digital, video and new media arts
thema EDItEUR::Q Philosophy and Religion::QD Philosophy::QDT Topics in philosophy::QDTN Philosophy: aesthetics
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies
thema EDItEUR::T Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Industrial processes::TT Other technologies and applied sciences::TTB Applied optics::TTBM Imaging systems and technology
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies::JBCC Cultural studies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies::JBCT Media studies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social and cultural anthropology
topic_facet Latent space
Contemporary visuality
Philosophy of modulation
Modulation in image history
Processual media theory
Technical images
Computational aesthetics
Statistical individuation
Optical and mechanical instruments in early modern imaging
Parametric imaging
Algorithmic image generation
Control in digital media
Modulation
Philosophy of individuation
Simondon
Image technologies
Media archaeology
Visual culture
thema EDItEUR::A The Arts::AF The Arts: art forms::AFK Non-graphic and electronic art forms::AFKV Digital, video and new media arts
thema EDItEUR::Q Philosophy and Religion::QD Philosophy::QDT Topics in philosophy::QDTN Philosophy: aesthetics
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies
thema EDItEUR::T Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Industrial processes::TT Other technologies and applied sciences::TTB Applied optics::TTBM Imaging systems and technology
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies::JBCC Cultural studies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBC Cultural and media studies::JBCT Media studies
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JH Sociology and anthropology::JHM Anthropology::JHMC Social and cultural anthropology
url ONIX_20260529T115620_9781804132517_2
work_keys_str_mv AT dvoraktomas modulation