BOOK: Visual Investigations-ArchiTangle Books

The group exhibition “Visual Investigations: Between Advocacy, Journalism and Law” is dedicated to the emergent field of visual investigations to show, through a series of seven case studies, how architecture operates between advocacy, journalism, and the law in the pursuit of justice and accountability. The featured investigations dive into issues including detention camps in the Xinjiang region of China, the suppression of dissent by police in the United States, the killing of Colombian journalist Abelardo Liz, the Russian airstrike on Mariupol’s Drama Theatre, remote sensing and land dispossession in the West Bank, enforced disappearances during Mexico’s “Dirty War,” and the consequences of the climate crisis for Pacific Island states. The accompanying book “Reading Visual Investigations” by ArchiTangle Books, highlights the role of architecture as a key area of expertise that defines this evolving practice. The book’s contributors examine a range of methods and architectural tools employed in visual investigations and their impact on human rights and legal processes. Additionally, the involved investigators and the editors provide an in-depth analysis of international research by presenting their methods, content, and conclusions in diverse formats, including maps, films, models, and interactive platforms used to expose human rights violations. “Reading Visual Investigations” is an essential resource for anyone interested in understanding the dynamic and evolving practice of visual investigations. It provides practical insights that integrate traditional reporting with digital forensics and the analysis of visual evidence. The book strives to bridge the gap between architectural expertise and the urgent need for effective advocacy and accountability mechanisms in contemporary society. -Efi Michalarou