The duplicity in concepts of representation comes from multiple meanings this word has in itself. The first meaning – a portrayal of something or somebody in a particular form, is somewhat similar to performance. In the same way, actors perform on stage to tell a story; the media represents certain events or a group of people. For instance, one can say “people of color were underrepresented in cinematography in the twentieth century” and mean that they were not depicted enough or displayed untruthfully. This is a large cultural concern today since every media strives to represent all categories of people and all social issues equally. However, equity is extremely hard to reach, and, more importantly, it does not always match reality. Not every aspect of life that is seen in films is similarly widespread in the real world. For example, in contemporary movies and television shows, there are many women in the government in senior positions in large companies. The actual numbers of female executives are lower, but the reason visual media continuously portrays women in power is to induce people to accept and encourage this trend. In other words, by representing a specific underestimated category of people, visual culture promotes it to the public. Many graphic resources, such as advertisements, social media posts, and traditional arts, aim to create an image of a world where everyone is valid. With that in mind, global visual culture can be seen as a helpful tool for raising inclusiveness by representing minorities.
Another meaning of representation is speaking or acting on behalf of somebody else. This concept originated from governmental and legal practice; however, it is now used in media, activism, marketing, and other forms of visual culture. Works of art that want to convey a socially important message often resort to representing some people, animals, and even the planet Earth. Activists who call for action deliver their slogans as if someone in trouble is saying them. The matter is that sometimes representatives are not actually relevant to the ones they are trying to protect. People from the United States or Europe can share social media posts about, for example, some animal extinction in Africa. They are both geographically and culturally far from this issue. However, they still feel the necessity of being involved. This desire is guided by two reasons, the first of which is the ability of social networks to spread information worldwide. This way, there is an actual possibility for specific authorities in that part of the world to see this post and take action. The other reason is that the Internet has created a concept of global thinking. With multiple resources raising awareness about climate emergencies and political and social conflicts, the global audience feels involved and desires to participate. The role of visual culture in this process is crucial because photographic and video reports influence the audience the most. After seeing an event, or an interview with somebody in trouble, one can feel as if he has been a part of it and can represent his interests on the Internet. This way, the visual culture becomes full of active people who speak on behalf of others and spread their opinions across the world. Overall, both sides of the doubled meaning of representation impact the global field of visual culture and bring new understandings to some pieces of content.