here to make an aesthetic argument for the Virginia redistricting:
The old map is very boring.
Wow, the districts are blobs. No artistry, no compassion or tension, just "yep, the things are the way they are." This map is designed by people who hate life and happiness.
The new map is something worth admiring.
This map is designed by people who love art. All the districts look odd by themselves, but in this tapestry they combine to make a glorious flow from everywhere in Virginia to the hearts of Virginian culture. Even in the Appalachian southwest, the two forks end up pointing towards NOVA and Richmond.
In this way, it almost reminds of Munch's "Scream."
The curling lines in the painting all go towards the man; the painting is all about him. In this chaotic world, there is a form of beauty that it all spirals into the perspective of this one man. In the art of congressional districts, however, there is no need for the boardwalk grounding the image in a form of reality; the districts do highlight the reality of the good places in Virginia.
I'd want to take a look again at the map, but with the broader flow of the districts shown using lines:
Every line flows towards the places that make Virginia matter. It draws the eyes from the broad strokes in the rural districts to the finer details near Virginia's cities. Especially in NOVA, near DC, the detail inherently draws the eyes to where all Virginia's progress comes from. Richmond almost has a spiraling effect around it, and you have to know that an important city is there to appreciate finding the ends of the districts in that region. Last, we see Hampton Roads. On the coastline, it's easy to miss, especially with the commotion leading to NOVA, but there are some subtle details nodding to the importance of the region in Virginian history.
Other notes on district design and beauty after the cut:



















