Visualizing Emptiness Dimitri Mortelmans How can one create more by showing less? That is the central question in this article. Through a visual approach, we will look at emptiness as a generator of standing, exclusiveness, luxury sign value. One of the guiding cultural mechanisms of creating exclusiveness is the use of horror vacui, the fear of the empty. Using both psychological theory and civilization theory, the article connects the concept of emptiness and horror vacui to the creation of exclusiveness, of luxury. This theoretical argumentation is then confronted with a visual research on the use of emptiness in show windows. It shows that luxury boutiques or shops selling predominantly luxury products use emptiness in their shop windows in order to create a luxurious and exclusive atmosphere. INTRODUCTION How can one create more by showing less? That is the central question in this article. Through a visual approach, we will look at emptiness as a generator of standing, exclusiveness, luxury sign value. Central in the answer to this question is the principle of horror vacui, the fear of the empty. First, we will discuss the concept of horror vacui on a theoretical basis. Where does the principle come from and why is it connected to luxury and exclusiveness? Next, we will present the results of research that tries to find the use of the principle in shop windows. This research included a combined quantitative and qualitative study on clothing shops in Antwerp and Brussels. With this research, we will try to classify shops on a scale of prestige while trying to link this scale to visual research data. EMPTINESS AS A FORM OF DISTINCTION Background from Philosophy and Arts The link between the luxury signified and the use of emptiness is not evident. We need to dig deeper into the possible explanation that couples emptiness to luxury. The origin of the link can be found in both psychology and sociology. The basic principle behind the connection of emptiness and luxury is called horror vacui, the fear of emptiness [Gombrich 1970: 80]. DIMITRI MORTELMANS is a sociologist at Antwerp University, Belgium. He wrote his Ph.D. on the visualization of luxury based on a sociosemiotic analysis of print advertisements. His current research focuses on gift-giving, shopping behavior and youth, and work-life balance strategies in young families. He teaches qualitative and quantitative research methods. E-mail: dimitri. mortelmans@ua.ac.be 19 Visual Anthropology , 18: 19–45, 2005 Copyright # Taylor & Francis, Inc. ISSN: 0894-9468 print=1545-5920 online DOI:10.1080/08949460590900034