#Hebdige

[hypokeimena]

I was just talking about this "mass handmade cookie cutter product" phenomenon, I was just at a con with four discreet 3d printer booths all of whom had the exact same articulated dragon with roses on it's back? and I literally own one of these at a small scale it's adorable i like the model quite a lot, but like. it's a $4 STL file online, the filaments are $20 each on amazon, once you buy the printer you can just print them in any size forever and charge whatever people will buy because they don't realize the seller has don't like. none of the design or labor involved in producing this item, despite the fact that they did factually make it themselves on a small enough scale that it's not out of place at a handmade maker con. it's odd.

IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I AM INSANE. IT MAKES ME FEEL OUT OF TOUCH WITH CONSENSUS REALITY!!!! like it's not the same as dropshipped items bc i think those should just flatout not be allowed without VERY clear signposting - like if you are selling mass produced notions for other people's creative products you should be legally required to state who your supplier is so ppl can look up how much you're upmarking shit, bc like. there IS a market for "the factory sells those buttons in batches of 100 and i only need 5, so i'll pay a little more for a middleman to have purchased the batch of 100 and handle all the inventory" like that is a service that makes sense. to have exist. but ohhhhh my fucking god.

but what you're describing is really true, i think there's a mix between like... i know small artists who sell stuff at markets and cons and stuff pay a table fee, so they want to make back what they spent on that, and so it makes sense to want to be sure that some of what you're making is going to sell, and maybe it even makes sense to do what you describe - buy an STL file, print off some proven winners.

but from the buyers' perspective, it means that half the art markets i go to are full of enamel pins that say CAT MOM and stickers about liking avocados and pride flag keychains, bc that's what sells, and anything that's original sits unsold - or it's more expensive bc it wasn't mass-produced and had higher labor costs, so it takes longer to move... so ppl stop stocking or bringing it... and it's like if all of this is the same why am i even here. T_T

[shortkingvi]

you enter into your comps process during your phd and everyone who’s already done it is like “oh it’ll absolutely explode your mind at some point and open your research framework entirely!” and you kinda roll your eyes because it’s definitely not going to be that revolutionary

and then guess what it ends up being…

[protectyouropacities]

“Subcultures represent ‘noise’ (as opposed to sound): interference in the orderly sequence which leads from real events and phenomena to their representation in the media. We should therefore not underestimate the signifying power of the spectacular subculture not only as a metaphor for potential anarchy ‘out there’ but as an actual mechanism of semantic disorder: a kind of temporary blockage in the system of representation.”

— Dick Hebdige, Subculture: The Meaning of Style

[mobs-masses-crowds-collectives]

“To a community hemmed in on all sides by discrimination, hostility, suspicion and blank incomprehension, the sound-system came to represent, particularly for the young, a precious inner sanctum, uncontaminated by alien influences, a black heart beating back to Africa on a steady pulse of dub… Power was at home here — just beyond the finger tips. It hung on the air — invisible, electric — channeled through a battery of home-made speakers. It was present in every ‘toasted’ incantation. In an atmosphere shaking with sound, charged with smoke and nemesis, it was easy to imagine that the ‘Day of Reckoning’ was at hand; that when, at last, the ‘lightning flashed,’ the ‘weak heart’ would ‘drop and the righteous black man stand’ armored in dread, oblivious to his former suffering.”

Dick Hebdige on the sound systems of the Jamaican UK in Subculture: The Meaning of Style (1979)

[rabbitmotifs]

tagged by @zhongli-lover-69 (thank you) to make yourself using this picrew as well as fill out this little 10 people id like to know better thing.

last song: skinhead not bonehead - gimp fist

fav color: pink

last book: subculture - the meaning of style by dick hebdige

last movie: juror #2. it was pretty good i like movies that remind me of 12 angry men

last show: arcane :-)

sweet/spicy/savory: savory

relationship status: insert trench warfare noises and bombs going off and people screaming

last thing i googled: viktor arcane...

current obsession: ...arcane...

looking forward to: seeing MDC/Millions of Dead Cops at a bar in a week and a half

tagging: @plaguery @lesbiansagainsttheatre @load--star @paintedvanilla @peribirb @collectoroflovelythings @vonlipvig @dimenussy @fightclubgayporn @seers + anyone else

[wheretheeternalare]

2023 reading list :) bolded means i liked it

Companion Piece by Ali Smith Unnatural Death by Dorothy Sayers The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov Lord Peter Views the Body by Dorothy Sayers Howards End by E. M. Forster The Raincoats by Jenn Pelly The Martian by Andy Weir The Minuteman Murder by Jane Langton The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco A Mercy by Toni Morrison Kindred by Octavia Butler Subculture: The Meaning of Style by Dick Hebdige Transformer by Ezra Furman Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin Rainbow Rainbow by Lydia Conklin Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston Still Life by Louise Penny The Best American Short Stories 2020 ed. Curtis Sittenfeld I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome Right Place, Right Time: The Life of a Rock & Roll Photographer by Bob Gruen A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews Island Zombie: Iceland Writings by Roni Horn There But For The by Ali Smith The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions by Larry Mitchell A Dream of a Woman by Casey Plett The Transgender Issue: Trans Justice Is Justice For All by Shon Faye The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia by Philip Sidney Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in America by Esther Newton Bellies by Nicola Dinan A Question of Proof by Nicholas Blake Girlfriends by Emily Zhou Decolonize Drag by Kareem Khubchandani Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance by Johnny Rogan England Is Mine: Pop Life in Albion from Wilde to Goldie by Michael Bracewell Swann's Way by Marcel Proust

[inquisitiveheretic]

do you have any music book recs? (love your blog btw)

thank youuuu here's a couple favs of mine:

subculture: the meaning of style - dick hebdige

please kill me: the uncensored oral history of punk - legs mcneil & gillian mccain

england's dreaming: anarchy, sex pistols, punk rock, & beyond - jon savage

a little devil in america: notes in praise of black performance - hanif abdurraqib

girls to the front: the true story of the riot grrrl revolution - sara marcus

[knoxious-and-devoted]

"narcissism, nihilism, and gender confusion"

thank you Dick Hebdige for Subculture: The Meaning of Style. it's very interesting but also just this phrase. (p.26)

[arwainian]

Reading this Week 2023 #14

I was not keeping strong track of what I started reading this week, but I think this about covers it?

Started and Finished:

Beastars, Vol. 8 by Paru Itagaki, translated by Tomoko Kimura

Chapters 1, 7 and an excerpt of chapter 8 of Subculture: The Meaning of Style by Dick Hebdige

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, narrated by Nadia May

Slightly MAD by Havendance on ao3

MAD World by Havendance on ao3

63 fatt fics for the marathon

Started and Ongoing:

Living Slow by kathkin on ao3, chapter 1

Struggles and Triumphs by P.T. Barnum

[leo9thecat]

Well I liked Stuart Hall and Dick Hebdige, now Henry Jenkins is my new thought leader.

💥🙌👏

[aislynndmerricksson]

Book Review: Gruffudd ap Llywelyn by KR Hebdige

  Gruffudd ap Llywelyn by KR Hebdige is a novel of historical fiction centring on 11th century Wales, and the struggle to unite the country into one kingdom, rather than several smaller ones. In total the tale ranges from the 1020s to 1061, following, for the most part, the life of the eponymous Gruffudd. I have a special love for Cymru-centric stories. Part of my ancestry lies there. I found…

[depog]

Orange Is the New Black Metal: zrození performance z ducha hudby (Headbanger)

„Subkulutry představují ‚hluk' (na rozdíl od zvuku).“[1]

Richard Hebdige

„SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN! SATAN!"[2]

Apator

Filozof a prozaik Ladislav Klíma v jednom ze svých literárních děl popisuje „divný pocit“, který člověk zakouší, když se vzdaluje od „hudbou bouřícího sálu“.[3] Odchod poslouchajícího z takových prostor pak dle Klímových slov spěje k okamžiku, kdy se mu zdá, že zapadl „do strašidelného světa, do komnat čarodějových, hemžících se neviditelnými duchy...“[4] Jenže co když je ona divnost pociťována a pozorována již v blízkosti diváctva k poslouchané hudbě, která sama je naopak tím, co se od čehosi jalo vzdalovat? A co se stane, jestliže se hemživí duchové zviditelní? Odpovědi by bezesporu mohla poskytnout hudební performance Headbanger, za níž stojí umělecký kolektiv D’epog a produkční platforma Terén. Ta totiž přiznaně čerpá z estetiky a rituality metalových koncertů, vůči kterémuž výchozímu bodu se však zdánlivě odlučuje vstříc cíli v bizarních dálkách. Různé prvky těžkotonážní hudby jsou v performanci totiž zasaženy radioaktivní experimentací, z čehož vzniklý mutant hrozivě cení zuby i extaticky okouzluje. Uzdu mu pak spíše popouští, než aby ji v rukách uvážlivě třímala, pětice performerů a performerek oděných v jakoby mimosvětsky oranžových kostýmech. A oranžová doposud nikdy nebyla tak černá, stejně jako jsem kulturní centrum Sibiř jaktěživ neviděl tolik plné.

Z Brna na Sibiř

Fakt, že se Headbanger odehrál (a v budoucnu ještě přinejmenším dvakrát odehraje) zrovna na Sibiři, rozhodně není bez opodstatnění, neboť toto bývalé kino má ve zvyku hostit akce především hudební. Jistě, nahlédneme-li do jeho programu, narazíme i na projekce filmů či například „benefiční kvítkobazar“. Na stranu druhou patrně nejhojněji se tam skutečně pořádají koncerty, a to právě kapel příslušících k rychlejším a tvrdším hudebním žánrům. Tuto svou pověst ostatně Sibiř sama glosovala na Facebooku, kde v souvislosti s Headbangerem psala následující: „Že je Sibiř místo jen pro crustový a blackmetalový koncerty? Ale kdeže...“ Zároveň dodejme, že název tohoto kulturního centra se zdá být skutečně případem nomen omen, jelikož jeho prostory jsou rozlehlé, chladné a vůči centru města oddělené poměrně nehostinnou krajinou. I přesto však v hudebním kontextu Sibiř napříč Brnem aktuálně zastává post takřka nezastupitelný. Po uzavření klubu Bajkazyl před cirka dvěma lety totiž patrně nikde jinde nemají takto pravidelně otevřené dveře okrajovější žánry jako výše zmíněný black metal či crust, k nimž by z těch více experimentálních šlo namátkou připsat i noise. Není tedy náhodou, že před performancí Headbanger pro mě na Sibiři byly těmi patrně nejvíce performativními zážitky právě koncerty, a to konkrétně grindové kapely Bambulkyne Dobrodružstvá. Její členové vystupovali v kostýmech znepokojivých humanoidů z pohádky Teletubbies, přičemž v průběhu setů zde nahý a vysoce kontaktní zpěvák této formace vždy natrefil na spřízněné, tedy neméně nahé a kontaktní, jedince. Tyto střety v obou případech vyústily ve veselé a oslavné rituály, jež přinejmenším pro svůj bezmála karnevalový charakter, všelidový smích, ambivalenci a v rámci tělesné topografie i symboliky zdůrazňované „dole“ jako by čerpaly z tradice groteskního realismu, jak jej popisuje Michail Michajlovič Bachtin.[5]

foto Denisa Römerová

Catwalk se strunovou sekačkou i bez

Abychom se však příliš nevzdálili samotnému Headbangeru, ono jeho v obou případech těsné vsunutí mezi dvojici setů se zpětně jeví jako velmi šťastně zvolené, jelikož to umocňovalo podivně halucinační a snový rozměr performance. Nebylo zkrátka prostoru ani času na přípravu, obrnění se, či naopak následné vstřebání viděného a slyšeného. A odstínění Headbangeru z obou konců sety s rozdílnými atmosférami navíc napomohlo akcentovat atmosféru představení samého. Takto se diváctvo ocitlo skutečně jaksi vrženo do bizarní a těžko uchopitelné situace, která skončila stejně náhle jako začala. Připomínala tím již odeznělou noční můru, jejíž obsah už si člověk přes den nedovede přesně vybavit, ovšem v hlavě mu stále přetrvávají některé obrazy z ní utkvělé a povědomí o pocitech, jež v jejím rámci prožíval. Přesto se však pro čtenářstvo pokusíme v krátkosti průběh Headbangeru zrekonstruovat.

Představení začíná několikaminutovým úvodem spočívajícím v poslechu hlasitých a táhlých zvuků. Místy připomínají vazbení mikrofonu, jindy mají blízko k chraplavě hrdelnímu zpěvu. Coby intenzivní plochy se opírají do těl přihlížejících, prostupují jimi. Elektroniku, která dané zvuky generuje, obsluhuje na podiu toho času jediný z performerů, a sice Matyáš Dlab. Ten mimochodem není pouze autorem hudby, ale rovněž má na svědomí dramaturgii performance. Trup mu halí chundelatá bunda a hlavu kryje paruka se špičatými rohy, obojí sytě oranžové, přičemž za jeho zády se tyčí obdélníkové plátno, skrze něž prosvítá rovněž oranžová záře. Ostatně, celé podium je takto monochromní, tedy zahalené v háv barvy zralého pomeranče. Platí to i pro objekty, jež se na něm nacházejí: bicí soupravu, kytarová komba téže barvy s příhodným nápisem Orange, přičemž obdobným zabarvením se skví i několikametrové molo, které ze stage ční až kamsi za půlku sálu. Po náhlém utichnutí dlouhých tónů k mikrofonu přichází další z performerů – oděn taktéž v oranžovém kostýmu, který sestává mj. z PET lhaví oranžády Fanta. Rozechvělým a nejistým hlasem se snaží akci uvést: „Sál komunitního centra Sibiř býval kino, ale asi nám je všem jasné, že dnes nebudeme koukat na filmy, budeme poslouchat muziku… Ne tak ledajakou muziku, ale experimentální a okrajovou...“ Umně hranou trapnost jeho projevu, kterému dominují neustálé zámlky a naoko vystresované těkání očima po sále, jen podtrhává fakt, že je postupně narušován jak zásahy hlasité hudby, tak pomalým příchodem další performerky. Ta na hovořícího upíná děsivě prázdný pohled, tlačí se na něj a zasahuje mu tak do osobního prostoru, čímž zvyšuje pocit jeho diskomfortu. Mimochodem, maska s dlouhými a načesanými chlupy, kterou má na sobě, připomíná tu, jež skrývala tvář zpěváka obskurní estonské kapely Winny Puhh během neúspěšného (ačkoli působivě běsnivého) pokusu probojovat se roku 2013 do soutěže Eurovize.[6]

foto Denisa Römerová

 Velmi virulentní forma nakažlivého násilí

Co se východiska tvůrčího týmu této performance týče, její režisérka a choreografka Lucia Repašská pravila, že Headbanger vychází z fascinace subkulturami odvislými od marginálních hudebních subžánrů. Jako příklad zmínila právě metal (konkrétně jeho death či heavy varianty), v němž se dle jejích slov operuje s „radikálním gestem, exponovaným násilím, temnotou a zlem“. Při hledání této čtveřice atributů se pak metal zdá být skutečně vhodným nalezištěm. Tento žánr totiž jak démonizací ze strany některých médií, tak několika proslulými excesy jako bylo např. pálení kostelů a vraždy na norské blackmetalové scéně počátku devadesátých let či nechvalně známý Woodstock '99 v čele s k agresi podněcujícími nu-metalisty Limp Bizkit, bezpochyby disponuje konotacemi i výrazovými prostředky se schopností upomínat právě na onu „temnotu a zlo“. Tvůrčí tým Headbangeru pak usiloval tyto metalové prvky opatřit jakýmsi terapeutickým nábojem, tedy se, slovy Repašské, skrze „tvrdost dostat k jemnosti, pomocí arogance a násilí dosáhnout očisty“.

Kunsthistorik Josef Vojvodík píše, že na násilí lze nahlížet jako na „specifickou formu kolektivní ‚nákazy', jako — za určitých okolností velmi virulentní — formu ‚nakažlivého' násilí.“[8] Je ovšem možné se v rámci Headbangeru nakazit virem násilí a zla, jehož symptomem se stane kolektivní a (arte)terapeutické a očistné osvobození třeba od tlaku, frustrace atd.? Takováto tendence docílit vášnivostí či agresivitou určité purifikace, očištění, pochopitelně upomíná na některé koncepce z oblasti performativního umění předešlého století, a to například divadlo krutosti Antonina Artauda či divadlo orgií a mysterií vídeňského akcionisty Hermanna Nitsche. Mimochodem, vzpomeňme v tomto kontextu i samozvaného mstitele a anonyma Lorda Hoven, který ve svém manifestu ustavil pojem „déro“, jímž se snažil uchopit poznání podstaty soudobého světa skrze konfrontaci subjektu se znechucujícími objekty jako např. lidskými výkaly. Aby však nedošlo k pomýlení, Headbanger pro tuto volbu spřízněnou se dvěma výše zmíněnými koncepcemi rozhodně není zpátečnický.  Na způsob principu apropriace, přisvojení, s odstupem nahlíží do stávajícího kulturního pole, přičemž se zde nalezené prvky nepokouší zkrátka jen nekriticky přesadit do nového kontextu, nýbrž si je vypůjčit primárně se zřetelem k jejich funkci expresivní, nikoli tak symbolické či významové.

foto Denisa Römerová

Svoboda dělat chyby

foto Denisa Römerová

Zmiňme v tomto kontextu nyní filozofy Bernharda Waldenfelse a Jean-Luca Nancyho, neboť knihu prvního zmíněného Znepokojivá zkušenost cizího a knižně vydanou esej Vetřelec druhého autora spojuje podobné zjištění: že cizí a vlastní, sourodé a cizorodé, normální a nenormální se nezřídka nachází v poměrně těsném sepětí.  A ve shodě s tím nelze říci, že by tvůrčí tým Headbangeru prostě jen převzal prvky v metalové subkultuře normální a přeměnil je na nenormální, zvláštní. Jinými slovy, že by je svou divokou performancí dohnal do roviny ab absurdum a procesem zparodování z nich vytvořil směšnou karikaturu sebe samých. Jako by si naopak tvůrci byli vědomi, že již v oné metalové subkultuře samotné lze vysledovat věci poněkud roztodivné, pro její členstvo možná zcela normální a běžné, ovšem vnější pozorovatel by se nad nimi nejspíš udiveně pozastavil. Vzpomeňme třeba již zmíněné úvodní slovo k Headbangeru, kdy se jeden z performerů nejistým hlasem pokouší akci v několika větách představit, což mu znesnadňuje vlastní (performovaný) stud. Velmi přesně to připomíná některé rozpačité a stydlivě pronášené promluvy zaznívající před metalovými koncerty z úst účinkujících, jež jdou do protikladu s jejich drsnou vizáží a často brutálními texty skladeb. Tento úvod k Headbangeru tedy není ani tak parodií reality – realita sama je parodie. Nedokonalé dvojče nejen platonského světa idejí, ale rovněž všech zkrášlujících hudebních videoklipů, v nichž zpravidla není pro rozpačitost a trapnost místo. Citlivou legraci si z této neideální reality metalového koncertu, kterou se hudebníci snaží nezřídka překrýt zjemňujícím, zdokonalujícím, a tím pádem poněkud lživým závojem fikce, dělá také například Iva Hadj Moussa v knize Těžké duše. Když zde stárnoucímu bubeníkovi metalové kapely jeho spoluhráči navrhnou, aby začal nosit na koncerty plenu, jelikož nevydrží hrát devadesát minut v kuse, aniž by šel alespoň jednou na záchod, přijme tento nápad s povděkem. Zabije tím totiž dvě mouchy jednou ranou – nebude muset ani odbíhat na WC, ani nosit vycpávku rozkroku.

Při přemýšlení nad tímto aspektem Headbangeru spojeným s demaskováním nenormálního jako normálního jsem si možná překvapivě vzpomněl ještě na jednu knihu, a sice prózu S večerem přichází tíseň, jejímž autorem je Marieke Lucas Rijneveld. Ten na jejích stranách v kontrastu s veškerými přikrášlujícími a zjednodušujícími knihami určenými pro děti líčí dětství komplexněji a až nepříjemně realisticky. Činí tak totiž bez příkras a se vším všudy. S důrazem na tělesnost, která je pro dítě vlivem jak častých změn vlastního rostoucího těla, tak kvůli jeho disciplinaci ze strany okolí, neustále aktuální téma, a s veškerou dětství rovněž vlastní divností, tedy zvláštními fantaziemi, pro dospělé okolí zcela nesrozumitelnými hrami atd. A tvůrčí tým Headbangeru jako by činil cosi analogického. Metalový koncert v jeho provedení obsahuje i kiksy, nedokonalosti, zaškobrtnutí – jako když například jeden z performerů v průběhu akce leze nahoru ke světlům a dloubá do nich tyčí, protože předstírá, že se je jal opravovat. Taktéž se vší zpocenou a imperfektní tělesností – v samotném závěru performance si ze sebe poslední přeživší headbangující aktérka tílkovým crop topem ostentativně setře pot a následně tento potem promáčený kus oblečení hodí do publika. K tomu závěrem dodejme, že Repašská Headbanger charakterizuje těmito trefnými a krásnými slovy: „je to tanec ne-tanečníků, koncert ne-hudebníků. Hudba, již tvoří lidé, kteří k ní mají blízko, ale nejsou profesionály. Je to zvláštní oslava lidskosti ve smyslu, že je to anti-virtuózní dílo, které si klade za cíl jedině to, aby oslovilo diváka přímou brutálně otevřenou energií, kde chyba a svoboda jsou jednou z nejhlavnějších nosných myšlenek.“

(c) Kryštof Kočtář

[1] Richard Hebdige, Subkultura a styl. Praha: Dauphin – Volvox Globator 2012, s. 139.

[2] Citováno ze skladby „Rapor Satan“ z alba Masturbate in Praise of Black Satan (1992).

[3] Ladislav Klíma, Utrpení knížete Sternenhocha. Praha: Městská knihovna v Praze 2011, s. 35.

[4] Tamtéž, s. 35-36.

[5] Michail Michajlovič Bachtin, François Rabelais a lidová kultura středověku a renesance. Praha: Argo 2007, s. 24–36.

[6] K tomu viz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dllo85ZSUk&ab_channel=EestiRahvusringh%C3%A4%C3%A4ling [Vid. 27. 6. 2024].

[7] Citováno z: https://www.zdeneklorenz.cz/index.php/muzikant/ [Vid. 28. 6. 2024].

[8] Josef Vojvodík — Jan Wiendl, „‚Krev k hrdlu stoupá, s mým se mísí slovem': lidské mimo lidskost a poetika nesnesitelného: K válečné poezii Jana Zahradníčka“. Slovo a smysl 24, č. 25, 2016, s. 38.

[9] Citováno z: Perverzní průvodce ideologií (The Pervert's Guide to Ideology, r. Sophie Fiennes, 2012).

[10] Miloslav Topinka, Krysí hnízdo. Praha: Mladá fronta 1991, s. 39.

[11] Tamtéž, s. 38.

[12] Gilles Deleuze – Félix Guattari, Kafka: za menšinovou literaturu. Praha: Herrmann & synové 2001, s. 12.

ZDROJ: PODHOUBI.COM

[ghnosis]

something something horror audience 🤝 metal audience. metal songs in marketing for horror films. Fabbri, genre, Hebdige, Moore, authenticity, whatever. horror gays 🤝 metal gays

[mobs-masses-crowds-collectives]

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Andrew Apter, "Herskovits's Heritage: Rethinking Syncretism in the African Diaspora," in Diaspora (1991)

Bill Buford, Among the Thugs (1980)

Barbara Ehrenreich, Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy (2006)

Paul Gilroy, The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness (1993)

Ivelaw Griffith, The Political Economy of Drugs in the Caribbean (2003)

Dick Hebdige, Subculture: The Meaning of Style (1979)

---. Cut ‘n Mix: Culture, Identity, and Caribbean Music (1987)

Ben Jones, The Working Class in Mid-Twentieth-Century England: Community, Identity, and Social Memory (2012)

---. "Casual Culture and Football Hooligan Autobiographies: Popular Memory, Working-Class Men and Racialised Masculinities in Deindustrializing Britain, 1970s-1990s" (2024)

---. "Football Casuals, Fanzines, and Acid House: Working Class Subcultures, Emotional Communities, and Popular Individualism in 1980s and 1990s England" (2023)

Joel T. Jordan, Searching for the Perfect Beat: Flyer Designs of the American Rave Scene (2003)

Alesso Kolioulis, "Borderlands: Dub Techno's Hauntological Politics of Acoustic Ecology" (2015)

Joshua Landy and Michael Saler, The Reenchantment of the World: Secular Magic in a Rational Age (2009)

Louis Meintjes, Sound of Africa (2003)

Simon Reynolds, Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture (1998)

R. Murry Schaefer, The Soundscape: Our Changing Environment and the Tuning of the World (1994)

Elliott Schwartz, Electronic Music: A Listener's Guide (1973)

Harry Shapiro, Waiting for the Man: The Story of Drugs and Popular Music (2003)

Michael Veal, Dub: Soundscapes & Shattered Songs in Jamaican Reggae (2007)

Paul Willis, Learning to Labour: How Working-Class Kids Get Working-Class Jobs (1977)

[cult-ured-creat-ure]

Subcultures in Design: Understanding, Impact, and Responsibility

Introduction 

A subculture is understood as a homologous group unified by interests, beliefs, and identities, racial, ethnic, and sexual, that oppose identities or beliefs that are not represented in the mainstream consciousness. The sub prefix within the term subculture connotates subcultures as being other or on the outskirts of society. Barker characterises subcultures as a 'whole way of life' or 'maps of meaning' that make the world intelligible to its members. (2004) Barker's definition highlights the importance of subcultures as they function as a means for the oppressed and social deviants to find value, meaning, and purpose within a society that does not represent, value or acknowledge them. This essay intends to convince the reader about the importance of subcultures when identifying and solving a design problem and will advocate for designers to foster an understanding of subcultures. It will also highlight the benefits of being knowledgeable about subcultures since many designers often become overly fixated on mainstream trends, neglecting ideas and those outside the mainstream. The essay will emphasise the significance of subcultures as a design context worth exploring, highlighting their role within mainstream culture. It will also argue for the relevance of subcultures in the digital age. Furthermore, it will address the responsibility of designers in appropriating subcultures and the potential harm such appropriation may cause. Engaging in this discourse is hoped that readers will recognise the essential role of understanding subcultures in the design process.

Understanding Design Problems and the Role of Subcultures 

A design problem will be defined as an issue or challenge addressed through a creative solution and the application of innovative design thinking. Design thinking can be expressed through various design principles, hence the relevance of designers. However, in problem-solving, identification is essential; you can only expect to solve a problem without fully understanding it. Understanding involves researching and dissecting the origins of the problem and the social or economic structures that allow for the problem to continue to exist; essentially, understanding and solving a design problem requires not only technical skill and ability as a designer but also a deep understanding of sociology and how people operate.

"When crafting a solution, it isit's essential to consider the audience, as they will either be affected by the identified problem or vital within the solution. Regardless of the problem, the audience always determines the effectiveness of the proposed solution, and their reception ultimately dictates its impact. Therefore, understanding people is crucial to design. However, people are not homogenous; their tastes, desires, opinions, and interests vary widely. Hence, it is essential to understand subcultures in a design context.

Continuing to design solely for the mainstream may limit the innovation and meaningfulness of designs. Designing for a mass audience can lead to creating overly familiar and palatable designs reliant on tropes, trends, and messages already prevalent in the zeitgeist. Consequently, the message may not resonate strongly with the audience since it is already part of the collective consciousness.

As Hebdige suggests, subcultures represent 'noise,' signifying their disruptive potential within the mainstream. (2002)  Understanding the disruptive qualities of subcultures enables designers to craft more impactful messages. Subcultures have been proven to be disruptive, although Clark states that the death of punk resulted in the death of subcultures as a force capable of disruption. He emphasises the ability of 'classical' subcultures to profoundly change social norms and provoke shock and dismay as they defied prescribed boundaries of class, gender, and ethnicity. 

Their disruptive qualities are contended by their ability "to transgress the laws of 'man's second nature'. By repositioning and recontextualising commodities, by subverting their conventional uses and inventing new ones" (Hebdige, 2002). Subcultures were disruptive because they challenged mass culture and the meaning of items and symbols prescribed by the cultural industry. Inventing systems and practices removed from their original cultural context as a form of protest. Subcultures demonstrate that codes are "there to be used and abused" (Hebdige, 2002), deliberately disrupting our understanding of semiotics by creating an environment where permanently sacred signifiers (icons) are absent. As a graphic designer, understanding subcultures is crucial, as they provide a framework within which new meanings for virtually anything can be crafted at any given moment. Being aware of and utilising these messages can either enhance or detract from the intended message as a designer.

The Decline of Subcultures in Contemporary Society: Factors and Implications

As mentioned earlier, subcultures are perceived to be dead, or at least the creation of new subcultures has severely stagnated compared to the past, which was abundant with various subcultures such as goth, hippie, and punk. Whereas currently it is difficult to pinpoint an exact subculture equivalent in magnitude and social impact to past subcultures. The reason for stagnation can be attributed to various aspects that tie back to commodification, the cultural industry, technological advancements, and post-modern ideologies.

The cultural industry has played a significant role in diminishing the impact of subcultures by commodifying them and portraying them as mere phases of adolescence or teenagehood, which individuals would eventually outgrow, returning to their predetermined roles in mainstream society as adults (Clark, 2003). This perception has led to subcultures being viewed less as agents advocating for change and more as components of youth rebellion, transition phases that individuals would eventually move beyond. Furthermore, subcultures have frequently become targets for commodification by the cultural industry, resulting in them being caricatured and exploited to the point of exhaustion.

As Clark describes, the relationship between subculture and the culture industry is complex: "subculture is both a discourse that remains a meaningful tool for many individuals and, simultaneously, a pawn of the culture industry." (2003). When a new subculture emerges, introducing fresh trends and generating novel aesthetics and sounds, it attracts the attention of the cultural industry. However, once commodified, these subcultures become "frozen," stripped of their original contexts and transformed into public property and profitable merchandise by small entrepreneurs and major fashion brands. (Hebdige, 2002)  Their accessibility ultimately leads them to become absorbed into mass culture and the mainstream, undermining the original intentions behind their inception and contributing to their eventual demise.

With the advent of social media, we are collectively inauthentic within our social media platforms. The nature of social media is inherently performative as you can stage a photo and carefully choose what image you will post. It is easy to craft and curate a personality on social media that differs significantly from who you are in real life. As Baddeley highlights, subcultures highly value authenticity and often disdain posers who attempt to buy a particular look or lifestyle (2015). The effectiveness of subcultures of the past lies in their authenticity and uniformity, which is not present within contemporary society. Contrary to popular belief, each subculture in the past exhibited a high degree of internal orderliness (Hebdige, 2002). And despite being within a time in which we are so easily connected as a society, the rapid pace and lack of consistency inherent in the Internet hinder the development of genuine subcultures with defined rules and structures.' However, Kahn and Kellner argue that the Internet provides a platform for various groups to promote their causes outside of traditional media and societal norms. It can facilitate the construction of diverse identities and communication practices, fostering the development of non-mainstream communities. (2004)  Nonetheless, I believe that the Internet's speed and viral nature lead to quick and almost instant commodification and the subsequent death of emerging subcultures during their infancy. This may be one of the reasons why there are no new contemporary subcultures or at least a distinct visual language or style associated with a contemporary subculture. We live in an era where clothing and fashion consumption moves at breakneck speed, with trends fleeting and ephemeral; when considering style and fashion as indicators of contemporary subcultures, much of what the youth wear and trend borders on nostalgia, resurgences and reimaginations of previous subcultures and styles. There is a notable absence of political messaging in the clothing people wear online; instead, there is merely an aesthetic obsession with clothing and eras, often romanticising previous periods. This trend underscores the shallow nature of contemporary society, characterised by fragmentation and an apparent inability of the Internet to foster genuine subcultures.

I share a similar perspective with Gelder regarding the role of the Internet in fostering communities rather than subcultures. Gelder suggests that "one of the key functions of cyberspace is to encourage the development of 'virtual communities', which bring with them 'the general development of contacts and interactions of all kinds'" (Gelder, 2007). Gelder distinguishes between subcultures and communities, asserting that individuals must engage with the Internet in unconventional ways for a subculture to thrive online. Given the vast and fragmented nature of the Internet, tracking subcultures becomes challenging. This does not imply their non-existence but indicates the difficulty in monitoring them within this context.

Designers are integral members of the cultural industry and play a significant role within it. We are responsible for creating visuals, fashion, and even the spaces utilised by the cultural industry, which may either discredit or amplify the messages of subcultures. Designers are essential in the appropriation and commodification of subcultural styles. We actively shape the portrayal and representation of these groups, thereby possessing the power to reduce subcultures into stereotypes or provide them with a platform for representation and visibility. Thus, considering subcultures is crucial in fulfilling our social responsibility as designers.

Regardless of the state of subcultures, whether perceived as dead or still evolving, individuals continue to practice classical subcultures and uphold their original messages despite commodification and accessibility. As designers, we can honour the initial essence and phase of any subculture or compromise our integrity by appropriating it and promoting diluted versions of it.  

In the field of design, the solution must resonate with the audience aesthetically. This necessitates using relevant imagery that captivates the attention and interest of the targeted subculture. Furthermore, the design solution must be easily understandable to the audience, requiring the utilisation of language, coding, and symbols that align with the intended audience's values and preferences, which all relate to subcultures and semiotics. Given the resurgence of interest in classical subcultures like hippie and punk, there exists an opportunity for meaningful engagement with subcultures through nostalgic elements and revitalising the original protest messages. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, subcultures serve as homologous groups unified by shared interests, beliefs, and identities, often opposing mainstream consciousness. Despite debates surrounding their vitality, subcultures remain relevant, with individuals continuing to uphold their original messages amidst commodification and accessibility. As designers, we face a pivotal choice: to honour the authentic essence of subcultures or to dilute and appropriate them for mainstream consumption. When crafting design solutions, it has been proven essential to consider the aesthetic preferences and language of the targeted audience. Understanding their beliefs, backgrounds, and contexts is essential to creating effective and memorable designs. In the current landscape, where nostalgia often dominates, there is an opportunity for designers to revive and amplify the original protest messages of classical subcultures, fostering meaningful engagement and challenging societal norms. 

Moreover, designers play a crucial role within the cultural industry, shaping the portrayal and representation of subcultures. We must recognise our responsibility to either amplify or undermine the voices of marginalised groups through our work.  

In our current landscape, where nostalgia in itself is a trend, designers have the opportunity to rejuvenate and amplify the authentic protest narratives of classical subcultures, fostering meaningful engagement and challenging societal norms. Furthermore, designers wield significant influence within the cultural industry, shaping the representation of subcultures. It is essential for us to acknowledge our role in either amplifying or marginalising the voices of marginalised groups through our work.

By advocating for designers to cultivate a deep understanding of subcultures, this essay highlights the importance of broadening design perspectives beyond mainstream trends. It underscores the advantages of being well-versed in subcultures, as many designers often become overly fixated on trends, overlooking unconventional ideas and individuals. Through a nuanced understanding of subcultures and semiotics, designers can develop design solutions that not only captivate aesthetically but also convey meaningful messages that enrich and empower the communities they serve.

Moreover, the essay prompts critical reflection and responsible design practice by acknowledging the ethical implications of appropriating subcultures and the potential harm they may inflict. It is hoped that readers will recognise the indispensable role of understanding subcultures in the design process and the broader cultural landscape. By embracing diversity, challenging conventions, and amplifying marginalised voices, designers can create more inclusive and impactful design solutions that resonate deeply with audiences and contribute to positive societal change.

[textlab]

기호 위의 기호:

재가입, 재구성, 재생산으로서 팝

Soziale Systeme 10 (2004), Heft 2, S. 292-324 © Lucius & Lucius, Stuttgart

Eckhard Schumacher

번역 – 조은하, 박상우

요약: 팝 문화에 대한 논고에서, Fuchs/Heidingsfelder는 불복종, 전복 이론과 거리를 두었을 뿐만 아니라, 시스템 이론적 관점에서 팝 현상을 검토하면서 성과 있을 수 있는 다른 기존의 접근들을 간과하고 있다. 이 코멘트에서는 세 가지 문제를 제기하고자 하는데, 이는 이들의 이론 틀에 대한 보완을 가능하게 할 거이다. 이 주제들은 1. 팝의 맥락 안에서 관찰 가능한 기호의 개념과 재가입의 과정, 2. 진보적 도발이 ���니라 재구성의 원리에 초점을 맞춘 역사적 모델, 3. 미디어의 성향과 담론적 관례들에 의존하는 특정한 음악과 기술의 연결로 록앤롤(그리고 팝)의 이해하는 것이다.

몇 년 동안, “팝”을 통해 언급되는 것에 대한 논의는 다루기 쉬운 가정들의 집합 주위를 돌고 있었다. Peter Fuchs와 Markus Heidingsfelder 역시 그들 개괄의 출발점에 그것들을 놓았다. 한 편으로 팝은 정의하기 어렵고, 개념적 범주를 회피한다는 점이 강조된다. 다른 한 편, 팝은 거의 모든 곳에서 스스로를 주장할 뿐만 아니라, 거의 어떤 것이라도 팝이 될 수 있고, 팝이 되기를 원한다는 점이 지적된다. 예술, 엔터테인먼트, 정치와 진단적으로 국가를 드러내는 기술로서 과학과 같은 보다 넓은 맥락에서 생생하고, 어느 정도 중복된 집합의 사례들을 통해 제시되는 이 두 가지 가정들은 밀접하게 연결되어 있다. 그리고 너무 밀접해서 지름길이 불가피하다. 한 편으로 개념적 애매함은 팝의 개념을 다루는 데서 불명료함에 대해 비난을 받는다. 다른 한 편, 거의 모든 것에 팝의 라벨을 붙일 수 있다는 관찰이, 특정한 현상을 차이화 해서 이해하기 위해 필요한 정확성이 부족한 개념이라는 증거로서 사용된다. 두 가정을 더욱 연결하게 하는 것은 다른 주장이다. 적어도 거의 모든 시기에 묵시적으로 정식화 되는 주장으로, 이 주장을 통해 팝의 개념에 역사적 지표가 부여된다. 각각의 상황을 다룰 때, 종종 쇠락의 내러티브 형식 속에 나타나는 이 주장은 마찬가지로 단순해 보이지만, 또한 마찬가지로 다른 언급된 가정들에 대해 근본적으로 보인다. 팝은 더 이상 예전의 그것이 아니라는 주장이다.

Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 그들의 이론 틀에서 거리를 두려고 했던 전복 이론의 맥락 안에서는, 이런 관점의 충분한 사례가 있다. 이는 대중적으로 알려진 출판물, 상세한 광신주의 혹은 자비로운 무지의 영역 안에서 팝 역사에 대한 공통된 기원 신화를 영속화 화는 텍스트들과 마찬가지다. Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 이런 배경에 맞서 언급된 가정들의 다양한 버전을 제시할 때, 주된 목적은, 어떤 다른, 개념적으로 더욱 정확하고 이론적으로 유지 가능한 팝이라는 현상에 대한 이해의 필요성을 강조하는 것이다. 그들은 “세계적으로 조작되는 사회 시스템”(320)이라 팝을 시스템 이론적으로 재정식화 할 수 있었을 뿐만 아니라, 미디어 그리고 문화 과학적 접근에 관계할 수 있었다. 그렇지만 기존의 팝 이론과 비교해서, 저자들이 “흐려진 추상”(292)이라 묘사한 것 이상의 어떤 것으로 관찰된 부정확함이나 일반화를 다룰 것이라는 기대는, 그들의 이론 틀 내에서 단지 ���분적으로만 충족될 뿐이다.

Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 불복종과 전복 모델에 맞서 정식화 했던 비판 지점들은, 단지 이 접근들에 대해 덜 비판적인 사람들에 의해서만 공유될 수 있다. 그렇지만 연구의 폭과 다양성을 생각한다면, 문화 연구와 이론적으로 정교한 팝 저널리즘의 맥락 안에서 이들 그리고 다른 접근에서 놀라울 정도로 차이를 두지 않고 거리를 둔다는 것을 이해하는 것은 도전적이다. 한 편에서, 다른 기존의 접근에서 거리두기는 Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 제시한 것만큼 언제나 중요하지는 않다. 다른 한 편, 그들의 거리두기 방식 역시 현상의 복잡성과 특정성을 포착하는데 도움이 될 수 있는 관찰 관점과 이론적 모델을 애매하게 한다. 

1. 재가입

영미권 문화 연구 안에서 팝에 대한 개입의 결정적 지점으로 저항과 전복이 응결되었던 강조점은 종종 다른 관점에서 팝 현상을 이론적으로 이해하는데 관계된 이론적 전제들을 쉽게 간과하게 만든다. 예를 들자면 일반적인 팝 이론에 대한 여전히 가장 영향력 있는 이론 틀로 이야기되는 1979년 서브컬쳐 연구에서 Dick Hebdige는, 문화 현상에 대한 분석에 있어 Barthes나 Eco의 작업들에 따라 정식화한 기호학적 접근들과 Althusser와 Gramsci에 의해 영향을 받은 마르크스주의를 결합했다. 그는 언어학으로부터 언어를 넘어서는 다른 담론 시스템으로 나아가는 방법의 적용이 문화 연구에 있어 완전히 새로운 가능성을 열 것이라 주장했다.(1997, 10) 이 주장은 슈퍼 이론인 기호학의 적용을 통해서 기대되는 이론적 시야의 확장을 강조할 뿐만 아니라, 팝 현상이 언어, 미디어, 혹은 담론적 맥락 안에 남아 있을 수 없다는 점을 지적했다. 팝 현상은, 단어 기반의 커뮤니케이션에 제한된 기호 개념을 통해서 적합하게 포착될 수 없는 미디어 네트워크와 미디어의 변화 과정에 의해 성격을 갖추게 된다.

이런 배경과 달리, Fuchs/Heidingsfelder (296) 처럼 팝 시스템을 팝 뮤직으로 제약하거나 “특정한 미디어”인 노래를 특성화 하는 것 모두 감축으로 나타나는데, 차이화에 있어서 이 감축의 이점은 제시된 개괄의 틀 안에서는 보이지 않는다. Fuchs/Heidingsfelder는 “일차적으로, 노래는 텍스트, 소위 ‘가사’를 통합한다”고 쓰는데, 이는 그들의 분석을 일차적으로 가사 속에서 관찰되는 정보 압축의 형식으로 제한하는 것이다. 또한 정보 전달 양식으로서 언어적 커뮤니케이션을 특권화 하는 것은, 적어도 묵시적으로 논의의 이어지는 단계들을 규정한다. “언어적 연쇄”에 부여된 “엄밀성과 구별”은 전제된 외침의 “막연함”과 병치된다. 거기서 Fuchs/Heidingsfelder는 더 이상 정보와 커뮤니케이션 사이의 구별이라는 개념을 통해 분석하는 것이 아니라, 단순하게 예술의 진화 과정의 반전의 지표를 통해 분석한다. “그래서 팝 에서는 외침이 감정의 진실, 육체, 그리고 모든 관계된 지각의 가능성을, 어떤 반성 이전에 대변한다.”(300f.)

그렇지만 Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 보여준 것처럼, 노래 가사는 정보 전달 기능으로 제한될 수 없고, 마찬가지로 외침은 “정보 압축” 혹은 “정보의 불특정��”(303)의 순간으로 한정될 수 없다. 비록 Hebdige에 의해 사례를 들었던 기호적 접근이 그런 고정화와 환원을 반드시 배제하는 것은 아님에도, 그런 접근의 확장된 기호 개념, 기호를 통한 커뮤니케이션, 그리고 존재하는 기호의 재기능화로서 팝을 개념하는 기호 개념은 여기서 관찰된 의미 작용 과정을 더 정확하게 이해할 수 있도록 해준다. 기호가 재코드화 되고 “비밀스러운” 의미를 담게 되고, 도발적 잠재성을 갖추게 되는 과정(Hebdige, 1997, 17f.)이, 동시에 다양한 층위에서 작동하고, 하나의 미디어에서 멈추지 않으며, 다양한 미디어 혹은 형식 사이의 관계를 통해 동작한다는 것은 더욱 자명하게 된다. Paul Morley와 함께 Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 주장했던 것처럼, “외침”은 사실 “말의 사용 없을 때조차 어떤 특정한 것”(300)을 커뮤니케이션할 수 있다. 그러나 그것이 반드시 문맥으로부터 독립적으로 결정될 수 있는 어떤 것을 “대표”하는 것은 아니다. 그것은 이야기를 말할 수도 있으며, “감정의 자연스러운 외침”을 지시하는 것이 아니라, 기술적 소란, 피드백이나 소음 등을 커뮤니케이션적으로 재코드화 하는 것을 통해서 고려할만한 수준까지 구성될 수 있는 미디어의 구성을 지시하는 파괴적 요소로 기능할 수도 있다. 서브컬쳐 형성과 관계된 그런 탈맥락화와 재가입의 전략들이 정치적 행위로 이해될 때, Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 거리를 두고자 했던 혼란이 빠르게 등장한다. 그렇지만 이런 경계 짓기를 통해서, 기호학적인 접근들이 Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 도발의 개념을 통해 포착하고자 하는 것을 정확하게 탐구하기 위한 차이화 된 도구를 제공한다는 사실이 간과된다. 그렇지만 이 재가입의 과정은 도발 양식에 제한되지 않는다. “의미 있는 차이의 커뮤니케이션” ((Hebdige, 1997, 102)

2. 재구성

분명한 차이를 제외한다면, 다른 면에서 눈에 띄는 동일성이 이들 접근들 사이에서 드러난다. Hebdige처럼 Fuchs/Heidingsfelder 역시 팝 이론의 이론 틀을 프로토타입의 특정 시점에 따라 조직된 팝 역사 모델에 기초해서 발전시킨다. Hebdige가 저항적인 팝 문화의 최고점으로 1970년대 후반 펑크 록을 제시했던 역사적 내러티브를 통해서 전복 테제를 실체화 했다면, Fuchs/Heidingsfelder 역시 자신들의 팝 역사의 개관에서 록앤롤을 출발점으로 삼는 특정한 역사적 배치에 따라 “도발의 연쇄”(310)로서 팝 역사를 해석했다. Fuchs/Heidingsfelder는 빅 밴드의 시대가 “시스템의 이륙”을 나타내는 것이라는 Nik Cohn의 분류에 따라, “모든 것이 부드럽고, 따뜻하고, 감상적이었던 pre-Pop의 시대”로부터 구별을 수행했고, 이런 결정의 직접적인 결과가 “록앤롤의 상속자인 ‘록’의 도발적 잠재성”은 “이제 완전히 스스로를 소진”했을 수도 있다는 가정인 것이다. (310)

시스템의 진화에 대한 경험적 출발점이자 종말점으로 기능하는, 이런 식의 경계들 안에서는, “도발의 연쇄”는 확실하게 이야기될 수 있다. 그렇지만, 만일 경계를 다르게 설정한다면, 역사는 다른 역사적 묘사, 다른 커뮤니케이션 조작을 통해 구성되어 다르게 이야기 될 수 있다는 것 역시 바로 분명하게 될 것이다. 20세기 초반 Swing과 Bebop 사이에 등장했던 상호 언급은, “pre-Pop의 시대”에도 모든 것이 반드시 “부드럽고, 따뜻하고, 감상적”이지는 않았다는 것을 보여줄 뿐만 아니라, 또한 차이화의 다른 척도들을 드러낸다. 이는 Thomas Meinecke의 소설 "Musik"의 등장 인물 Karol이 수행했던 팝-뮤직 연구에서 생생하고 복잡한 방식으로 제시되었다. 그는 20세기 대중 음악을 조사하고 분류하는데, “달콤함”과 “뜨거움”이라는 구별에 기반해 관찰될 수 있는 “재맥락화, 재코드화, 재가입”에 따라서 수행한다. (Meinecke, 2004, 353) 이를 통해 팝은 다른 역사적 배치 속에서 구성될 수 있다. 팝의 역사는 그래서 스스로를 소진하는 도발의 과정으로 나타나는 것이 아니라, 계속적으로 다시 포맷되고, 대치되고, 겹쳐지고 최소한의 차이에 의해 표시되는 지속적인 반복인 재강비의 과정에 대한 관점을 개방한다. Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 주장하듯, ”주식으로 계산한다는 것”이 예술의 가능한 종말의 기호로 읽힐 필요는 없다. “이제 끝났다. 록 신화와 주제들은 재구성되고 있다.” (310) 심지어 록앤롤의 초기 조차 언제나 팝을 형성했던 기존 패턴의 재구성의 다양한 변형으로 이해될 수 있을 것이다. Hebdige에게 록앤롤은 단지 “흑인 가스펠과 블루스”와 “백인 컨츄리와 웨스턴”을 뒤섞은 “완전히 새로운 형식”이었다. (1997, 49) 조금 다른 언급을 가지고, 이런 의미에서 Cohn은 록앤롤을 “두 가지 전통, 흑인의 R&B와 백인의 낭만적 웅크림, 화려한 비트와 백인 정서의 혼합”이라 기술했다. (1989, 54)

이런 관저에서 팝 문화는 스스로를 도발의 진화로 형성하기 보다는 기존의 형식과 구조를 흡수하고, 그것들을 수행하고 더욱 발전시키는 지속적인 재활용의 원리를 통해서 형성했다. 이런 의미에서 1960년대 팝 아트 운동과 마찬가지로 (cf. Lippard, 1968), 팝은 기호와 기호 시스템을 통해서 인식 가능한 하나의 예술로 나타난다.

3. 재생산

Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 “일반적인 팝 존재론”(304)과 자신들의 이론 틀 사이에 거리를 두려 했다는 것은 분명하다. 그렇지만, 그들의 기획이 이런 맥락에서 선호된 강조점을 고수하기 때문에, 분명한 구별 짓기와 함께 또한 수렴을 향한 운동도 존재한다. “비-자의적 초점”으로 육체를 규정하고, “록앤롤의 비트”를 통해서 음악은 결과적으로 “생명 그 자체”가 된다(313ff.)는 뒤 이은 가정은 이런 방향을 보여준다. 이는 “실체화”에 대한 주장에 대한 더 많은 사례들이나 라이브 공연의 기능에 대한 이어지는 언급에 있어서도 마찬가지로 사실이다. 이런 관점에서, 커뮤니케이션을 “실재…뛰고 구르는 것”으로 “애매하지 않게” 번역하는 것을 고려한다는 점에서, 미디어 이론과 미디어 역사로부터의 연구들을 통해 시스템 이론적 경험을 보완하는 것은 의미 있어 보인다.

최근에는 대중 음악의 이전 모든 형식과 다른 록앤롤의 도래와 함께, 음악과 기술의 관계가 관심의 전면에 등장하게 되었다는 사고에 대해서는 반복적으로 강조되어왔다. “록의 도래와 함께… 중요한 것은 노래가 아니다. 록에서 기억해야 할 것은, 음악과 기술의 특��한 실체, 특별한 방식으로 이를 함께 담는 것, 그리고 레코드에서 무한히 반복되고, 오직 레코드 위에서만 가능하다는 것이다.” (cf. Gracyk, 1996, 37f.) 1930년대, 40년대 재즈나 포크 뮤직의 녹음은 기본적으로 라이브 공연 음악을 보존하거나 혹은 재생산하는 기능이었다면, 록앤롤은 기본적으로 녹음 스튜디오에서 기원한다. 단지 레코드만이 라이브 공연에 대한 수요를 만들어 낸다. 공연은 레코드의 기준과 일치하는 것이고, 레코드를 통해 알게 된 것을 재생산할 때 특히 성공적이다. 그래서 그것은 소급하여 인증한다. (cf. Auslander, 1999, 62ff.) 록앤롤 노래가 구성되는 기술과 음악의 엮임은 적어도 이중 기능이 속하는 현전의 형식과 마주한다. Fuchs/Heidingsfelder가 쓴 것처럼, 그것은 “명시적으로 성적, 육체적 수사”를 전개하는 것으로 사용될 수 있다. 거기서 육체는 예를 들어 팝이 가능한 “현전의 경험”을 위한 기호가 될 수 있다. (307, 317) “일반적 팝 존재론”들 조차도 확실히 이런 해석에는 동의할 것이다. 동시에 라이브 공연은 또한, 동일성 효과, 일탈 혹은 파열을 통해 진정성, 가치 그리고 높은 질을 승인하기 위해, 현전의 다른 형식, 특히 록앤롤의 경우에는 레코드에 대한 지시 기능 역할을 할 수 있다. 레코드/라이브 공연으로 여기서 개괄한 사례로만 한정할 수 없는, 미디어의 배치와 역사적으로 특정한 표현 형식들 사이의 그런 뒤얽힘 속에서만, 록앤롤, 더 넓게는 팝이라는 개념으로 지시된 것은 구성될 수 있다.

엄밀하게 정의된 개념들을 그리고 명백한 기능적 과제들을 정립하는 것의 어려움은 적어도 그런 복잡성에 기인한다. 추가적으로 팝 컬쳐는 단지 기구-매개적 규정을 통해서만이 아니라, 본질적 결정의 불가능성이 주어진다면, 조응하는 담론적 위치에 의존해 형성된다. 1950년대 이후 관찰되는 정의와 개념들에 대한 논쟁은 이런 관점에서 수반되는 현상일 뿐만 아니라, 팝 컬쳐의 일부분이다. 미디어 이론적 혹은 미학적 관점에서 팝을 포착하려 시도하는 접근들은 그래서, Richard Meitzer가 Frank Sinatra를 “팝 씬의 선두 주자”이자 “록 슈퍼스타”로 특별하게 재규정을 하려는 데서 보였던 것처럼, 사회학적인 방향의 이론들과 마찬가지의 어려움에 직면했다. (1970, 270) 록을 사전에 지배하는 형식으로 고려하는 역사적 배치 속에서는, Meitzer가 쓴 것처럼 궁극적으로 “모든 것은… 록으로 맥락화 가능하다.”

Literatur

Auslander, Philip (1999): Liveness. Performance in a Mediatized Culture. London/New York: Routledge.

Cohn, Nik (1989): Ball the Wall. Nik Cohn in the Age of Rock. London: Picador/Pan Books.

Gracyk, Theodore (1996): Rhythm and Noise. An Aesthetics of Rock. Durham/London: Duke UP.

Hebdige, Dick (1997 [1979]): Subculture. The Meaning of Style. London/New York: Routledge.

Lippard, Lucy R. (Hrsg.) (1968): Pop Art. München/Zürich: Droemer Knaur.

Meinecke, Thomas (2004): Musik. Frankfurt a.M.: Suhrkamp.

Meitzer, Richard (1970): The Aesthetics of Rock. NewYork: Something Else Press.

Dr. Eckhard Schumacher

Kulturwissenschaftliches Forschungskolleg >Medien und kulturelle Kommunikation

Universität zu Köln, Bernhard-Feilchenfeld-Str. 11, D-50969 Köln

e.schumacher@uni-koeln.de