Iconography of the U.S.: Journal Assignment 10

Find

an icon of the U.S. (much like the Donald Duck example in the text) that is
imposed upon other cultures in an attempt to persuade or gain favor or to
achieve business purposes (another example is EuroDisney). Using this icon,
answer the following questions:

A. What is the icon?

Barack Obama

B. How did it become iconic in the U.S.?

He became iconic in the U.S. through his rise to presidency, and the seemingly grassroots support he received.

C. How is it employed outside of the U.S.?

The icon of Barack Obama has been employed outside of the U.S. as a signifier of our cultural diversity and our foreign relations, as is visible in many east-African nations that have taken pride in his presidency.

D. Was the cultural response to this usage positive
or negative? Was the U.S. response to this usage positive or negative? Why or
why not?

The cultural response to this usage was more positive than negative, as the unintended iconography promoted more positive associations with the U.S. in African nations than negative. The U.S. response to this usage was a mix, inspiring some and causing frustration at others who wanted the issues, and not the skin color of the candidates, to determine their presidency.

E. What might have been a more culturally relative
icon to use in place of the U.S. icon? Why?

A more cultural relevant icon to use in place of the U.S. icons in these images would be significant African leaders who were making a difference in their own nations. To borrow the image of an American president, assuming that the American nation is the best (true as they may or may not be), does very little to help the populations of east-African nations.

Pastiche: Journal Assignment 9

Exercise 1

Find an example of pastiche in music, film, TV, or art. Using this example, answer the following questions:

Kill Bill, Volume I

A. How is this pastiche a reworking of the past?

This pastiche is a reworking of the past in that it directly imitates and references a broad history of film-making, specifically that of violent films.

B. Is this pastiche only or pastiche with parody? How?

This is a pastiche with parody, exaggerating the dramatic nature of the films it references to poke fun at how they take themselves so seriously, even though the majority of them verge on being over the top.

C. How is this work a questioning of the status of the original?

This work is a questioning of the status of the original (for example, Bruce Lee’s unfinished Game of Death) in its position as an “original” piece of work. No longer can anything be seen as a significant original work, but only as a variation of a disembodied theme.

D. If possible, attach the example to your work or include a citation so that it can be accessed by the instructor.

Everything is a Remix Part 2 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.

Exercise 2

Visit
http://graphjam.com/, which allows users to create graphs that depend on knowledge of popular culture.

Answer the following questions:

A. How is this pastiche (the individual graphs and the whole site) a reworking of the past?

This pastiche is a reworking of the past in that it has taken the historically scientific and educational motif of graphs and has used it to create a mash-up of memes that are themselves references to the reappropriate past.

B. Is this pastiche only or pastiche with parody? How?

This appears to be only pastiche, as there seems to be no intent of critiquing or commenting on the things which are being reappropriated; it is simply reappropriation for reappropriation’s sake.

C. How is this work a questioning of the status of the original?

While this work does not seem to be an intentional questioning of the status of the original, it does inevitably reframe the concept of data visualization as a thing that is not only used for what was typically considered valuable information, but as simply a way to visualize anything. The connotations of data visualizations as credible sources is thereby removed.

D. Include a link or printout of the graphs you chose to examine and attach to your work.

http://graphjam.memebase.com/2012/04/04/funny-graphs-its-as-bad-as-it-looks/

http://graphjam.memebase.com/2012/04/04/funny-graphs-the-outernet/

graphjam.memebase.com/2012/04/04/funny-graphs-seriously-stop/

The Politics of Images: Journal Assignment 4

How Art Made the World, Answer the questions from the documentary

1. Art was used as a political tool in ancient times as a way to spread knowledge about political figures, as well as communicate certain attributes about them, such as the Greek and Roman currency with the portrait of the ruler engraved on it. In current day politics it is used in the same way, but using greater advances in technology, such as the reelection campaign for George Bush, in which the slightly-raised platform was thoughtfully used to communicate his relationship to the people.

Self-Portrait

1. Take a self-portrait photo.

2. Then, create a self-portrait using signs, shapes, and forms which describe you as a person, using one page. You can use design software (such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop) or draw by hand.

3. Write a one-page explanation of the two, answering the following questions

1. How does your empirical representation (the photo) differs from your rational and/or symbolic representation (the signs)?

My empirical representation differs from my symbolic representation in that it only communicates a somewhat comical seriousness.  The image communicates the very limited aspect of personality and stylistic preferences, but perhaps for that it appeals to a significant number of a people’s interest. The symbolic representation, including a pen and an exacto knife, communicates two of my major interests—writing and design—and a level of craft.

2. Are there any areas of intersection?

The areas of intersection were in the tone that either image communicated. Both are somewhat playful, as well as very composed or contrived.

3. Why did you choose the symbols you did?

I chose the symbols that I did because they communicate two of my major interests—writing and design.

4. What in your photo describes you symbolically or rationally?

What describes me symbolically or rationally in my photo includes the expression on my face as well as my posture and clothing, which together communicate a tongue-in-cheek seriousness.

Media Tracking: Journal Assignment 3

MEDIA TRACKING ASSIGNMENT

Tuesday, January 31
6:00
7:00
8:00
9:00
Texting: 9:01–9:02
Email: 9:09–9:20
Texting: 9:13–9:14
Pandora: 9:22–9:37
Texting: 9:25–9:26
Research on Web: 9:28–9:36
Texting: 9:52–9:54
Research on Web: 9:55–10:20

10:00
State-of-the-art Multi-media Presentation: 10:00–10:45
Infectious Jack Johnson Music: 10:45–11:00

11:00
Infectious Instrumental Music: 11:00–11:10
Work-related email: 11:30–12:00

12:00
1:00
Work-related email: 1:00–1:10

2:00
3:00
Phone Calls: 3:00–3:05

4:00
Texting: 4:45–4:46

5:00
Pandora: 5:00–6:00

6:00

7:00
Checking Blogs: 7:00–7:30
Texting: 7:30–7:35
Pandora: 7:35–7:55

8:00
Pandora: 8:35–9:30

9:00
Spotify: 9:30–10:30

10:00
Texting; 10:35–10:36

11:00
12:00

Wednesday, February 1

6:00
7:00
8:00
State-of-the-art Multi-media Presentation: 8:40–9:20

9:00
Email: 9:30-10:00

10:00
Phone calls: 10:05–10:45
Research on Web: 10:00-11:00

11:00
Texting: 11:10–11:11

12:00
Texting: 12:40–12:45
1:00
2:00
State-of-the-art Multi-media Presentation: 2:10–2:40

3:00
Texting: 3:25–3:30

4:00
Pandora: 4:30–5:30

5:00
Email: 5:20–5:25

6:00
7:00
Texting: 7:30–8:00

8:00
9:00
10:00
Email: 10:40–10:45

11:00
12:00

A. The one form of media I used the most was radio/music devices, and I spent 265 minutes using it.

B. The one form of media I used the least was blogs, and I spent 30 minutes using it.

C. The amount of time that was spent communicating with another person over media was 159 minutes.

D. The amount of time that I spent using media that was monologic was 483 minutes.

E. What surprised me about the amount of time I spent engaged in the use of media was how when having to keep track of media usage I subconsciously forced myself to use it less. What surprised me next was how much time communicating with other people takes in the course of two days.

F. Based on this exercise, I will attempt to streamline my use of media. Everyone always complains about being busy, but apparently a good amount of the time I had in the past two days I used for things which, considering them, were not as important or time sensitive as other things. I think that if I really considered the value or the importance of the forms of media I engage myself in, I could use the various media tools to a far greater advantage than I do currently.

Appropriation of Culture: Journal Assignment 2

1. The original intended meaning being appropriated is that of classic Italian heritage, and although questionable quality construction could be argued as an additional meaning, it seems instead lean more towards long lasting quality (as reinforced by the supporting text).
2. The image is being appropriated by its being created by the belt that is being advertised.
3. The meaning intended by the appropriation is that the belt being advertised is, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, an icon of culture and quality.
4. Image above.

Part II: Create your own version of appropriation from a popular ad/product/slogan/etc.

Looking at Icons in Our Society: Journal Assignment 1

The image icon used in this advertisement is Albert Einstein, and the central meaning that he holds is of a very, if not the most, intelligent man in all of human history. His contributions to science and society are immeasurable and invaluable. The advertisement connects this idea of intelligence and respectability to their service by stating that “Having a Smartphone makes you smarter,” while showing a clearly doctored image of a young man with Albert Einstein’s signature hairstyle and iconic facial expression. It does this however in a clearly hyperbolic manner, and so the mood of the advertisement is very playful and pokes fun at itself. It is persuasive to the extent that it causes the viewer to think about what it is a Smartphone actually does do, and for that the ad is effective.