Topic Proposal - Visual Articulation Project

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/wiless/sets/72157611641574807/


I've chosen a line from a song by Seabear titled "I Sing I Swim". The line is simply, "you've got a diamond under your skin."


The lyric seems to make a brilliant diamond, a jewel I've always felt to be too polished and mature to wear myself, kind of worn and comfortable. The line captures the feeling of understated beauty for me, and the kind of appreciation that comes with true love. The reference to a diamond strikes me as timeless. 


I want to try and get my hands on some old albums of my mom's from when she was around my age. I think the lyric captures the beauty of Canada's north, so I know my mom has some great shots of her and my dad up at our old cottage in the 70s. I want to try and use my parents because I've never seen them as romantic, but more friends that appreciate each other. I don't know what I'll find but I may have to use some other photos of cottage country like the one above. 


In terms of materials I'll probably make copies of the photos and make a collage. Any additional photos will have to complement the vintage, timeless feeling I'm trying to capture. I will focus on the symbolism of the diamond and the effect its integration with something more organic has had for the listener visually. 

Fashion Image: Prada Spring/Summer 2011 (Blog 3/6)

http://estilo-tendances.com/prada-springsummer-2011-ad-campaign-video/

The image above is from the Prada 2011 Spring/Summer campaign. Interestingly, I think the argument behind this advertisement is that dressing in this way represents an expression of individuality and intellectualism. Each woman exhibit the same strong, symmetrical features and don a knowing gaze. The audience is given the impression that the women share a secret. In this sense the appeal of the image is exclusivity.

This image represents the contradiction that exists in fashion. While clothing and accessories appeal to people because they can express their individuality, at the same time, there are rules in fashion. These girls are in the know of the guidelines. The model's hand on the far right guards their well-kept secret and entrance into their elite class.

Each model is styled in an androgynous way. The clean lines of their structured outfits are not revealing. Their glasses frame unembellished eyes and their lips are nude. Their hair is elegant but distinctively masculine. Even their eyebrows are groomed but somewhat unkempt. The advertisement is undeniably masculine, but each of the women has consciously made a great effort to appear this way. Each outfit is colourful, but not playful or feminine, as one would expect for a Spring/Summer line. These outfits are fashionable, but noticeably functional, as well. The constructed image, or argument of this "dress code" is that of empowerment. The women are successful, powerful, and knowingly beautiful.

Art and Ownership: Banksy's "Shop 'til You Drop" (Blog 2/6)

http://hypebeast.com/2011/11/new-banksy-works-in-london-shop-till-you-drop/

There are many words to describe Banksy's work. Culture jamming and graffiti art are probably among the most fitting. I wonder, what is the extent to which this work can be deemed art? I expect that most of the class has heard of Banksy, however, the main point of his anonymous work is to counter the corporate media's influence. Banksy uses public spaces like sidewalks and ATMs and turns them into a piece of "art". The image above features a woman dressed in a skirt and high heels plummeting from a building at least six-stories tall. The image appeared in mid-November before the holiday season in London, England. The woman is faceless and shadowed, depicting her ignored identity in the face of advertising and consumerism. The goods in her shopping cart seem to be dragging her down. Nevertheless, she maintains a tight grip on the cart and the goods it carries.

The reading from class today, “Definitions of Art and the Art World”  by Mulholland, discusses the historical notion of art. The reading discusses two of the recurring themes of the class that relate to Banky's questionable art form. Two aspects of art that determine its merit have historically been ownership and whether it prioritizes form or function.  

Banksy presents a complicated case because he does not seek to claim ownership of his work. The Mulholland reading explains that Michelangelo's work on the Sistene Chapel was artful due to the authority that Michelangelo maintained through controlling the intellectual content he produced.  In Banksy's case, his style of anonymous street art is frequently copied. If you Google nearly any of Banksy's graffiti art pieces there is at least one source that claims that the piece is not a Banksy original.

Banksy's anonymity says a lot about his philosophy of what constitutes art, which brings one to question whether his work prioritizes form or function. For Banksy, clearly the message, or function, of the artwork is what matters. Publicity is central to the works function, which is to influence and have power over the mainstream media. Interestingly, this is done by trying to get the attention of the mainstream media with dramatic graffiti art, like the one pictured above. I definitely believe Banksy's work to be artful, despite t-shirts and posters that profit from his anonymous cause. Do you consider the image pictured above art or vandalism? If you have not seen Exit Through the Gift Shop I highly recommend it! 

Topic Proposal - Rhetorical Analysis #1

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/11/18/a-month-of-good-lgbt-comics-fun-home-a-family-tragicomic/

The cartoon I've chosen to analyze is from a graphic novel called Fun Home by Allison Bechdel. The graphic novel has been labeled a 'tragicomic' by the author as it is a recount of her convoluted relationship with her father. The purpose of this strip is to convey the distance felt between each family member. In my essay I plan on interpreting the purpose of the composition of this piece which works to support the written dialogue of the strip.

Another very important aspect of the entire graphic novel, and this strip in particular is the colour and shading used by the author/artist. The blue colouring and dark shadows set the tone of the graphic novel. The perspective of the comic is very distant, giving the audience an all-seeing advantage. However, the audience reads the strip from the main character's perspective. My analysis will give a brief summary of the graphic novel to give context to the strip and to explain the nature of cartooning that Bechdel feels most drawn to.

Images like this one were extremely impactful on the LGBT community, which made Fun Home an influential work of art. I selected this image as the most effective in conveying the feeling of separation visually. In my essay, I will explain the intended audience of the graphic novel and how I think such an image would be received by both members and non-members of the LGBT community.

I will argue that this is an extremely influential comic due to its appeal to pathos and use of colouring and composition. Furthermore, the most culturally significant aspect of the comic is the connection it successfully makes with the audience. The argument of the text is that we must understand differences in others, and embrace differences in ourselves. I will outline how this image sheds light on this.