Horizons, vistas, and skylines

One of the topics in my new book (the one after Beautiful Evidence) is horizons and skylines. There is a fascinating scientific literature on visual events apparently occurring near the horizon (such as the moon illusion). In land-use, there is an interesting concept of the “viewshed” and its blocking by new construction and tree growth.

Relevant variables include the position of the viewer in relation to objects viewed against the horizon, 3-dimensional figure/ground relations, and changes in the skyline background itself as the light changes. Horizons, vistas, and skylines are very rich and complex compared to flatland figure/ground analysis.

My local interest is in the display of sculptures against nearby and distant horizons, and the consequent figure/ground effects produced by the piece in relation to its background. As the horizon light changes throughout the day, the sculpture generates changing optical effects. One sculpture, many visual experiences. Of course, the sculpture’s structure itself contributes to producing a multiplicity of visual experiences, and the artist can seek to create pieces that encourage such multiplicity.

Some material on vista and horizons can be found in the last chapter of The Visual Display of Quantitative Information (where horizon views of data are advocated), in the micro/macro and layering chapters in Envisioning Information, and in the chapters on Galileo and on pedestals in Beautiful Evidence.

For starters, here are The Top 15 Skylines in the World v3.0, by Luigi Di Serio (via robotwisdom).

The picture of Dallas, with the reflected skyline in the water, is particularly interesting analytically.

It would be interesting to see other sorts of skylines, such as those generated by forests, structural towers, and mountains. Perhaps there is a theory of horizons.