art definitons Flashcards
(23 cards)
Affect
The emotional response an image provokes in the viewer.
A photograph of a war-torn city may evoke sadness or anger.
Code
Systems of meaning that dictate how we understand images, such as cultural codes or social conventions.
A red rose often symbolizes love in Western cultures.
Idelogy
Sets of shared beliefs and values that shape how we interpret images.
Assumption of how ways things are and how they should be
Advertisements often use ideologies of beauty and success to sell products.
Image Icon
A visual image that is widely recognized and carries significant cultural meaning.
The photograph of Che Guevara has become an icon of revolution and rebellion.
Myth
A hidden set of rules and conventions that give meaning to an image and make it seem natural or universal.
Barthes discussed how a photograph of a soldier saluting might carry myths of nationalism and duty.
Photographic Truth
The belief that photographs represent an objective truth, even though they can be manipulated.
Early war photography was often staged to evoke certain emotions.
Practice
The ways people engage with images, such as creating, looking at, or sharing them.
Taking selfies and posting them on social media is a practice of looking in contemporary culture.
Propaganda
The use of images to influence people’s beliefs and actions, often in political contexts.
Posters used during wars to encourage enlistment.
Proconsumer
A consumer who also produces media content, such as when people take photos and share them on social media.
Kim Kardashian
Referent
The real-world object or concept that an image represents.
A photograph of a tree refers to the actual tree in the real world.
Representation
The use of language, marks, and images to create meaning.
A painting of a pipe in Magritte’s work represents a pipe, but it also represents how images cannot fully embody the objects they depict.`
Semiotics
The study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation.
In semiotics, a stop sign is more than a red octagon—it signifies the command to stop.
Social Media
Platforms where users engage in practices of sharing images and content, such as Instagram or Twitter.
Visuality
How vision is shaped through social and cultural contexts.
The way surveillance cameras are used in public spaces to watch and control people.
Denotative vs. Connotative Meaning:
Denotative meaning refers to the literal, descriptive aspect of an image (what is directly shown),
while connotative meaning refers to the cultural and emotional associations that go beyond the literal.
For example, a photograph of a lion denotes the animal but connotes strength, power, or royalty depending on cultural context.
Looking vs seeing
Looking” refers to the act of intentionally focusing on an image, whereas “seeing” is a more passive and unconscious visual process.
For instance, you might glance at a billboard but only look closely at the message when it relates to something you care about.
Mimesis vs social construction
Mimesis is the idea that images reflect or mimic reality,
while social constructionism argues that images create reality through social meanings.
For example, a realistic painting of a fruit bowl mimics the appearance of real fruit, while an abstract painting of fruit constructs a different interpretation of what fruit represents.
Sign, Signifier, Signified:
Sign: representations that have meanings beyond what they literally
The signifier is a sound, word, or image that is meant to portray a sign.
The signified is the meaning conveyed to the viewer by said sound, word, or image.
The meaning of signs can change depending on context, cultural shifts, or personal interpretations.
For example, the word “cool” used to signify cold temperature but now often refers to something socially desirable.
Example:
The sign: an apple
The signifier: the apple’s colour, shape, taste, texture, etc
The signified: a snack/food source, nutritional value OR, education (placed on a teacher’s desk), “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”
Studium vs. Punctum:
Roland Barthes described studium as the general, cultural meaning of a photograph that is recognizable to everyone,
while punctum is the personal, emotional impact the image has on an individual.
For instance, a photo of a family at a picnic might be culturally significant (studium), but if it reminds you of a personal experience, it evokes punctum.
What are “image icons”? Explain some of the ways they have been created, and critique their reputed universal status.
Image icons are widely recognizable images that carry significant cultural meaning,
such as the Mona Lisa or the photograph of the Tiananmen Square protestor.
They are often created through mass media circulation and repetition, but their universality can be critiqued because their meanings may vary across different cultural contexts.
What is representation? Discuss this topic in relation to the terms “mimesis” and “social construction” using references to the paintings by Henri-Horace Roland de la Porte, Still Life, and René Magritte, The Treachery of Images, illustrated in the textbook.
Representation involves using images or symbols to depict reality. Mimesis suggests that representation is an imitation of the real world, as seen in Roland de la Porte’s Still Life, where objects are depicted realistically. However, social constructionism argues that images create new meanings, as in Magritte’s The Treachery of Images, where a painting of a pipe highlights how representation can never fully capture reality.
Why are photographs not truthful records of reality? Explain what is meant by the “aura” and “myth” of objectivity.
Photographs are not truthful because they are subject to framing, selection, and manipulation.
The “aura” refers to the unique presence or authenticity of an original work, which is often lost in reproduction.
The “myth” of objectivity is the belief that photographs objectively document reality when, in fact, they are influenced by the photographer’s choices and the cultural context.
Eg can take items out to make picture look more natural than a chaotic one; taken at a less chaotic moment
An example is Andresas Gursky’s photograph “Rhein II”. Gursky digitally removed objects like the factory and a building. This is done so that the viewers can see the beauty of the Rhine River.
The meaning of “aura” or “myth” of objectivity links to suggest the belief that photographs are inherently neutral and truthful. Walter Benjamin’s “aura” tells us that when a photograph is reproduced several times, it loses its meaning and context! Viewers may think that the value of the image feels less special or significant. However, the myth belief comes from the mechanical nature of photography, where it can make it seem that the camera just captures reality. Aura is what gives the artwork’s uniqueness, and the message is ruined when copied and reproduced too many times, making the piece appear bland rather than meaningful.
Discuss the ways in which context influences the meaning and value of images.
The meaning of images is deeply influenced by the context in which they are viewed, including cultural, historical, and social factors.
For example, a photograph of soldiers may convey patriotism in one country but evoke
sense of oppression in another. Similarly, an advertisement may have different meanings depending on the cultural associations and values of its audience.
