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Hi, welcome to my blog site! Sharing here some of my outputs in Reading Visual Arts. Most of the outputs here were done together with my groupmates and some were done individually. This blog site is composed of artwork analysis in the form of the Formalist Approach, Multimodal, Sociological, Marxism, and Psychoanalysis Approach. A personal work of art is also posted wherein you'll be able to know the very thing that I love the most and how did I feel upon doing it for the first time.
If you'll ask me what I love about art, despite the fact of not being an artist, I would probably say, "Art enables me to express myself, my truest self. It gives me different ways and means of expressing myself, may it be in painting, drawing, acting, or even on simply making a website just to share my sentiments. Moreover, art is anything and can be everything. As long as we get to see one's beauty and meaning, it is already an art."
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OWN ARTWORK
Art is everything. It is one of the many ways in expressing our innermost thoughts and feelings. It can be in the form of drawing, painting, singing, dancing, filming, and a lot more ways as long as it can be portrayed and shared with anyone who will be considered as the viewer.
Understanding your surroundings and processing your emotions are both aided by art. It makes you feel alive and enables you to view life from a new angle. Since the dawn of civilization, art has always played a significant role in human society. Art has been employed as a means of expression, instruction, and cultural exchange. Whatever the case, the arts have a significant impact on how people perceive and engage with one another and the rest of the world. We benefit from the art on an emotional, financial, psychological, and even personality-shaping level.
What I posted here is my own art of filming myself while I did make my first coffee in a coffee shop. This was one of my most unforgettable experiences in life and one which I am very much grateful for. Through the help of digital film, I would be able to look back on this someday and reminisce how happy I was way back then upon doing a new thing that I love the most.
If there is one thing that I can reflect on about making this form of art, is that never ever stop filming and documenting all the memories you want to remember forever. The moments can be lost, but the photographs will forever be kept and remembered.
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PSYCHOANALYSIS APPROACH
A method of psychological therapy, psychoanalysis is a body of theories and therapeutic techniques that partially address the unconscious mind. Sigmund Freud, an Austrian neurologist, founded the field in the early 1890s. He based it on his theoretical framework for how people's personalities are organized and developed, known as psychoanalytic theory.
The KRAFT company's Zesty Italian salad dressing is the item highlighted in the text. The KRAFT logo, LET'S GET ZESTY, THE ONLY THING BETTER THAN DRESSING IS UNDRESSING, and ZESTY ITALIAN on the product itself are the texts and phrases that can be seen in the image. The virtual text utilizes dark, colors that can be seen, such as the bluish-black of the sky, the black of the table and candlestick, the man's boxer and his hair, the white of the polo and the candles, the green of the salad's ingredients, and the orange of the dressing. The items mentioned in the text represent how people seek out fine foods like KRAFT to satisfy their palates. The man in the picture symbolizes ZESTY, which is literally sexy or tasty. He has been employed as a tool to illustrate the salad dressing's value and ability to satisfy your palate. In addition, the candles and the background night sky demonstrate that salad is best enjoyed at the end of the day or on special occasions. Readers are persuaded by this text's compelling theme and unique setting.
Who would even think that a product would feature a man lying on top of a table when the salad dressing is actually used specifically for a salad that is consumed by families or friends during celebrations? Customers will be encouraged by the creative idea to research the product and see if it meets their needs.
The first thing that catches our eye is the naked man lying on top of the table. No respectable man, much less a chef, would disrobe while consuming or preparing a salad, especially if a large crowd would witness it. Additionally, the component makes us question the use of a man as opposed to a female. Why let a man extend his legs and sit on top of a table in his boxers?
Last but not least, the man took up a lot of space in the image, making it challenging to see the main item—the Italian salad dressing. However, the man will also give the customers a chance to consider what he is holding and its potential uses. On a more superficial level, the image depicts a man sitting on a table with his legs slightly apart, which might suggest that he is charming the spectators.
Because of the candles and darkness, which are typical of restaurants and honeymoons, the scene creates a romantic and opulent atmosphere. The man's attractive features, such as his muscle and abs, are highlighted by the dimness and angle of the light. Given that this is an advertisement for the food company Kraft, I'm perplexed by the text that claims that the best dressing is undressed. Perhaps they want to make a suggestion? It is an analogy and a clever play on opposite words to say that dressing enhances the food and the man undressing enhances his features.
The text is beneficial because it provides hints. concerning the comparison. According to me, the man and the food in the image are being compared because they both share two traits: they are both made presentable to be desired and they provide pleasure. When food tastes good, we are happy; when a man is attractive, we are happy.
They intend to position the dressing as a way to enhance the appeal of the food, much like how men appear seductive when they are unclothed. Women or people who like men, in general, should be the target audience for this image, but since they want to market the clothing, it should also appeal to men.
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MARXISM APPROACH
Marxist analysis links literary works to the society, history, and social, political, and cultural frameworks in which they were produced. A literary work without a writer or the influences that shaped that writer is not taken into consideration. A writer is a creation of his own age, which is a creation of many earlier ages. According to the Marxist interpretation, the text represents the current class struggle. Literature is more than just a matter of taste or personal expression. It has some connection to the social and political climate of the day. Of course, one can argue about how it relates.
A world without imperfections, an ideal society where its people live in a seemingly and highly desirable condition. The government, the people, the entire system are perfect. No flaws at all.Â
Now this specific concept of society is what embraced Jonas, in the film based on a best-selling novel of Lois Lowry, entitled The Giver. Jonas’s community is based on a social system called the Sameness, in which there is no suffering, hunger, war, and, as you will soon see, no color, music, or love. Everything is controlled right down to who you will marry, who you receive as children, and what you will be "assigned" as a job in order to maintain peace and order.Â
All these seem natural and effective not until Jonas discovered all the class and workers’ exploitation, oppression, and strict ideologies of those in power just to set forth “a utopian society” which we all know is never achieved.Â
First, we have the “proletariat”. In the film, it is evident that Jonas, along with the lower-class members of their society who are given no choice but to follow the orders of those in power are the symbols of the working class people or proletariat. They are born in the society to work and extend their efforts not knowing that they are not guaranteed with enough compensation in terms of their rights and security.Â
Second, the “bourgeoisie”. In the film, the Elders in the society are what embody the bourgeois class. They are the most advantaged in terms of a more elevated lifestyle compared to rest. This comfort was bestowed upon them by the working class. Basically, they benefit through the efforts of the people under them.
Third, the “revolutionary”. Jonas and the Giver before him represent this Marxist concept. The working-class people keep on succumbing to the delusional system of the Elders that they do not dare to break away and stand up to fight for an equal system. However, Jonas and the Giver pushed through certain causes and steps to fight for what is right. That makes them the revolutionary symbol in the film.Â
ANALYSIS
Through Jonas' attempt to remove oppression, the rigid ideals established by the elders, and the utopian society built, we may apply Marxist theory. It is unfair that individuals must entirely sacrifice their own demands in order to meet those of others. Even if others make something look incorrect, people should stand up for what they believe in.
Ideology
In the movie, there was a strong ideology on how everyone was expected to behave in the community. Without question, all the people conform to the beliefs and values put forth by the elders. Of course, there was a strict implementation of the rules that made it impossible for them to argue about it. They were basically under control. The guidelines set by the older ones take away the freedom of the citizens for they do not have the right to decide. Examples is
"Two children--one male, one female--to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules." The Marxist theory states that the theory can be identified when the people of a community follow shared beliefs and values without question. The people in Jonas's community do exactly like that.
Oppression
One question from the Marxist theory is “Were the characters able to surpass oppression?”
When Jonas began his training as the receiver, he realized how they were suffering from oppression all along. With wisdom and courage, he planned on overcoming it.Â
There, he stopped taking his medication and began to feel things that he was supposed not to. Since it was forbidden to feel any emotions, they were deprived of freedom to act and feel the way they wanted to.
There was oppression due to the fact that they were abused by those with power. Jonas' reluctance to take his medicine and allow emotions like this to surface show how he wants to overcome the oppression he was facing. His decision of leaving the community to reach the memory boundary was also a huge step of surpassing the oppression.Â
Concept of different classesÂ
The Elders and the citizens were two distinctive classes. The Elders are the people that are in control of everything, they control their lives, the jobs people get, and their age. It’s very clear who the bourgeoisie are early on in the book and that the citizens are the proletariats. The bourgeoisie control the proletariats and they also decide value and currency. The proletariats or citizens simply obey and take orders from the bourgeoisie. This movie clearly shows the different classes within the community.
Reflection
The Giver by Lois Lowry tells the story of a group of people who reside in a colorless and equalitarian society that lacks life itself. Color, feelings, or even memories don't exist. As a result, a well-organized, predictable, and painless society is born.
We all know that the middle class or the elders are trying to eradicate conflict and produce a totalitarian or equalitarian society. They adhere to uniformity over individuality and excessive security over freedom which unknowingly are causing more potential dangers.
The elders might have successfully eradicated prejudice, pain, hatred, and many other evils of the world, but at a huge expense wherein genuine sense of humanity and all societal memory of anything outside the community have been eradicated in the world and a person's ability to choose is restricted to the point where they have no options left.
In life, the more that people try to control and manipulate us into becoming like who they wanted us to be, the more that we want to personally breakaway and pave our own path. It also reveals that despite the elders’ goal of creating an equal society, there will always be some who don’t want to conform and will fight for what they believe is right.
Secondly, the individuals who resided in Jonas' community had once wanted to build a perfect society such as Jonas’ mom who works at the Department of Justice. They believed that the community would be safe if they prevented the residents from making poor decisions but in reality, they are not allowing its citizens to have a choice.
Through social conditioning and language, people came under control and manipulation. They never question the killing of some babies just because they are different or the killing of elderly people who they believe are no longer contributing to the community.
But in our pursuit of perfection, have we really attained the satisfaction and the security that we long for? Have we tried examining our personal beliefs and convictions? And in disregarding our feelings and emotions, can we still be considered as a human being?
Moreover, Jonas stated on the film that a life without feelings, color, or love is not worth living. The memories that the Giver had shown him, made a way for Jonas to feel things again and even to reflect that there is more to life than the current situation and society which they are in. Those memories and feelings led him to make a choice and to fight for it, even to the extent of going against the elders or the government. What Jonas had shown is a radical change or revolution that resulted from the knowledge he gained from his mentor, the giver, and through his personal development as a person.
In the end, after watching the film, you'll start to wonder what is right or wrong in society. You'll also come to understand how fortunate you are to be able to choose or decide. Life cannot be carefully planned or arranged. Additionally, no two people are ever the same and distinctiveness is perfect in its own way. Jonas takes things a step further by looking into the memories and discovering everything. Indeed there is power in one, and who knows? You might also be the unique one who can be a driver of change - a positive change, as everyone is hoping for.
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SOCIOLOGICAL
According to X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioigba’s Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, when using the sociological approach, a critic “examines literature in the cultural, economic, and political context in which it is written or received.”
The critic might look at the society – or context – in which the text was written. He might ask fundamental questions such as “What does the work of art mean to the society?”. “How can the work of art reveal societal issues or concerns?” or “What does the work of art reveal about the society which the author lived or experienced?”
He might look at the culture of the society, including standards of behavior, etiquette, the relations between opposing groups.Â
There are three vital paradigms used to closely analyze through a sociological perspective. We have here structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
In the film, in the context of the modern world, technology plays a crucial role in the lives of people. It connects friends and family, it allows one person to express his or her self through updates. Here, social media delivers its function to connect a complex web of people around the world.In the film, stability and order was presented in the first half of the video where social media gives the persona a certain comfort, happiness, and peace.
There are two specificities of social function, the manifest and latent function.Â
Manifest function is when social media serves to connect people on a global scale with each other. As seen, social media is a platform to share, respond, and connect to different people.Â
Latent function (unintended consequences): Allows individuals to document and share the best part of their lives resulting in remarkable social profile and self-esteem. This was shown in the first part of the film where the woman would post pictures of her “so called daily and healthy lifestyle” which give her a euphoric feeling when these posts are recognized by others through heart reactions.Â
However, another concept in this approach is the “social dysfunction” which in this case is social media. Social media is a powerful driver of social and personal improvement, for example, which is a useful function. But it’s also a destabilizing force.
However, in analyzing film through structural functionalism, we get rid of the bad effects of anything to the society. We only see the good functions and how they would positively affect the lives of people. This is the limitation of this approach. The bad side of social media will be tackled on the next approach which will be discussed by Ms Onglatco.
CONFLICT THEORY
According to Conflict Theory, society is seen as composed of different groups that struggle over resources - power, money, land, food, and status. The conflict will always exist because of its constant struggle for limited resources.
In the short film entitled Social Life, we have seen that the woman is documenting her life daily in order to get validation from the society and prove that she is living her best life. Moreover, the conflicts that can be seen here are the following:
1. Social media leads the woman to compare her life with other people and tries to create an ideal virtual image that is far different from her actual life.
2. The woman wants to document and decorate her life through IG stories and make it appealing to other people, but in reality, she lives a pretentious and lonely life.
3. The woman seeks validation through the likes that she receives every day, until one day she gets 0 notifications and is awakened to the fact that real and satisfying life can only be found outside social media.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
Now, to comprehend and apply the last theory of sociological perspective widely known as the “Symbolic Interactionism,” let us focus on this statement:Â
“Our understanding of the world is subjective depending on who we are and who we interact with.”
This is supported by the idea that individuals perceive the world in unique ways depending on their interpretations of language, concepts, events, and so on. But through connection, we are able to share our different perceptions.
And that is what symbolic interactionism wants to tell us.
Symbolic interactionism states that social interaction shapes the meaning we ascribe to objects, processes, and systems in society.
This paradigm is even more relevant today as the world becomes increasingly interconnected through the internet, a virtual portal that allows us to interact more often and with more people.
For instance, in the short film Social Life, notice how the interactions over digital media shape the opinion and behavior of the woman. In posting a photo, both the woman and her reactors understand that hitting the reaction button as a form of interaction would mean that a person liked the post, it may be because of her outfit, makeup or activity. And that would also mean she has created great content. That is the case because that is the meaning created by both of them. Receiving fewer engagements was assumed to mean that her content was a flop.
In a deeper sense, understand that the actions of the woman would suggest that she seems to search for validation based on the interactions given to her in the social media world. If there are more notifications, comments, and likes on her post, she assumes that she was more appreciated by people. If she receives otherwise, it appears to her that less attention is given. As a result, this social interaction forced her to do extra effort in creating more content despite the fact that it was all for a show-off.Â
Social media contents are also interpreted by people as a sign of someone’s current status in life. This idea influenced the woman’s perspective about the world that made her do update as to mean that she was productive, healthy, and by far in a great state. This belief is shaped by who she was and the individuals she interacted with.
In conclusion, social conflict theory proves that humans are self-interested and we struggle greatly with power and in proving ourselves in the society. The consequence of this concept is that individuals who have wealth and resources would secure and preserve them, while those who lack them will take whatever necessary steps to get them.
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FORMALISM
The Vulture and the Struggling Girl
Formalist Approach
Formalism is the study of art through the comparison and analysis of form and style. It also discusses how things are created and their purely aesthetic or material characteristics. In contrast to content, meaning, or the historical and social context, formalism places more emphasis on compositional elements like color, line, shape, texture, and other perceptual aspects in paintings. At its most extreme, formalism in art history holds that a piece of art already contains all the information needed to understand it. The context of the work, which includes its purpose for creation, its historical setting, and the artist's life, is regarded as being external to the artistic medium itself and is, therefore, of secondary importance.
Kevin Carter was raised in a middle-class family in an exclusively white neighborhood after being born in Johannesburg. Because they were illegally residing there, he frequently witnessed black people being arrested by police in his neighborhood. He saw many things throughout his life, one of which was when he protected a waiter in the mess hall from abuse. Carter as a result was assaulted by soldiers. Additionally, he was present for the 1983 Church Street Bombing, which inspired him to pursue a career in news photography. Racial discrimination was infused in society at the time from 1948 to 1994. All around, there was affliction and Carter wanted to reflect this misery in his images. From 1948 to 1994, there was widespread racial discrimination in society. There was suffering all around, and Carter wanted his pictures to convey this anguish. Carter is frequently said to have made statements about photographing subjects like dead people, starving children, and violent acts; however, he later realized that it was his duty to do so and had to do so with objectivity.
Often, Carter is reported to have passed statements on photographing such subjects as dead people, starving children, and violent acts but then he knew it was his job and had to do it with an objective eye. Sudan is the largest country in North Africa where the Sudanese Civil War was prevalent from 1983 to 2005 between the central Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army. It lasted for 22 years. Roughly two million people died due to war, famine, and disease caused by the conflict. and death to the 3.5 million people who lived in that region. The team found that the rates of severe undernutrition were "among the highest ever documented," including in Somalia.
To African people, the vulture was the symbol of fertility. In Africa, vulture meaning and symbolism are primarily seen in the Aka culture. The U.N. It was estimated that 800,000 people required international food assistance. The symbolism of the vulture includes associations with rebirth, death, perception, trust, seriousness, resourcefulness, intelligence, cleanliness, and protection. This tribe's members think that death should be accepted as a natural part of life rather than being feared. Vultures are thought of as heavenly messengers who bring happiness to loved ones by returning lost souls to their homes. Africa is home to millions of people who are hungry. The three main reasons are poverty, the environment, and the government.
Farmers are unable to plant basic foods because they cannot afford the cost of seeds. Many Africans live in poverty due to high rates of unemployment and overpopulation. Since the 1960s, there has been an increase in hunger and malnutrition in Africa, which peaked in the 1980s with over 150 million people experiencing it in one way or another.Perhaps the intention of this image was to draw attention to the suffering that many Africans experienced after the civil war and to the fact that hunger and starvation play a significant role in population decline. The people who are curious about what is happening in Africa and the struggles that people there face were its intended audience.
Sadly, in July 1994, photographer Kevin Carter committed suicide by breathing carbon monoxide. Both the people in the society and the leaders or the government of this specific region of Sudan are the intended viewers of this photograph.
Out of this photograph and analysis, I can reflect that poverty is the primary societal issue that this shot would like to address. It has raised awareness as an effect to the viewers, especially regarding what is happening to the place for that particular time and what aid they need. Lastly, I believe, this visual text does not only carry the necessary features that made this photograph win the Pulitzer prize but more than that, it has a deep story behind it. It advocates the idea of rising against hunger, ending poverty, and food for the hungry.
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MULTIMODAL
Title: “Papel”: A Gabay Guro Short Film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeKUW8w9frg
Multimodal approach or semiotics is a common foundation for educators using multimodal instruction. The term "text" in semiotics refers to more than just written words; it also includes other forms of communication. By subtly shifting language from its central position to coexist more equally with other semiotic modes, particularly the arts, semiotic theory broadens our understanding of literacy and communication. The study of signs, including how actions and things work as signs in relation to one another to produce and interpret meaning, is known as semiotics. We anticipate what will happen, pose questions to the text to explore meanings, empathize with the characters and picture ourselves in the story, and draw analogies to real-world events or to other stories we have read in order to better understand the text. It doesn't matter if we are watching a movie or reading a book; we just use different "clues" to support our interpretation in our heads.
Two minutes and 26 seconds long, the short Filipino film Papel illustrates a teacher's day-to-day activities and the impact she has on her students. The sound of an alarm clock signaled the start of the film, waking up the teacher who had dozed off at the dining room table after going through her students' test results. She then continued with her daily routine, which included brushing her teeth, discovering that their water bill was disconnected, riding a crowded bus in a hurry, running into someone, and realizing that test papers had fallen onto the road, until she arrived at school and ended up getting ready to enter the classroom.When the test results were announced, a student with the last name Castro obtained 35 out of 40. His teacher said, "Sabi sa'yo, kaya mo 'yon e!” Castro approached her instructor after the class ended and hugged her immediately. The teacher's sincere smile can be seen at the end of the movie as she watches Castro leave the classroom.
The film began through the sound of an alarm clock which symbolizes a start of a new day in a person’s life, specifically of a teacher. The setting was at the dining area where test papers and a cup of coffee where seen. The dining area symbolizes that oftentimes, the teacher doesn’t get a enough time of sleep due to heavy workloads. The table literally is something wherein utensils can be put on, but it connotes a deeper meaning; it reflects that it can be a teacher’s place of rest when everything becomes overwhelming. The cup of coffee is a symbol of beginning the day, gaining the energy to work hard, and a sign that the teacher was working upon something. The gesture of brushing her teeth with a towel on her shoulder signifies us, the Filipinos, of taking good care of ourselves and maintaining a proper hygiene despite the busyness that we have in day-to-day basis. The written language “Disconnection Notice, Water Bill” reflects the financial struggles of a teacher and of almost every Filipino.
The teachers wears a light pink t-shirt at the beginning of the film and then changed into her school uniform and wore a dark pink jacket. The transition of the light pink shirt to dark pink jacket symbolizes the responsibilities at home and much higher responsibilities at school. After the teacher has finished preparing, she then bid goodbye to her grandmother who sits on a rocking chair while holding a radio. She then said to her grandma, “Lola, huwag niyo po kakalimutan yung gamot niyo ha? Bibili uli ako mamaya.” The grandmother represents the culture of Filipinos being the ones taking care of their grandparents and not just putting them on home for the aged institution. The playing radio represents how we are all eager to be updated with the current news and happenings in our surroundings. On her way to school, she then rode a crowded bus that symbolizes the daily life of working Filipino people that despite the crowdedness, they need to reach their destinations on time. However, upon dropping off the bus, the teacher bump into someone and the test papers fell on the ground and was walked upon.
The teacher arrived at the school and bunned her hair. Her gesture reflects how a teacher must be prepared and presentable in facing her students. The next focus was the classroom and it emphasizes the “butterfly” posters and alphabet placards which reveals that the students were elementary. The camera suddenly shifts on one of the students who seems anxious because he was fidgeting his hands. The teacher returned their test papers and that students attained 35 out of 40. Another emphasis showed on the film was when Castro’s paper was the one that was stepped upon on the road and it was filled with shoe marks. Despite, Castro smiled genuinely, approached her teacher and then hugged her. His gesture depicts how grateful he was to her teacher that believed in him the most. The film ended with written languages: “Teachers change lives. Let’s help change theirs.”
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Light in darkness. I am the type of person who struggles with so many things in life. Our minds are full of unsaid thoughts, insecurities, fears, and whatnot. We worry daily about what will happen the next day and if we can survive the new chapters that are about to come. However, this art reminds me that I am the kind who will continually search for light even when all I can see is darkness. I have this hope that after all these storms and chaos, I will eventually be able to see the light and the answer to all of these. Even when I cannot see the light, I have this desire to BECOME that light through the words I speak and the hope embedded in my heart.
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