Postmodernism and the Marina Douche Bag
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lFxKXtz3yE)
Change is an inevitable factor that plays into the maturity of our society. As generations evolve so do trends, cultural norms, and ethics. Various factors lead to change but in this current time period the most obvious influencer of change is the development of technology. The development of technology has exposed people to an exponentially larger volume of imagery and has made unedited and uncensored literature widely available. This has opened doors to the unknown and has expanded our imagination in ways not possible before. This movement/change of times is called postmodernism. Postmodernism has liberalized our society and has made humor an integral part of socialization.
The internet and the affordability of computers, and cameras have made the outbreak of image and idea sharing an epidemic. Upon the introduction of the camera a photographer would take a photo and develop it in a dark room. Then, based upon the context of the photo it would be shared appropriately. The setting in which the photograph would be presented would reflect the impact and importance that the photo carried. This idea was presented and thoroughly evaluated by John Berger in his book, “Ways of Seeing”. Today, the meaning in photography is not always conveyed in ways originally intended. With the internet at everyone’s fingertips an image can be viewed at any time, in any setting. There is no gallery to set a mood or create a desired ambiance, there is no control over the music that is undeniably affecting the viewer, but most importantly there is no censor on who is able to view the images. An image that may only be understood and appreciated by a few people now has the ability to travel into the living room of an ignorant viewer and be misinterpreted and underappreciated because it has been taken out of context. While this seems to be a negative effect of technology and must be taken into account when posting images on the internet, it can also be used positively.
As society develops, and gains distance from what once was, it is important to embrace what has changed. While a photographer may not be able to maintain their original intent they now have the opportunity leave that up to the viewer. It is the viewer who looks at an image, decides what it means, determines what is important, and then begins to blog about what he or she has seen. Because the viewer may have no training in art but has the power to write a “published” review it is important to understand their influence. No longer does a curator or a art historian determine the value art, now everyone has that power. Art is more subjective today, and therefore the judgment of art has been liberalized. Anyone can comment and make their voice heard, that must be respected. While it is important to support the backbone of what makes art “good” it is also important to understand technology and its role in art.
This open interpretation of art and easy access to cameras has opened the door for anyone to be creative. For example, normally an actor would act in a theatre, or on a set. Now anyone can “act”, record it on video, and post it on technologies latest addiction, YouTube. YouTube is the online watering hole that everyone gathers around in order to stay virtually connected. This website embraces the hyperreal and blurs the edges between what may be real and what is simply entertainment. Today, the difference between real life and reality entertainment is irrelevant because it is all entertainment. Postmodernism has opened the idea of living within a movie set.
The ease of being recorded or photographed and published through social networking websites (i.e. YouTube) has raised consciousness of the ways in which others will perceive us. In fact, if a photograph is snapped at a bar for example, it is not unusual to hear, “Profile pic!”. Sharing media is on the forefront of everyone’s mind. It is also important to understand that “acting” within the set of life is not a choice, it is turning into a cultural standard. A photo or video may be taken and published without the knowledge of the subject. Then, through hypertextual formatting the published images or movies can be accessed through a variety of websites via hyperlinks. This concept is what creates viral videos. Because of the constant possibility of being published, consciousness of perception is imperative.
For many people the possibility of being seen on YouTube and gaining notoriety for their role in a given video is a clear path to stardom. So, if the performance is interesting enough the video may become viral, hence a viral video. As a result of our easy access to imagery, videography, and general information entertainment has morphed to reflect this image overload. Entertainment entails humor though appropriation. This is the cutting and pasting of entertainment created by other people, then rearranged and regurgitated by someone else.
A vivid example of your average Joe embracing postmodernism, and using appropriation, and humor to create entertainment is a 29-year-old University of California college graduate being videotaped in a dark bar located in the Marina of San Francisco. In this five-minute video the subject and the interviewer both create humor through postmodern tactics.
The video opens with the subject singing his college chant. One truth in postmodernism is that it collapses the real with the fake. Based upon this opening the viewer will most likely be inclined to believe that the subject, Stefan is a college student. Ironically, he graduated from college six years prior. Because we are immersed in a postmodern society, the truth of the matter is irrelevant. Throughout the remainder of the clip thoughts and themes are appropriated in a nonsensical fashion to create unique entertainment.
The videographer introduces the next theme: she asks him, “What is your best pick-up line? The viewer now sees the subject scrolling through his rolodex of pick-up lines to find the most shocking line in his memory bank. He replies, “Ladies, I’m single and have absolutely no standards”. This reply is a reflection of postmodernism because it takes all the guesswork out of any subliminal messaging within the pick-up line. This surface response has no profound meaning, and is precisely an invitation for any lady listening.
A major theme throughout the video is Stefan’s knowledge and appreciation of 80’s rock bands. As a display of his dedication to rock music he introduces the subject with a joke, “ What has seven arms and rocks? … Def Leopard!” This references his knowledge of drummer Rick Allen losing his left arm in a 1984 traffic accident. Throughout the next four and a half minutes his music appreciation is portrayed through the memorization of the lines of almost each rock song that comes on the jukebox.
In postmodernism, more important than a deep understanding of a subject is the constant reference to that subject. Simply being aware of a car accident that left a band member slightly disabled is not a demonstration of extension knowledge. Inserting a fact into a joke is a postmodern solution; conversely, understanding the depths of the accident and formulating that information into a logical conversation would be a modernist solution. Additionally, Stefan uses his familiarity with these songs as conversation fillers after the joke has expired. He sings and pumps his fists when the conversation is entering a lull. In a society where there is no room for silence or voids in time it is important to keep the stimulus level heightened.
One minute into the clip Stefan reverts back to his previous reference to college. This time, he emphasizes the irony of his situation by stating that he loves college. Knowing that stranger things are possible, he embraces his past and brings it into the present. The irony lies not only in the real time that has elapsed since graduation, but also in his demeanor. He still acts the same way he did when he was twenty-one. This example of irony illustrates how comedy has developed due to postmodernism.
Continuing along the theme of the college days Stefan sees a girl shaking her head and tossing her hair. Excitedly, he yells, “Sorority-hair-girl shake, sorority-hair-girl shake!” This comment uses pastiche to create humor. He is taking an observation from the past and pasting it into a present context. He follows up this comment by making another reference, this time to a viral video on YouTube called, My New Haircut. He begins yelling, “Jager Bombs, Jager Bombs” but not with the intent of actually ordering the drink, solely to reference the creative humor of someone else and to accept laughter as a compliment directed to him.
As the video progresses, his employment situation arises. Again, he uses pastiche and references a topic much more serious than the current tone of the conversation. He says that he works in commercial real estate, and “We’re doing well, obvi.”. This statement serves two purposes, first to establish that he has a more professional side and second to reconnect himself to his audience by using the word, obvi (Obvi is an abbreviation/slang for obviously). He continues to build his reputation by pointing out that he is tennis player, and that he is Jewish. Then, he quickly returns to quoting other people’s successes. He makes a reference to the Karate Kid with the quote, “Hey Larusso, sweep the leg… But Sensei, But Sensei… Put him in a body bag, Johnny…”. In postmodernism, pastiche is important in communicating humor and building credibility because it confirms that one is well versed in pop culture.
Next, a sudden burst of excitement is directed toward the televisions on the wall. Interestingly, this excitement is attributed to a sports game in which he has not even been watching. But, being part of this society entails an acute reception of overwhelming stimuli that bombards everyday life. This bar has at least seven televisions in the front of the bar, each playing a different sporting event. Additionally, one television is broadcasting the highlights all of the games. So, not only are six games playing at the same time, but the highlights of numerous other games are available as well. In theory, an entire week of sports can be reviewed while drinking and socializing with a group of peers. This bar is a classic example of media’s persistent influence in today’s society.
Next in the series of charades, he reverts back to the theme of quoting movies, this time Top Gun. In an effort to bring more life to the quote and to create a stronger connection with the movie he puts on a pair of Navigator sunglasses and says, “That’s how he flies, ice cold”. Not only has he developed a stronger connection to the movie, but he has also used appropriation to make the reference more humorous.
It is interesting to see the interviewer interact with the subject, because she too can be deconstructed as a product of a postmodern society. A number of times throughout the clip Stefan has created an indirect reference to his superiority by stating, “You cannot fake awesome!” So, when the interviewer finds an opportunity to passive aggressively take a jab at him, she repeats his line back to him in sarcastic tone. While this creates a moment of humor directed toward Stefan, there is also humor in the irony of her statement. As she says, “You cannot fake awesome” she points at herself, the camera pans out, and the frame is cropped directly below her breasts. The irony lies in her mockery of his “awesomeness”, as she appears not to be completely real herself. Her breasts look as if they are implants. If they are, she is an example of how hyperreality is used to heighten self-image.
As humor plays a very large part in this theatrical event, the subject introduces the next act with a joke. This joke is slightly different in strategy because he uses a canned joke and turns it into a personal account. The joke is as follows, “I had a good friend in college who was hooking up with this chick and he asked her if she was on the pill. She was like, yea. The next morning, she was like yea, the ecstasy pill… He has a kid now.” This joke blurs the line between real and fake in order to create a humorous situation that may or may not be true. More importantly, it emphasizes the point that in a postmodern society it does not matter whether or not it is true, it is about the subject delivering a successful joke.
At the end of the video Stefan asks the videographer if she is going to post the footage on YouTube, and also suggests a title for the video. This comment would imply that he was eager to have the footage shared online. In generations’ prior, privacy and identity were important. In this video Stefan has divulged a number of personal matters that define who he is. For example, he is a tennis player, he is Jewish, and he works in commercial real estate. In this generation, the public exposure of identity is important. Websites such as MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube are all used to communicate identity and to keep friends and distant peers up to date on life’s occurrences.
As the video closes, the videographer flashes text on the screen that reads, “Thank you Marina Douche Bag… who ever you are”. The Beck song, “Loser” fades in and serves as a descriptor of the past five minutes of video. Then the videographer closes with XOXO (hugs and kisses) Michelle & Ami. The use of text, music, and video in this closing segment are examples of the way in which pastiche is used in media to more clearly convey a message. The message is that although the video has served as a mockery of the subject, the interviewers still respect him for his entertainment value and also acknowledge that their success in putting together an interesting YouTube clip depends greatly on his act.
Aside from deconstructing the contents, the video can be analyzed as postmodern in a variety of other ways as well. The clip has almost risen to the ranks of a viral video because of the way in which it is presented. It utilizes the appeal of media in today’s society. With the advances in technology at everyone’s fingertips the utilization of the latest software and hardware is essential in staying current. Because technology and fads change so quickly the use of YouTube was important in this video’s success. YouTube enabled the video to reach the largest number of people. If it were posted on MySpace, for example it would most likely not have had over 14,000 hits. MySpace was last year’s crave, and soon Hulu will soon take the lead. In terms of its theme, the video creates a large appeal due to its reality TV feel. Hyperrealism is important in a postmodern framework because of its use in popular television. Today the most watched television shows are the ones that take potentially realistic themes and film them as though they were candid. The Marina Douche Bag video does the same. It is filmed with no professional lighting, no known actors, and it takes place in an existent San Francisco bar. All of these factors link the viewer to the video on a personal level.
The hand-held video camera is the hardware that is necessary to capture these moments. Not only does it serve as a recording tool that enables a video to be shared it also acts as a motivator for the subject being recorded. The camera is an excuse to create a more interesting persona. Once someone is put in front of the camera not only have they have been granted the right to become more interesting and reckless, they are expected to do so. In a postmodern society the camera has created an explosion of style, which is the key to interesting entertainment.
This video is also successful because it creates criticality among other viral videos. Criticality is created through references, the people involved, and its appeal to the small niche area in San Francisco called, The Marina. Stefan not only made references to some of the most talked about movies of this time, but he also pulled references from other current viral videos clips on YouTube (My New Haircut). The act that he plays in front of the video camera encapsulates humor borrowed from others. Equally, the videographer borrows mockery tactics from television shows such as Talk Soup, The Daily Show and the Cobert Report to create humor through the video’s presentation. This is achieved through interruption via editing, and the insertion of her voice over that of Stefan’s. These factors make the video current and therefore critical in viewing.
There are many reflections of postmodernism throughout this YouTube clip. It successfully collapses the real with the fake, it emphasizes irony, appropriation, parody, it deals with pastiche, remake, recycling, intertextuality, and is very explosive in style. The videographer and the subject are clearly immersed in a media saturated society and have created a successful clip based upon the foundations of postmodernism.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Blow Up
Blow Up
Boredom, or lack of stimulus in life is often the catalyst for seeing and understanding on our own terms. Seeing is a state of mind, just as positive and negative thoughts are brought forth by an individual’s state of mind, so is seeing. In the British film, “Blow Up” this idea clearly illustrated.
Throughout the film the main character, a well-known photographer is under stimulated with his day-to-day life of photographing models in a studio. So, in an effort to bring inspiration to his mundane life he takes his camera outside of the studio to shoot something different. He finds a man and a woman in a park passionately kissing and decided to photograph what he was seeing. The woman catches him taking photos and without saying why, she urges him not develop the photos. Contrary to her request, he develops them. After cropping and expanding the photos he finds both a shooter standing in the bushes and a dead body lying in the grass. After thoroughly studying the photos he feels as though he needs to share this info with anyone willing to listen. The film continues with the photographer pondering what he has seen while simultaneously trying to find someone interested in his findings. The film closes with him watching a group of mimes “playing” tennis. Eventually, we hear the subtle sound of the ball bouncing on the court and the racket hitting the ball.
Because of the photographers need for something stimulating in life he is able to manifest details within the photograph. As he was blowing up the original photos the shapes within the crops become more and more distorted, these distorted shapes lead the mind to be creative. So, the photographer saw what he wanted to see. He needed drama in his life, so he made it. There is no doubt that the woman and the man in the park were real, but his interpretation of the situation was not real. At the end of the movie the mimes playing tennis were a metaphor for what had been happening throughout the film. Mimes create false situations so as to entertain themselves and anyone watching. The tennis game at the end of the film begins silently, but as the photographer continues to watch he begins to believe what is happening. He is able to place himself within the mime’s “set” and become part of the game. This metaphor helped to explain the actions and indescribable observations of the photographer. In summary, people see (believe) what they want to see (believe).
Boredom, or lack of stimulus in life is often the catalyst for seeing and understanding on our own terms. Seeing is a state of mind, just as positive and negative thoughts are brought forth by an individual’s state of mind, so is seeing. In the British film, “Blow Up” this idea clearly illustrated.
Throughout the film the main character, a well-known photographer is under stimulated with his day-to-day life of photographing models in a studio. So, in an effort to bring inspiration to his mundane life he takes his camera outside of the studio to shoot something different. He finds a man and a woman in a park passionately kissing and decided to photograph what he was seeing. The woman catches him taking photos and without saying why, she urges him not develop the photos. Contrary to her request, he develops them. After cropping and expanding the photos he finds both a shooter standing in the bushes and a dead body lying in the grass. After thoroughly studying the photos he feels as though he needs to share this info with anyone willing to listen. The film continues with the photographer pondering what he has seen while simultaneously trying to find someone interested in his findings. The film closes with him watching a group of mimes “playing” tennis. Eventually, we hear the subtle sound of the ball bouncing on the court and the racket hitting the ball.
Because of the photographers need for something stimulating in life he is able to manifest details within the photograph. As he was blowing up the original photos the shapes within the crops become more and more distorted, these distorted shapes lead the mind to be creative. So, the photographer saw what he wanted to see. He needed drama in his life, so he made it. There is no doubt that the woman and the man in the park were real, but his interpretation of the situation was not real. At the end of the movie the mimes playing tennis were a metaphor for what had been happening throughout the film. Mimes create false situations so as to entertain themselves and anyone watching. The tennis game at the end of the film begins silently, but as the photographer continues to watch he begins to believe what is happening. He is able to place himself within the mime’s “set” and become part of the game. This metaphor helped to explain the actions and indescribable observations of the photographer. In summary, people see (believe) what they want to see (believe).
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Connotation and Denotation
Jim Bogenrief
Critical Practice
Understanding Advertisements: Connotations and Denotations of Images/Texts
Through subliminal and direct visual messages companies use advertisements to capture the attention of an audience within a given demographic. The use of subliminal messaging and connotative imagery is imperative to the success of an ad because it indirectly appeals to the desires and ideals of that demographic. Equally important, direct messaging, which demotes logical understanding, is used to support those messages. Through the process of semiology, one is able to deconstruct an ad to better understand the connotations and denotations of the imagery and text within the advertisement.
Entrepreneur Magazine in an interesting source to find ads that appeal to business minded people. Before opening the magazine on can assume that the reader is interested in this magazine to gain insight on how to be more successful. Therefore, one can expect to find advertisements that appeal to the professional, structured and regimented individual. One ad that clearly does this is an ad for a website called WomenEntrepreneur.com. It is a full-page ad that shows a young, professional woman looking into a computer with the companies website shown on the screen. Surrounding the image is factual text providing various pieces of information.
The first thing that the eye is drawn to is the image of the woman looking into the computer screen. The background of the image is undefined, and appears to be endless. This image denotes the profile view of a young attractive woman with reddish-brown hair. She appears to be of Hispanic heritage. Her skin is a creamy brown and she has perfect complexion. Her hair is tightly pulled back and forms a bun on the back of her head. She is wearing a burgundy, business-casual long sleeve shirt with a collar. The texture of the shirt makes vertical lines. Her gaze is directed into the computer screen. The computer color is two-toned gray and not branded. It is a flat screen and is new and sleek. On the desktop are a keyboard and a mouse. The screen shows the webpage of the company, which is laid out like a newspaper. It shows a number of headlines, all of which are shown in the colors red, white and blue. The first reads, “WomenEntrepreneur is 1 Year Old!”. Another reads, “There is only one thing worse than doing nothing, and that is doing something for nothing.” The other headlines are illegible, but it does show some of the featured areas of the site: Featured Columnist, Entrepreneur Assist, Blogs, Message Boards, Franchises, Success Stories, and News & Resources.
This image connotes a number of things; first, because the woman is of Hispanic descent, one could assume that this advertisement is appealing to a young, Hispanic woman. Because she is attractive and well put together she connotes the idea of success; but not simply success, success in America. The red, white and blue text illustrated on the website connotes American patriotism. It shows that a young Hispanic woman can be involved in the American dream. But the ad also turns the idea of the American dream into reality. She appears to be successful already. The way in which she is dressed, the way her styled is hair, and fancy computer she is working on all connote wealth and success.
The information on the webpage connotes the means by which one can achieve success. The website itself highlights the success of WomenEntrepreneur.com by focusing on the headline “WomenEntrepreneur is 1 Year Old!” The other headlines and website features all are laid out as an instruction manual to success and as a source for inspiration.
After seeing the image in the center of the page the eye is drawn to the text on the top of the page. This text is written in a font similar to Helvetica, very simple yet bold. There are two brief sentences. The first states, “There are 10.4 million women business owners.” This sentence is written in red, bold lettering. The second sentence is also red lettering, but it is not bold; it reads, “And now there’s a place for them to meet.” This text occupies about one third of the layout.
Other than the obvious denotation of the text, its connotation is more subliminal. The specific area of the layout in which the text lies and the boldness of the letters within the text connotes that those two sentences are most important. The connotation behind its meaning is that with the use of their website the aspiring business woman will be linked in with Americas most successful business women. And because there are 10.4 million women who own businesses, their website will make it easy and accessible for a woman to enter a man’s business world.
The bottom quarter of the layout transitions from interactive imagery to straightforward text laid over a black background. Reading from top to bottom the viewer sees a short paragraph followed by one sentence in white contrasting text. The first paragraph forwardly states what the red bold text on the top of the layout connotes. It reads, “Welcome to WomenEntrepreneur.com, a website devoted entirely to what women business owners want and what they need. It’s a place to meet and learn from a community of experts and entrepreneurs who share your passion.” Following that statement there is one line that says, “Visit now to find support for everything you do and solutions to help you do more.” Finally, at the bottom of the page the website is listed with a tagline beneath it which states, “As focused on you as you are on your business.”. The advertisement uses repetition to help engrain the name of the website.
The connotation of this text is very straight forward, as it does not use subliminal messaging to convey its point. It appears that this portion of the ad explains the message of the image and the text at the top of the page. This text reiterates the mission of the website, to link and develop women entrepreneurs. It also connotes the idea of unity and strength in numbers. For example, it states that their website is devoted entirely to what women want and need. The word “entirely” implies that they are experts within the field. It also reassures the viewer that their website is the vehicle needed to unite the aspiring entrepreneur to a professional group of women. The word “expert” further supports that idea. It connotes professionalism and a complete understanding of the business world as it pertains to a woman.
When looking at the text as a whole the denotation is much more general and visible without actually reading and comprehending each section. Women, Entrepreneur, and WomenEntrepreneur appear throughout the advertisement eight times. Those words appear in the uppermost text once, on the computer screen three times, in the white text three times, and once above the tag line.
The words women and entrepreneur connote the name of the website. By seeing them repeated throughout the advertisement it makes their website name more memorable. The viewer only needs to see the name of the company once to recognize it, but by repeating its parts the ad forces the viewer to remember its name.
Finally, the background of the layout is white and undefined. At the top of the page a subtle gradient appears and almost unnoticeably begins to darken. This undefined background setting connotes the idea of open possibilities. If she were in an office setting that would connote the idea of confinement. An entrepreneur is not one that needs to be corralled, she is one that needs to be let loose. An aspiring entrepreneur needs opportunities to be abundant, so the open dreamy background supports the scheme of connections, and success.
With the use of semiology deconstruction of the advertisement for WomenEntrepreneur.com uncovered discrete connotations of text and imagery that were used to make the ad more successful. Additionally, understanding the denotations of all aspects of the ad made its purpose and function more clear.
Critical Practice
Understanding Advertisements: Connotations and Denotations of Images/Texts
Through subliminal and direct visual messages companies use advertisements to capture the attention of an audience within a given demographic. The use of subliminal messaging and connotative imagery is imperative to the success of an ad because it indirectly appeals to the desires and ideals of that demographic. Equally important, direct messaging, which demotes logical understanding, is used to support those messages. Through the process of semiology, one is able to deconstruct an ad to better understand the connotations and denotations of the imagery and text within the advertisement.
Entrepreneur Magazine in an interesting source to find ads that appeal to business minded people. Before opening the magazine on can assume that the reader is interested in this magazine to gain insight on how to be more successful. Therefore, one can expect to find advertisements that appeal to the professional, structured and regimented individual. One ad that clearly does this is an ad for a website called WomenEntrepreneur.com. It is a full-page ad that shows a young, professional woman looking into a computer with the companies website shown on the screen. Surrounding the image is factual text providing various pieces of information.
The first thing that the eye is drawn to is the image of the woman looking into the computer screen. The background of the image is undefined, and appears to be endless. This image denotes the profile view of a young attractive woman with reddish-brown hair. She appears to be of Hispanic heritage. Her skin is a creamy brown and she has perfect complexion. Her hair is tightly pulled back and forms a bun on the back of her head. She is wearing a burgundy, business-casual long sleeve shirt with a collar. The texture of the shirt makes vertical lines. Her gaze is directed into the computer screen. The computer color is two-toned gray and not branded. It is a flat screen and is new and sleek. On the desktop are a keyboard and a mouse. The screen shows the webpage of the company, which is laid out like a newspaper. It shows a number of headlines, all of which are shown in the colors red, white and blue. The first reads, “WomenEntrepreneur is 1 Year Old!”. Another reads, “There is only one thing worse than doing nothing, and that is doing something for nothing.” The other headlines are illegible, but it does show some of the featured areas of the site: Featured Columnist, Entrepreneur Assist, Blogs, Message Boards, Franchises, Success Stories, and News & Resources.
This image connotes a number of things; first, because the woman is of Hispanic descent, one could assume that this advertisement is appealing to a young, Hispanic woman. Because she is attractive and well put together she connotes the idea of success; but not simply success, success in America. The red, white and blue text illustrated on the website connotes American patriotism. It shows that a young Hispanic woman can be involved in the American dream. But the ad also turns the idea of the American dream into reality. She appears to be successful already. The way in which she is dressed, the way her styled is hair, and fancy computer she is working on all connote wealth and success.
The information on the webpage connotes the means by which one can achieve success. The website itself highlights the success of WomenEntrepreneur.com by focusing on the headline “WomenEntrepreneur is 1 Year Old!” The other headlines and website features all are laid out as an instruction manual to success and as a source for inspiration.
After seeing the image in the center of the page the eye is drawn to the text on the top of the page. This text is written in a font similar to Helvetica, very simple yet bold. There are two brief sentences. The first states, “There are 10.4 million women business owners.” This sentence is written in red, bold lettering. The second sentence is also red lettering, but it is not bold; it reads, “And now there’s a place for them to meet.” This text occupies about one third of the layout.
Other than the obvious denotation of the text, its connotation is more subliminal. The specific area of the layout in which the text lies and the boldness of the letters within the text connotes that those two sentences are most important. The connotation behind its meaning is that with the use of their website the aspiring business woman will be linked in with Americas most successful business women. And because there are 10.4 million women who own businesses, their website will make it easy and accessible for a woman to enter a man’s business world.
The bottom quarter of the layout transitions from interactive imagery to straightforward text laid over a black background. Reading from top to bottom the viewer sees a short paragraph followed by one sentence in white contrasting text. The first paragraph forwardly states what the red bold text on the top of the layout connotes. It reads, “Welcome to WomenEntrepreneur.com, a website devoted entirely to what women business owners want and what they need. It’s a place to meet and learn from a community of experts and entrepreneurs who share your passion.” Following that statement there is one line that says, “Visit now to find support for everything you do and solutions to help you do more.” Finally, at the bottom of the page the website is listed with a tagline beneath it which states, “As focused on you as you are on your business.”. The advertisement uses repetition to help engrain the name of the website.
The connotation of this text is very straight forward, as it does not use subliminal messaging to convey its point. It appears that this portion of the ad explains the message of the image and the text at the top of the page. This text reiterates the mission of the website, to link and develop women entrepreneurs. It also connotes the idea of unity and strength in numbers. For example, it states that their website is devoted entirely to what women want and need. The word “entirely” implies that they are experts within the field. It also reassures the viewer that their website is the vehicle needed to unite the aspiring entrepreneur to a professional group of women. The word “expert” further supports that idea. It connotes professionalism and a complete understanding of the business world as it pertains to a woman.
When looking at the text as a whole the denotation is much more general and visible without actually reading and comprehending each section. Women, Entrepreneur, and WomenEntrepreneur appear throughout the advertisement eight times. Those words appear in the uppermost text once, on the computer screen three times, in the white text three times, and once above the tag line.
The words women and entrepreneur connote the name of the website. By seeing them repeated throughout the advertisement it makes their website name more memorable. The viewer only needs to see the name of the company once to recognize it, but by repeating its parts the ad forces the viewer to remember its name.
Finally, the background of the layout is white and undefined. At the top of the page a subtle gradient appears and almost unnoticeably begins to darken. This undefined background setting connotes the idea of open possibilities. If she were in an office setting that would connote the idea of confinement. An entrepreneur is not one that needs to be corralled, she is one that needs to be let loose. An aspiring entrepreneur needs opportunities to be abundant, so the open dreamy background supports the scheme of connections, and success.
With the use of semiology deconstruction of the advertisement for WomenEntrepreneur.com uncovered discrete connotations of text and imagery that were used to make the ad more successful. Additionally, understanding the denotations of all aspects of the ad made its purpose and function more clear.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Looking vs Seeing
"Looking is an act of choice... We only see what we look at." This quote from John Berger's "The Ways of Seeing" can be used to very precisely define the difference between looking and seeing. According to Berger, looking is a conscious effort to internalize a visual. After we have made the decision to look, the next step in comprehending that visual would be seeing it. "Seeing comes before words" (Berger p.7), seeing is our response to a visual based upon our own personal histories. For example, In the new TV series, "Lie to Me" there is a trained (educated) deception expert, Dr. Cal Lightman who has spent the majority of his life studying the natural reactions of people after they have been placed in compromising situations. He observes people and based upon what he "sees" and is able to conclude whether or not that person is being honest or not. If you had a non-educated person try to come upon the same conclusions they would not be as successful because they do not have the background to understand the significance of a lip curl, rotation of the hand, or shrug of the shoulder. Therefore, to the person who studies the significance of body twitches is able to gather different meanings from gestures based on what he/she has seen in the past. His way of seeing differs from most other people because of his history.
Additionally, an untrained individual would not even be "looking" for those small gestures so as to formulate an opinion on whether or not the subject was being truthful. An untrained individual might instinctively look into their eyes, but not know exactly what to be looking for. Part of Dr. Lightman's education was to learn to look for gestures that indicate meaning. As a constant reminder of what certain gestures mean the Dr. had photographs of different expressions posted on the wall of his office so as to be a constant reminder of how to look. The untrained observer may notice an eye twitch, or a shift in the seat, but may not internalize it and try to understand its meaning (they are unable to "see"). Without learning how to look, one is unable to see accurately. One may also argue that controversies between cultures exist because they are unable to see the importance of symbols within cultures. For example, a kirpan in our culture appear to be a weapon. But to a Sikh it is one of five article of faith that is carried with that person (and never used as a weapon). To conclude, we are all educated on what to look at and how to see what we are looking at. To be uneducated is to be uninformed, and one who is uninformed is not looking or seeing objectively.
Additionally, an untrained individual would not even be "looking" for those small gestures so as to formulate an opinion on whether or not the subject was being truthful. An untrained individual might instinctively look into their eyes, but not know exactly what to be looking for. Part of Dr. Lightman's education was to learn to look for gestures that indicate meaning. As a constant reminder of what certain gestures mean the Dr. had photographs of different expressions posted on the wall of his office so as to be a constant reminder of how to look. The untrained observer may notice an eye twitch, or a shift in the seat, but may not internalize it and try to understand its meaning (they are unable to "see"). Without learning how to look, one is unable to see accurately. One may also argue that controversies between cultures exist because they are unable to see the importance of symbols within cultures. For example, a kirpan in our culture appear to be a weapon. But to a Sikh it is one of five article of faith that is carried with that person (and never used as a weapon). To conclude, we are all educated on what to look at and how to see what we are looking at. To be uneducated is to be uninformed, and one who is uninformed is not looking or seeing objectively.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Obama
Jim Bogenrief
Critical Practice
Personal Reflection: Inauguration of President Barack Obama
It was 7:30 am on Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 when I was awaken by the high pitch and somewhat annoying ring of my phone. Normally, the only person who would be calling me this early would be my father, but today it was the manager of a restaurant I had recently worked at. “Jimmers!! Are you up yet? I wanted to make sure you are up and watching history in the making!” At that, without laying in bed to try to get a few more minutes of shut-eye, I was wide-awake and excited to see the dawn of a new day. The TV was on, the coffee was brewing and I was focused on the events leading up to what was possibly the most important Presidential inauguration of my lifetime.
As I sat on the couch sipping my coffee I had to prepare myself for what I was watching. If this speech was anything like any of Barack Obama’s previous addresses I was going to need a tissue. The power of his words and the conviction of his tone had never ceased to make me emotional. On this day, at this pivotal point in history, a tear was bound to fall, and it did.
The extensive series of events that lead up to the inauguration were effective in opening my eyes to the significance of this event. Watching George W. Bush walk out of the White House marked not only the end of an era of poor leadership, but more importantly the beginning of a new leadership. It was clear in the confidence of Barack’s stride that this new leadership would bring in the ideals and reality that our current nation has been thirsting for.
That confidence never faltered throughout the entirety of the event. Obama’s readiness and preparation for the position of President was evident from the beginning. He didn’t begin his speech by promising a change; he began by acknowledging the challenge that we all face with our economy. He does not point fingers; he acknowledges that we all have collectively failed to make hard choices. He states that we have entered a time to make a change, to choose a better history, and to carry forward our precious gift… and the first tear fell. He reminds us of the great country we live in, teaches us not to forget about the people throughout history who have made sacrifices to bring us to this point, and inspires us to carry on that ethic of hard work, and the strive for greatness.
President Obama has inspired me to work hard. I feel as though he has spoken to me directly and asked me to take responsibility for my role as an American. Most importantly, he has taught me the first lesson in greatness: that it must be earned. He leads by example.
Because I do not know President Obama personally, John Berger would describe this feeling of personal communication as being “seduced” by an image. The connection I feel I have made is based upon the authority figures I look up to in my own life. These people dispense advice and guidance similarly to that in which Barack did in his speech. Because of my personal experiences I feel as though I do know Barack, and that he does provide me with guidance.
Obama is an inspiration for all, he has overcome opposition and has risen to the highest and most prestigious position of power.
Visualization and Symbolism
Other than my approval of the policies that Obama plans to implement and my personal disdain for the Bush Administration, there are other factors that lead to my emotional response to the inauguration. These factors ranged from news feeds posted on Facebook, to artwork promoting Obama’s campaign, to chosen speakers at the inaugural ceremony.
The Facebook news feeds began during Obama’s campaign. The posts that stood out most were from friends of mine who shared Obama’s heritage, and therefore understood the importance of this the election on a level that I would never personally comprehend. Although, I can be taught about oppression and apartheid I will never experience the euphoria of Obama’s victory like my friend Blair, Tamara, Jason, or Mychael. Their passion was visible in the snapshots that Tamara posted while standing with Barack during his campaign, and Blair’s feeds that commended Obama’s success along the campaign trail.
Additionally, being a right brained individual I am heavily influenced by interesting artwork. This campaign brought forth so much art that it was hard not to be caught up in the underlying meaning of the red, white, and blue Shepard Fairey prints, or the home made OB-AMA posters. Television showed constant imagery of Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha. It became evident that this presidency meant more than the transfer of power. Barack Obama’s presidency symbolizes a new generation, hope, family, and equality, to name a few.
During the ceremony, Rev Rick Warren, Elizabeth Alexander (poet) and Aretha Franklin (singer) all symbolized the leap that we as Americans made upon electing Barack Obama for president. They all represent different aspects of the hugely important African American culture.
Now, that Barack is settling into office it is evident that people are excited about possessing a piece of history that signifies this historical event. Prints of Shepard Fairey’s artwork now hold great value, and newspapers are being purchased and preserved as collector’s items.
These various forms of visual promotion have all influenced my heightened acceptance and support for President Obama. It is because of social networking sites like Facebook that people are able to share ideas and images and further promote their thoughts concerning topics concerning this younger generation.
Critical Practice
Personal Reflection: Inauguration of President Barack Obama
It was 7:30 am on Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 when I was awaken by the high pitch and somewhat annoying ring of my phone. Normally, the only person who would be calling me this early would be my father, but today it was the manager of a restaurant I had recently worked at. “Jimmers!! Are you up yet? I wanted to make sure you are up and watching history in the making!” At that, without laying in bed to try to get a few more minutes of shut-eye, I was wide-awake and excited to see the dawn of a new day. The TV was on, the coffee was brewing and I was focused on the events leading up to what was possibly the most important Presidential inauguration of my lifetime.
As I sat on the couch sipping my coffee I had to prepare myself for what I was watching. If this speech was anything like any of Barack Obama’s previous addresses I was going to need a tissue. The power of his words and the conviction of his tone had never ceased to make me emotional. On this day, at this pivotal point in history, a tear was bound to fall, and it did.
The extensive series of events that lead up to the inauguration were effective in opening my eyes to the significance of this event. Watching George W. Bush walk out of the White House marked not only the end of an era of poor leadership, but more importantly the beginning of a new leadership. It was clear in the confidence of Barack’s stride that this new leadership would bring in the ideals and reality that our current nation has been thirsting for.
That confidence never faltered throughout the entirety of the event. Obama’s readiness and preparation for the position of President was evident from the beginning. He didn’t begin his speech by promising a change; he began by acknowledging the challenge that we all face with our economy. He does not point fingers; he acknowledges that we all have collectively failed to make hard choices. He states that we have entered a time to make a change, to choose a better history, and to carry forward our precious gift… and the first tear fell. He reminds us of the great country we live in, teaches us not to forget about the people throughout history who have made sacrifices to bring us to this point, and inspires us to carry on that ethic of hard work, and the strive for greatness.
President Obama has inspired me to work hard. I feel as though he has spoken to me directly and asked me to take responsibility for my role as an American. Most importantly, he has taught me the first lesson in greatness: that it must be earned. He leads by example.
Because I do not know President Obama personally, John Berger would describe this feeling of personal communication as being “seduced” by an image. The connection I feel I have made is based upon the authority figures I look up to in my own life. These people dispense advice and guidance similarly to that in which Barack did in his speech. Because of my personal experiences I feel as though I do know Barack, and that he does provide me with guidance.
Obama is an inspiration for all, he has overcome opposition and has risen to the highest and most prestigious position of power.
Visualization and Symbolism
Other than my approval of the policies that Obama plans to implement and my personal disdain for the Bush Administration, there are other factors that lead to my emotional response to the inauguration. These factors ranged from news feeds posted on Facebook, to artwork promoting Obama’s campaign, to chosen speakers at the inaugural ceremony.
The Facebook news feeds began during Obama’s campaign. The posts that stood out most were from friends of mine who shared Obama’s heritage, and therefore understood the importance of this the election on a level that I would never personally comprehend. Although, I can be taught about oppression and apartheid I will never experience the euphoria of Obama’s victory like my friend Blair, Tamara, Jason, or Mychael. Their passion was visible in the snapshots that Tamara posted while standing with Barack during his campaign, and Blair’s feeds that commended Obama’s success along the campaign trail.
Additionally, being a right brained individual I am heavily influenced by interesting artwork. This campaign brought forth so much art that it was hard not to be caught up in the underlying meaning of the red, white, and blue Shepard Fairey prints, or the home made OB-AMA posters. Television showed constant imagery of Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha. It became evident that this presidency meant more than the transfer of power. Barack Obama’s presidency symbolizes a new generation, hope, family, and equality, to name a few.
During the ceremony, Rev Rick Warren, Elizabeth Alexander (poet) and Aretha Franklin (singer) all symbolized the leap that we as Americans made upon electing Barack Obama for president. They all represent different aspects of the hugely important African American culture.
Now, that Barack is settling into office it is evident that people are excited about possessing a piece of history that signifies this historical event. Prints of Shepard Fairey’s artwork now hold great value, and newspapers are being purchased and preserved as collector’s items.
These various forms of visual promotion have all influenced my heightened acceptance and support for President Obama. It is because of social networking sites like Facebook that people are able to share ideas and images and further promote their thoughts concerning topics concerning this younger generation.
Monday, February 2, 2009
"The Ways of Seeing"
"The Ways of Seeing" provides an incredible insight on the ways in which our life experiences affect our interpretation of images. His argument is built upon the premise that, "An image is presented as a work of art, the way people look at it is affected by a whole series of learnt assumptions about art". I find this incredibly interesting because it explains very precisely the reasons that two people can be looking at the exact painting at the same time, in the same place and have completely opposite opinions or reactions to the piece.
Two years ago, I walked into the Museo De Reina Sophia in Madrid, Spain with my cousin to capture a glimpse of Picasso's Guernica. After we had spent about 20 minutes pacing the length the painting we continued on. There was discussion about the impact that the painting had on us, and as John Berger would predict we both looked at it very differently. My cousin is a history buff, and I am not one for history (I couldn't remember facts if my life depended on it!) but I am an artist. Each of us, with different backgrounds, were able to enlighten the other on why the piece was so impressive. While I learned a bit about history, I also opened her eyes to the sophistication of the composition and the use of symbols and shapes to communicate the visual points she was describing. We were both moved and inspired by the piece, but had completely different emotional reactions. This painting helped my cousin to build a visualization of her understanding of the Spanish Civil War, and it inspired me to get on the other end of the paint brush. We will both never forget the impact the painting had on our lives and equally never share the emotion it brought to us, individually.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
