Task 5: Reading a Photograph

In 'How Do We Read a Photograph?' from G. Clarkes book 'The Photograph', Clarke tells us that "The photograph achieves meaning through what been called a 'photographic discourse': a language of codes which involves its own grammar and syntax." (Clarke, 1997, The Photograph, p. 27)

Victor Burgin insists that the discourse of the photograph "engages discourses beyond itself, the 'photographic text', like any other, is the site of a complex intertextuality, an overlapping series of previous texts 'taken for granted' at a particular cultural and historical conjuncture". (Clarke, 1997, The Photograph, p. 27)

“Early commentators like Poe, as much as Hawthorne, Holmes, and Baudelaire, noted the literal rather than symbolic aspects of the photograph, ignoring the extent to which is replicated cultural meaning rather than actual things.” (Clarke, 1997, The Photograph, p. 27)

Clarke however, tells us clearly that “We need to read it as the site of a series of simultaneous complexities and ambiguities, in which is situated not so much a mirror of the world as our way with that world”. (Clarke, 1997, The Photograph, p. 28)

In Clarke’s teachings we are asked to realise that the photograph is always entropic in nature. Because of this, we are invited to, when reading a photograph, take into consideration what we know about when and where and how the photograph was taken, and assume that written into the image is social, historical and cultural message for us to decipher. This may be deliberate and a product of the skills of the artist, but it may also be a product of the photograph being a document, and therefore capturing a trace of ‘the real,’ no matter how hard the photographer tries to conceal it. We need to know that there is nothing passive about photography, “to ‘take’ is active. The photographer imposes, steals, re-creates, the scene/seen according to a cultural discourse.” (Clarke, 1997, The Photograph, p. 29)

So, like in any language, we need to understand that what the ‘speaker’ says could be loaded with information. What we have to do in order to read it is make educated speculations about the relationships between the ‘denotative’ elements and the ‘connotative’ elements.

The first thing that strikes me about ‘Danger’ is the colours of the warning signs of which there are two. The combination of red, yellow and black denotes danger instantly. The second thing that I notice is the bars and I immediately feel unease. The hierarchy of the imagery or order in which we view the elements is especially interesting in this image. We first see the warning signs as we are used to paying attention to these when we walk into a room in order to avoid risk of injury. Secondly the bars make for a feeling of claustrophobia and unease. I then saw the tureens perched on the edge of the table, as if they may fall at any moment, they are 'teetering on the edge'. The room is filled with unavoidable dangers. If we now take into account that this image was taken in a psychiatric hospital as part of a project on internal communication, we can really explore the connotative meanings of this image. The experience of viewing the image for the first time and beginning to read it is a taste of being imprisoned in an environment that gives an illusion of safety but that on closer inspection may not be safe at all.

After a moment’s thought, the fire alarm to the left of the gate may provide an opportunity for escape, surely the gate would open if it was pressed. But beyond the gate all we can see is an unknown shadowy corridor. This image connotes the questioning of the relationship between feelings of safety or unease, and the effects and benefits of containment for those in mental crisis, rather than for the people affected by someone in mental crisis.

Portfolio Task 4- Postmodernism

Keedy, J (1984), Graduate Studies in Fiber, No More Rules, Lawrence King Publishing 2003

Rick Poyner says in his introduction to postmodernism in graphic design, "where modernism frequently attacked commercial mass culture, claiming from its superior perspective to know whats best for people, postmodernism enters into a complicitous relationship with the dominant culture."

Keedy explained this image as an attempt at 'doing everything wrong.' This complies with what Poyner says about postmodernism having a 'complicitous relationship' with the status-quo. The artist himself talks about this piece being an exercise in postmodernism.

Saville, P (1980), Closer by Joy Division album cover, https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Ei2gDEhrnRhWv4ZRVJw2IUSIHiCqjZBBGIgqPNlr11xfZJC9F2a88llqb_hOVHDcgIl1uGZzZP19ivnJxanukBPHZDu_1WLTinWVXYm7f2yt9sstNt4wTYbLg77EYR8xUdXn_VVjImt_/s1600/closer+bom.jpg

"Its typographic manner is revivalistic, its image is a neo-classical quotation, its atmosphere is historicist, but its effect comes from the fact that none of these constituent elements would normally find use in combination on a rock album cover."

In the above quote, Poyner lists reasons why this image is a piece of postmodern graphic design. It is historicist where as modernism was anti-historicist, it refers to neo-classicism. It is a hybrid, its effect comes from the blend of styles being out of place on a rock album cover.

Vanderbyl, M (1983), Connections Promotional Poster, 'No More Rules' Lawrence King Publishing 2003

In 'No More Rules' Rick Poyner notes that in this image "a stream of figures leap(s) from a modernist skyscraper symbolised by a grid, across a void, and on to the top of a classical column - a clear, if somewhat literal, appeal to the value of pre-modern cultural forms."

If postmodernism seeks to contradict modernism, and modernism values anti-historicism, this metaphor of leaping from a modernist skyscraper to a classical column can easily be interpreted as an illustration that shows support for the postmodern movement.

Weingart, W (1978/79), Kunstkredit, http://www.jameskurtz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/weingart-kunstkredit-1979.jpg

"The collage-like 'Kunstkredit' eshibition poster (1977) was constructed from seperate pieces of film layered together and fixed to a film base, then transferred directly to the offset litho printing plate. Weingart's complex pictorial spaces, unprecedented at the time, fused typography, graphic elements and fragments of photographs on equal terms. He exposed sections of the grid, violating its purity with jagged outlines."

Since this style was previously unknown, and it breaks the rules of modern graphic design, I would argue this piece is postmodern. Not only does it break the rules, it does it deliberately and purposefully, cutting across the perfection of the square grid with its jagged torn edges and rough triangles.

Friedman, D (1971) Typografische Monatsblatter No.1 magazine cover, http://www.uartsgd.com/GD40/Friedman/FriedmanTypography.jpg

Rick Poyner says in his book 'No More Rules', "a minimalist poster based on the letter 'N', created in 1968 for a film showing at the Hochschule fur Gesaltung un Ulm (where Friedman also studied), is in his own words, 'simple, restrained, orderly, static, exclusive, abstract, pure, reduced, harmonious, systematic, and integrated'. By contrast, a 1971 cover for Typografische Monatsblatter, in which a series of letterforms found in Times Square, Manhatten, float above the city, is 'complex, excessive, chaotic, dynamic, inclusive, vernacular, contextual, expanded, dissonant, random, and fractured.'

This is a postmodern piece of graphic design. Friedman demonstrated his knowledge of modern graphic design by following the rules in his minimalist film poster, then demonstrated how he can break those rules totally and still create an aesthetically pleasing piece of work.

Portfolio Task 3 - Avant-Garde

Avant-Garde

noun

A group active in the invention and application of new techniques in a given field, especially in the arts."

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing 2010

Vincent Todolo described Lyubov Popova and Alexander Rodchenko as being "key figures in the modernist avant-garde."
Rodchenko and Popova: Defining Constructivism, Margarita Tupitsyn, Tate Publishing 2009

Margarita Tupitsyn said that they sought to "imbue the Bolshevik ambition of modernising the country with the aesthetic of the avant-garde."
Rodchenko and Popova: Defining Constructivism, Margarita Tupitsyn, Tate Publishing 2009

Taking this evidence into account, we can assume that Rodchenko and Popova were producing works that could be described as avant-garde. By definition, revolution means that the people seek a new way of life. This is also provides evidence to say that the designers of the Russian Revolution sought to be avant-garde.

Costume Design, Popova, 1923

"I dont think non objective form is the final form: it is the revolutionary condition of form." Popova, 1921, Rodchenko and Popova: Defining Constructivism, Margarita Tupitsyn, Tate Publishing 2009

Popova sought to create non-objective form. By non objective form, Popova is describing an avant-garde way of design in that they are designing real life objects in a way that is unrepresentational and non egotistic, it looks like it couldlve been made by a machine. Glen Adamson makes this observation, in reference to Popova and Rodchenko he says, "unlike their paintings from about five years earlier, the drawings themselves are made to look as uninflected as possible, like they were produced automatically. Partly this was to imply that their approach to design was egalitarian. Their own skill in rendering the object was beside the point; it could only detract from the democratic re-invention of everyday life."
Glen Adamson, Blog: From Sketch to Product, The Victoria and Albert Museum (internet - unknown date)

Egalitarianism was a socialist ideal that was being strived for after the Russian Revolution. Since this is the case, we can can note that this design has the avant-garde quality of chipping away at the status-quo.


Design for an aircraft hangar, Alexander Rodchenko 1923

This is another example of the above ideas in avant-garde Russian graphic design of the time.
Rodchenko said "the quest for construction has led the artist through a stage of experimentation with spatial structures to the design of actual things, i.e. to industrial manufacture in which the artist will become the designer of physical objects."

The act of playing with spatial structures in aid of learning to create something new was an avant-garde practice in Russia. This renders the above design avant-garde.

Old Spice | The Man Your Man Could Smell Like - Analysis of 'Othering'

I would argue that this is an example of post-modern 'othering.'
It contrasts the modern ideal that we can be a perfect human by buying a certain product but still uses that as a selling point. The adverts shows an advertising stereotype of the 'ideal man,' (buff, deep voice, rides horses.. owns a boat..?) who is in fact bigotted and ignorant to the advertising stereotype of womens needs (material possessions, expensive romantic gestures etc. etc.) We think 'I dont want to be like him, but i appreciate that women would at least find him physically attractive.' He then suggests that we can smell like him and so the thought process continues.

A part of physical attractiveness is the way we smell, we know that pheromones play an important part in the chemistry of attraction. The man we are presented with in this advert is unoriginal, boring, a typical physically strong male specimen who is presented as a ladies man. This is where the postmodern 'othering' starts, we think 'yeah we don't want to be anything like him, but unfortunately basic attraction is fact of life. So maybe smelling like him wouldn't be a bad thing. Another element to this advert is that it is definitely funny, so in associating old spice with humour (a quality I'd argue is desirable) we can bring the advert as an idea (although not the man as we are laughing at him,) into the 'us' realm and adopt it as something good.

'Yeah. Old Spice is funny. I'll buy that. Maybe I'll get laid because it'll be funny, nothing like the guy in the advert who has no idea.'

Seminar: Identity

According to Jacques Lacan the creation of identity happens at the "mirror stage."

A child reaches a stage between 6 and 18 months old when it has a moment of realisation (albeit in illusion) that it is a whole and complete person and recognises its own reflection in the mirror as confirmation.

According to Lacan we strive to experience this moment again for the rest of out life.
So then we can say that the mirror stage is characterised as "an illusion of wholeness" and "receiving views from others" which means our subjectivity is fragile and easily exploited by the advertising industry.

"Otherness" is a concept that relies on the assumption of opposition, "us and them" and gaining security in out subjectivity by distancing ourselves from people who do things we dislike for one reason or another.
If we create our identities this way, we can assume that so does a society.

"this question of difference and otherness has come to play an increasingly significant role... difference is ambivalent. It can be both positive and negative. It is both necessary for the production of meaning, the formation of language and culture, for social identities and a subjective sense of the self as a sexed object - and at the same time, it is threatening, a site of danger, of negative feelings, of splitting, hostility and agression towards the Other."
- Stuart Hall 1997, Representation: Cultural Representation and signifying practices. London P.238

Culture is the framework within which our identities are formed, expressed and regulated.


Historical Phases of Identity:

Douglas Kellner - Media Culture: Cultural Studies, Identity and politics between the Modern and the Post Modern, 1992

Pre Modern Identity: personal identity is unstable - defined by long standing roles

Modern Identity: modern societies begin to offer a wider range of social roles. Possibility to start choosing your identity rather than simple being born into it. Perople start to worry about who they are.

Postmodern Identity: accepts a fragmented self. Identity is constructed.


Pre modern identity:

institutions that determined identity were marriage, the church, monarchy, government, the state and work.

Fixed social roles defined at birth.

Modern Identity:

Baudelaire introduces the concept of the "Flaneur" or the "Stroller." A leisurely figure that strolls around in a modern culture. Like loitering about, enjoying the culture.

The "Trickle Down" theory is that the lower classes take fashion from the upper classes, although now it could be argued that there is a trickle up effect where street fashion is reaching the upper classes.

Simmel

'The feeling of isolation is rarely as decisive and intense when one actually finds oneself physically alone, as when one is a stranger without relations, among many physically close persons at a party, on a train, or in the traffic of a large city." - 1908

- because of the speed and mutability of modernity, individuals immerse themselves in a personal world to find peace

- the seperation of the subjective from the objective life

Essentialism - Our biological make up makes us who were are. Nature over Nurture.

Post modern theorists are anti-essentialist - Nurture over Nature.
Read social constructionism - building our own world.

Goffman - "the self is a series of facades"

Zygmunt Bauman - Identity is revealed to us only as something to be invented rather than discovered; as a target of an effort, "an objective."

"Introspection is a dissapearing act. Faced with moments alone in their cars, on the street or at supermarket checkouts. More and more people do not collect their thoughts, but scan their mobile phones for some shred of evidence that someone somewhere may need or want them."
- Andy Hargreaves

To live in a state of post modernity is to be a cultural spectator. Increasingly solitary. Revelling in a domesticated world at a distance through telemediation.

Postmodern identity...

Identity is constructed out of the discourses culturally available to us.

Age
Class
Gender
Nationality
Race / Ethnicity
Sexual Orientation
Education
Income

Etc Etc

Identities are established by the construction of "Others." Also through associating ourselves with groups to strengthen the opposition to "them."

Lecture 6: Post Modernism

Post Modernism - partly defined by exhaustion, pluralism, pessimism, disillusionment with the idea of absolute knowledge.
The opposite of Modernism (experimentation, innovation, individuality, progress, purity, originality)
Later modernism ended up like a doctrine, began to seem limiting.

Modernism is an expression of modern life, technology, new materials, communication, while POSTmodernism responds to these things.

A sculptural example of post modernism, Jean Tinguely's "Homage to New York"



In 1917 Rudolph Pannwitz its quoted talking about nihilistc, amoral, postmodern men.

In 1964 Lester Fielder talks about post culture

In the 70's postmodern is established as a term.

By the 80's its a recogniseable style

By the 90's its the common theory in art schools, partly defined by artistic and stylistic eclecticism.

Architectural theorist Charles Jenkes said that Modernism died on the 15th of July 1972 at 3:32pm when the demolition of the Pruitt, St Louis, happened. It was a community housing block for the poor. "The Projects" this was the failure of modernist architecture.

Postmodernism is also partly defined by difference, questioning conventions, multiple aesthetics, celebrates the unimportant (whats deemed unimportant by modernism.)

Sheffield - Park Hill flats - Now a slum but a listed building an example of modernist architecture.

Examples of postmodern architecture are AT&T building by Phillip Johnson, The Guggenheim museum by Frank Gehry, Neue Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart Germany, Future Systems Selfridges Birmingham

Jean Francois Lyotard 'The Postmodern Condition'
- disbelief in metanarratives
Such as modernism and Marxism
- the result is a crisis in confidence

We form our own mini narratives that compliment and compete with each other.
Eg. Sub Cultures

Robert Venturi - "Learning from Las Vegas" - book
New York - ultimate modern city
Las Vegas - ultimate post modern city

In "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" Phillip K Dick creates a post modern dystopian society. Especially noticeable in the film Blade Runner

Also "Akira" creates the same effect.

Warhols Factory was a total attack on the role of the artist. all mistakes left in, the work was not made by him.

the "oxidation painting" literal pisstake of jackson pollocks paintings, by pissing on copper primed canvas.

A book = "post modernism" by Fredrick Jameson

Post modern graphic design = Memphis Group

Lecture 5: New Media and Visual Culture

Visual Culture is a term used for all visual art.

"The age of print" started in 1450 with the invention of the Guttenberg Printing Press.
This allowed people to become literate on a wide scale.

Marshall McLuhan, in the 1960's and 70's foretold the social effect of the internet in his theory of "the global village."

With the rise of computers, we are seeing people not only becoming literate, but computerate. The difference is that the computer provides a vehicle for the mass consumption AND mass production of information.

The eBook for example allows for people not only to take in information but they can critisize it and publish their own views at the same time. A possibility of democratic media.

This affects the way we read. Does it give us a false sense of efficiancy? Reading superficially, skipping through or becoming lost on a non linear path. Was print an easier vehicle for the consumption of information?

"Social Constructionism" is a theory about objects or ideas that come about as social constructs by a person or group, so in terms of information sharing it is about people building their own education.

The Mass Media is a group of modern communication systems supplied by a relatively small group of people but consumed by the masses.

The negative sides of this are:

- depersonalisation of the delivery of the information, it is superficial and uncritical. It is popular therefore unchallenging as a result.

- The audience is dispersed and disempowered by not being given the information as a group.

- It is conservative in that it encourages the status quo.

- It encourages apathy, the power is held by the few. Karl Marx said in 1844 "It (religion) is the opium of the people." The same idea can be used for the mass media becuase, like religion, it provides a quick fix of easily digestible information for those who need reassurance without putting in any effort.

Positives of the Mass Media

- It encourages and allows social injustices to be discussed

- It allows for mass transmission of creative ideas

- high art material can reach a broader audience instead of being restricted to the gallieries and walls of the rich and powerful.

John Walker wrote a book asking the question "what happens to high art in the age of the mass media?"

The leeds 13 did a project called "Going Places" where they pretended to have blown their student grants on massive piss-ups and holidays. They did this by staging photographs of them all partying around pools using backdrops and such. Then they leaked it to the mass media.
This made a lot of people angry and sparked off arguments about what was art and what wasn't.

"United Colours of Benneton" had an ad campaign showing shocking images of suffering and the results of war while advertising their clothing.

Projects like this create questions like "Can and should art be autonomous (exist on its own?)"
The debate is "does the best art stand outside of politics and society?"

The was a rumour that Jackson Pollack was funded by the CIA to show the "genius of the liberated mind under capitalism."

Thomas crow wrote a book "Modern Art in Common Culture" which talked about Pop artists such as Richard Hamilton and Roy Lichtenstein who presented a challenge to the elite value system of high art.

Andy Warhols "Marylins" portrayed Marylin Monroe in kitsch colours (soapbox colours, anti aesthetic) Marylin Monroe was portrayed by the mass media as a fun loving sex goddess, whereas in reality she suffered from mental illness and died of a drug overdose. Essentially she was a product that was marketed and sold, Warhols images reflected this.

Also, Warhols "green cola bottles" showed cocacola in a light unlike the adverts of the cocacola company as a wall of green bottles some half full, like a production line, dull, drab and boring.