LCC2720PrinciplesofVisualDesign

01.22.09| Reading Summary|TanyoungKim

MartisaSturkenandLisaCartwright PracticesofLooking:Images,Power,andPolitics&ViewersMakeMeaning[2001] PracticesofLooking:anIntroductiontoVisualCulture

Chapter1.PracticesofLooking Representation Thisisnotapipepicturebecausethepipeisnotpipeitself,buttherepresentationofpipe. Themythofphotographictruth Thecentraltensionofcamerageneratedimagesisthecombinationofthesubjectiveandthe objective. Objectivity:unmediatedcopyoftherealworld,whichisthemythofphotographictruth RolandBarthesdenotative(literal,descriptive)andconnotative(relyingonculturaland historicalcontext)meaning Mythallowstheconnotativemeaningofaparticularthingorimagetoappeartobedenotative, henceliteralornatural. Imagesandideology Imagesaremeansthroughwhichideologiesareproducesandontowhichideologiesare projected. Notonlypropaganda,butalsopervasiveandmundaneprocess Eg.DarkeningOJSimpsonsmugshotpictureisanideologicalchoice.(Darkskinisevil!) Howwenegotiatethemeaningofimages Themeaningofimagesisacquiredwhentheyareconsumed,viewedandinterpreted. Signifier(Image/Sound/Word)+Signified(Meaning)=SIGN Productionofsignisdependentonsocial,historical,andculturalcontext,alsothecontextin whichtheimageispresented(theplaceormedium),andtheviewerswhointerpretit. Thevalueofimages Imagesareawardeddifferentkindsofvalue(monetary,social,andpolitical)inparticular socialcontexts. Fineart:uniqueness,authenticity,personalbackgroundofartist,marketvalueforpopular consumption Televisionimage:capacitytoprovideinformationquicklyandwidelyandaccessibility Imageicons Icon:animagethatreferstosomethingoutsideofitsindividualcomponents,something(or someone)thathasgreatsymbolicmeaningformanypeople. Producedinaspecificculture,timeandplace,iconrepresentsuniversalconcepts,emotions andmeanings. Questions 1. Howcanwedeveloptheabilitytoconnoteimages?Howcanwebemorevisuallyliterate? 2. Whatisdifferencebetweenthewaywereadtext(poems,newsarticles)andthatofimage (photography,advertisementimagery)? 3. Howthedifferencesofthevalueofimages(e.g.FineartVS.Televisionimages)affectsthewaywe critiquetheimages?

 LCC2720PrinciplesofVisualDesign Chapter2.ViewersMakeMeaning

01.22.09| Reading Summary|TanyoungKim

Producersintendedmeanings Analyzingimagesaccordingtotheintentionsoftheirproducersisrarelyacompletelyuseful strategy. Thesemioticmeaningofimageswillchangeindifferentviewingcontexts. Meaningsaretheproductofacomplexsocialinterationamongimage,viewers,andcontext. Aestheticsandtaste Kantiannotionsofaesthetics:purebeautycouldbefoundinnatureandart.Itisuniversal ratherthanspecifictoparticularculturalorindividualcodes. Contemporaryconcepts:criteriaofaestheticsarebasedontaste,whichisculturallyspecific. Tasteisnotinherentinparticularpeople,butratherislearnedthroughexposuretosocialand culturalinstitutionsthatpromotecertainclassbasedassumptionsaboutcorrecttaste. Kitschblursanydistinctionbetweenhighandlow. Readingimagesasideologicalsubjects Whentasteisnaturalized(perceivednaturallyinsomeway)itembodiestheideologiesofits contextandtime. LouisAlthusser:ideologyisasetofideasandbeliefs,shapedthroughtheunconscious.Films invitepeopletorecognizethemselvesandidentifywithapositionofauthorityoromniscience whilewatchingfilms. Weareconstructedbytheideologiesthatspeaktouseverydaythroughlanguageandimages. Wearenotsomuchuniqueindividualsbutratherwearealwaysreadysubjects.Images interpellateorhailusasviewers,andinsodoingdesignatethekindofviewerstheyintend ustobe. Hegemonyisastateorconditionofaculturearrivedatthroughanegotiationorstruggle overmeanings,laws,andsocialrelationships. Encodinganddecoding Viewersthreepositionstodecodeculturalimagesandartifacts:1)Dominanthegemonic reading,2)NegotiatedReading,3)Oppositionalreading. Appropriationandoppositionalreadings Thenegotiationwithpopularcultureisreferredtoastheartofmakingdo:viewerscan makedobyinterpreting,rejecting,orreconfiguringtheculturaltextstheysee. Appropriation:aformofoppositionalproductionandreading,stealing.Cultural appropriationistheprocessofborrowingandchangingthemeaningofculturalproducts, slogans,images,orelementsoffashion. Bricolage:tacticsofappropriation.Youthsubculturesappropriateparticularfashionstyles. DeCerteau:readingtextsandimagesisaseriesofadvancesandretreats,oftacticsandgames. Therelationshipofreader/writerandproducers/viewersasanongoingstrugglefor possessionofthetext Reappropriationsandcounterbricolage Counterbricolage:hegemonicforcesintheseindustriesreappropriatethetacticsof marginalizedculturesintothemainstream Questions 1. HowhastasteofAmericanschangedforthelasttenyears?Anyexamplesthatexplainthewaywe seebeautyhasbeendifferent? 2. WhatthingsarounduscanbeunderstoodasKitsch? 3. Howdoyouunderstandtheconnection/similarity/differencesofKitsch/appropriation?