Author(s)

WeiXin Zhu, Lan Liu^*

Affiliation(s)

College of Arts and Design, Ningbo University of Finance & Economics, Ningbo 315000, Zhejiang, China.

Corresponding Author

Lan Liu

ABSTRACT

This article proposes a visual genealogy framework for mapping cultural art genes, reconceptualizing cultural representation as a structured and transferable visual system. Cultural art genes are understood as dynamic units shaped through historical accumulation, aesthetic conventions, and symbolic articulation. By emphasizing genealogical relationships among visual elements, the framework explains how cultural meanings are encoded, reorganized, and translated across media contexts. Visual representation is thus approached as a process of translation rather than static depiction. The proposed framework shifts analytical focus from surface aesthetics to structural relations, offering a theoretical foundation for systematic analysis of cultural representation and visual translation across diverse visual practices.

KEYWORDS

Cultural art genes; Visual genealogy; Cultural representation; Visual translation; Gene mapping

CITE THIS PAPER

WeiXin Zhu, Lan Liu. Mapping cultural art genes: a visual genealogy framework for cultural representation and translation. Multidisciplinary Journal of Engineering and Technology. 2026, 3(1): 20-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61784/mjet3035.

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