tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79325285280181870012024-03-13T04:34:09.611-07:00CgrhmCgrhmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09156878042895884856noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932528528018187001.post-66719887433204183702011-04-19T16:46:00.000-07:002011-04-19T16:46:34.056-07:00Privacy Fences<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img height="453" id="il_fi" src="http://www.distroarchitecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Great-Awesome-Fence-for-a-Luxury-Celebrity-residence-590x453.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="590" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Michel Foucault demonstrates the power that an “all seeing eye” has on an individual, stripping him of all secretive behavior and putting his every move on display.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This extreme exposure controls every aspect of a person’s life, producing unnatural behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael McKeon builds off of Foucault’s theory and forces the reader to think of privacy in a new way:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as a luxury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through an analysis of early European home blueprints, a shift from a more public and grandiose lifestyle to a private seclusion was seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although flamboyancy was still valued, the contrast between public and private exponentially increased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was not only to prevent scandal, but also to separate the help from the Highness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>McKeon says, “At the higher social levels the boon of spatial privacy is sought in the physical separation of quality from commoners, of family from servants, and of one person from another (pg.431).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is seen even today by the value placed on a brand name or the year of a car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The display of money is used as a distinction between classes of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Privacy fences, alarm systems, and gated communities are used almost exclusively by the upper class as a constant reminder that there is a difference between, “you and me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>McKeon also reveals the importance of the rich being seen as they ate their elaborate meals as a show of grandeur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This phenomenon is similar to the modern day Facebook obsession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Status updates of big plans and elaborate vacations, workplaces, degrees, and flattering photos are publicized as a means of promoting only desirable attributes of oneself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Privacy is usually taken for granted until it has been taken away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inmates are required to be strip searched frequently, and celebrities complain of the intrusive paparazzi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Privacy is a concept valued by most, but recognized by few.</span></div>Cgrhmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09156878042895884856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932528528018187001.post-56449938580431908672011-03-08T08:52:00.000-08:002011-03-08T08:52:35.487-08:00The Male Body: Contrast Between High Art and Advertising<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IJNdqeZnDtE/TLJBsDI_M7I/AAAAAAAAATc/u5tBdoidbI8/s1600/male+study+2+2009+-+Monique+Lassooij.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IJNdqeZnDtE/TLJBsDI_M7I/AAAAAAAAATc/u5tBdoidbI8/s320/male+study+2+2009+-+Monique+Lassooij.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>A male body depiction by Monique Lassooij</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="319" id="il_fi" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gtSfm_RwwMk/Sgou-DDfrAI/AAAAAAAABeg/4zkBaRhdmjQ/s400/freddieljungberg2.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Calvin Klein Ad</em></div><div style="text-align: left;">Susan Bordo and Linda Nochlin explore artist's and advertiser's use of the human body in art. Bordo investigates the advertiser's motive behind using male models to increase sales and its effect on consumers, while Nochlin analyzes high art 's methods and purpose behind depicting nude bodies. In Nochlin's essay, "Renoir's <em>Great Bathers</em>," she says that the relationship between these images in high art and in other areas is either complementary or absolutely contradictory. In the two pictures above, Bordo and Nochlin might agree, that the messages behind each image disagree. </div><div style="text-align: left;">In the image created by Monique Lassooij, the first thing to notice is the torso of the man, depicted by harsh geometric lines creating muscle tone. The background of the image is grey, fading into the background and even the face of the man is blurred indicating that its contribution to the image is insignificant. The male body is without context, allowing it to simply exist and be appreciated for its natural beauty, rather than be sexually fantasized. An image like this would not typically be seen in a female adult magazine, because its purpose is not to sexually arouse the viewer, but to celebrate beauty that can be found not at a waterfall, or a mountaintop, but within the human body.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Obviously the purpose behind the Calvin Klein advertisement is to sell this specific brand of underwear and to promote the Calvin Klein industry in general. However, it can also be assumed that the makers behind this advertisement wanted to close the gap between men and their sexuality. Far more women are displayed provocatively in the media than men due to this male tension. Because of this exposure, most women are more comfortable looking at female bodies than men are looking at male bodies. If this tension is reduced, and men can embrace and celebrate their sexuality, men are more likely to spend extra time on their appearance, including shopping for underwear. This attempt is evident by the man lying down with emphasis on his facial expression and open legs. This advertisement screams sexuality.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Even though the purpose behind each image is different, both messages can be appreciated. The human body should be admired and celebrated just as we celebrate the beauty of birds, deer, and other animals found in nature, and it is also important for men to embrace their own body for the purpose of self acceptance. However, the relationship between high art and advertising is a complex one, and this is only one example and interpretation.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Cgrhmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09156878042895884856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932528528018187001.post-83424505740231265032011-02-17T17:41:00.000-08:002011-02-17T17:41:30.275-08:00The Ghost of Tom Joad<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img height="274" id="il_fi" src="http://www.thingsyoungerthanmccain.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/gal_fonda_henry_31.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="257" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even though the artists are singing the same song, the two versions of “The Ghost of Tom Joad” are completely different because of the musician’s ability to individualize the song to their own interpretation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The song comes from the book, <u>The Grapes of Wrath</u>, where Tom Joad is an Okie during the great depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout the entire book, the characters face oppression by their fellow man as they face the cutthroat world society has created with the loss of money’s comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story is a sad one, but Bruce Springsteen and The Rage Against the Machine tell it entirely different.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In Bruce Springsteen’s version the listener gets a definite feel of the melancholy aspect of the song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With acoustic guitars and the haunting sound of the harmonica, a gloomy yet frighteningly real mood is cast while Springsteen barely whispers the lyrics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only is there a heartbreaking sentiment but there is also a plea, a rally for change that moves the listener to reexamine the world they live in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Springsteen appeals to the listener’s sense of character, and warns that this injustice cannot be tolerated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the version created by The Rage Against The Machine, a rock metal feel is added to the song therefore creating a feeling of resentment and fury toward the listener for allowing this unfairness to occur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sound of a helicopter at the beginning creates a building effect right before the lyrics start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The singer is not necessarily yelling, but his voice is stressed, causing a reexamining of oneself rather than the rest of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The listener feels almost guilty and ignorant that they didn’t see this result coming all along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This band appeals to the emotions of the listener and authoritatively demands change.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is eye opening to see how a song can be changed so dramatically simply by a change in instruments and the voice behind the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, both methods are rather effective at pointing out society’s flaws and just how much people will take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Cgrhmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09156878042895884856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932528528018187001.post-33190664083698324062011-02-08T13:59:00.001-08:002011-02-08T13:59:50.638-08:00Berger and After (Berger and Bordo)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although they write in two separate time periods, John Berger and Susan Bordo, share a common burden, to increase the public’s awareness of the distorted definition assigned to beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although they choose to expose this issue using two independent angles, they both plead for a change in the conception of what is beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Berger is appalled by society’s assessment of artistic beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No longer are technique, passion, and meaning the criteria for a valuable piece of art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, the price tag of the piece dictates its value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Berger says, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Not because of what it shows- not because of the meaning of its image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has become impressive, mysterious, because of its market value</i> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ways of Seeing </i>pg. 109).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very thought that this issue is affecting only the upper class, is a direct example of what Berger is trying to demonstrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those that are excluded from “the elite” are being coerced into thinking that art is not available for them to enjoy and are thus being deprived of the education that only artistic creativity can provide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>History is embedded in nearly every painting, and without direct analysis by the viewer, history can be interpreted and twisted to match the agenda of those who are rich enough to experience it firsthand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This threatens everything that history influences from tradition to morals.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bordo is also concerned with beauty’s assessment but not in the medium in which Berger refers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reveals that the gender rigid boxes placed on beauty are being replaced by unrealistic ideologies of what is attractive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women have fought for “equality” with men, in the hopes that one day they will no longer be judged as sex objects but as capable and intelligent individuals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bordo describes the outcome when she states, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I never dreamed that “equality” would move in the direction of men worrying more about their looks rather than women worrying less</i> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ways of Seeing </i>pg. 170).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of an equal feeling between men and women about their value to society as an individual, an equal feeling of anxiety concerning physical appearance is produced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inadequacy has now seeped over the gender line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the phrase, “no one is perfect” has been repeated countless times, perfection is what society expects, especially when appearance is concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what does this mean, a few more people realize they aren’t model material?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bordo exposes “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the diseases of a culture that doesn’t know when to stop</i> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ways of Seeing </i>pg. 173)”, a frightening epidemic of anorexia, bulimia, and obsession with cosmetic surgery stemming from this idealistic propaganda.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Both Berger and Bordo reveal to the reader society’s mystified definition of what is beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Berger states that in art, monetary value is beautiful, while Bordo says that in terms of physical appearance, perfection is the key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both ideologies are detrimental to society and both writers’ attempts to rid the world of these falsifications can be admired.</span></div>Cgrhmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09156878042895884856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7932528528018187001.post-36415581541679543592011-01-25T13:13:00.000-08:002011-01-25T13:13:20.931-08:00#1 Looking at Pictures (Berger)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okAVGAx6tJE/TT88iRvJUdI/AAAAAAAAAAM/GMg8u8uwF1I/s1600/anguissola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_okAVGAx6tJE/TT88iRvJUdI/AAAAAAAAAAM/GMg8u8uwF1I/s320/anguissola.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>Bernardino Campi painting </em><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Sofonisba_Anguissola" title="Sofonisba Anguissola"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><em>Sofonisba Anguissola</em></span></a><em>, by Sofonisba Anguissola</em></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I chose the painting described as, “<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bernardino Campi painting <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Sofonisba_Anguissola" title="Sofonisba Anguissola"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Sofonisba Anguissola</span></a>,” because I felt that it had a deeper meaning than just a glance’s interpretation</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At the first look of this painting, one might assume its message is simply to portray a man showing his affection for his lover through a portrait like so many other paintings try to accomplish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when I looked more closely at the man’s face, I wondered, “What exactly is the relationship between the artist and the woman in this portrait?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then noticed that his expression seems more authoritative than passionate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, the portrait of the woman is very formal and professional, not the work of a lover depicting his better half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered if I could find the answer by asking another question:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What is the social context surrounding the time frame in which this painting was created?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found that in the early 1550’s there were very few successful female artists and after further research I discovered that the author, Sofonisba Anguissola , was illustrating her mentor creating her portrait (http://peterjamesfield.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-have-there-been-no-great-women.html.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, in a world dominated by men, this woman paints her instructor from which she learned her skill, painting her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the quality of their relationship?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I speculate that if she had a deep admiration for him she would have painted her portrait smaller and her mentor larger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead we see only his side profile and he seems to be fading into the background as she stands out as the focus of the image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not saying that she had no respect for him, neither that she disliked him, but perhaps she was trying to make the argument that just because he was a man does not mean that he was more significant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I suppose that perhaps Berger would go through about the same process to extract the meaning from an image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also researched when the painting by Hals was created in order to know the context of the image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Berger later said, “It is not possible to produce circumstantial evidence to establish what their relations were… Study this evidence and see for yourself” meaning that you must have proof to back up your interpretation if you are making a statement about history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t mystify the past or taint history to prove your side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Completing this process made me realize the importance of analyzing traces of history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If no one wondered about this image, Sofonisba Anguissola’s attempt to make herself heard in a society that wasn’t listening would have been unsuccessful.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Cgrhmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09156878042895884856noreply@blogger.com1