Task 6

I made this poster for a modern punk band. With out even thinking about it to much I decided to use the Dymo tape type face. This shows that even though i didn't live through that punk era I still have made the connection between 'punk' and 'dymo tape'. This also goes with another point that Mr Barker made about how Graphic Designers help form social and cultural identities. Even now, 30 years later, young graphic designers are using the same type face that links with a pop culture movements, further stereotyping different cultural groups

Task 5

Sustainability & Capitalism

Sustainability in the text 'Capital Accumulation, Sustainability & Hamilton Ontario' by E Balser is defined as generational equality in the environmental, moral, social, economic and political areas of modern society. This means that we need to live in a way that doesn't hinder the future populations chance to survive.

Capitalism is based on growth. Always expanding and accumulating more things. It’s a never ending social structure that constantly needs new things to commodify. It does this by subsuming non capitol markets or by expanding internal markets. With out growth Capitalism falls down and goes into recession, which is a ever present situation we are in.

Crisis of Capitalism is when the cycle of capitalism appears as if its going to end but then something new starts it up again and further pushes the idea of consumerism. The reinvention of capitalization each time there is a crisis only furthers the cycle of capitalization. An example of a crisis of capitalism is the environmental crisis, The capitalist world uses up the worlds resources and this is having an enormous effect on the worlds climate which could hinder future generations. This crisis instead of stopping this crisis it has merely latched onto it and furthered the cycle of capitalization. Every company is going ‘green’ but it is just a way of making the consumer feel better about buying their products/services. If the companies were to actually go ‘green’ they would shut down and not use up any more of the worlds resources. But that is not the way of the capitalist world. A new wave of ideas and technology push past these limitations of the environmental crisis preventing the ‘apocalypse for another day’.

One solution in the text is that of the Bio-fuel produced by BIOX a company. This fuel produces lower emissions for diesel engines and gives a longer lasting engine life. The bio fuel is produced from vegetables and animal fat which gives it the ‘stamp ‘of sustainability because you can grow plants and farm animals. The problem with this fuel is that is produced in large unsightly power plants. The most recent of these plants has been built in the poorest part of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It was also built on the communities green space. The plant has reduced the residents quality of life exposed them to harsh chemicals and pollutants in the air. It brings up the question of whether this sort of communal ‘sustainability’ is working if it is on the sacrifice of the poor and if so it isn’t much of a community.

The concept of sustainability has many complications when faced with interlacing with capitalism. The very idea of growth with out hindering future generations is flawed with in the current system. The worlds natural resources will not last the human race forever and unless scientists eventually find a way to make fusion power work or other techniques the worlds thirst for power will be far larger than current techniques can give. Sustainability is a communal concept which means everyone will have to be involved. This community is not very apparent in a capitalist world were there are poor and rich people. Ultimately the few rich will be making the main decisions on the environment because they have the power and influence that makes sustainability a flawed concept because there is no communal progression.

Task 4

Communication Theory.

I am going to analyse this piece of Graphic Design through The Shannon-Weaver mathematical model. This info graphic poster of the Lunar stages throughout 2011 is from a Spanish Graphic designer called Dimitre Lima. This piece of graphic design is a fine example of redundancy because even though it is from Spain the graphics alone can communicate the message to all people around the world.

Putting it through the Shannon-Weaver model, the Information source would be the moons lunar phases, the Transmitter (encoder) would be Lima's Design, the Channel would be the poster, the receiver would be the viewers eyes and brain and then the destination would be the person looking at the poster. The design of the poster could be seen as using the technique of redundancy because its very simple when you look at it for what it is. The outer circle which is made out of numbers represents the dates in year and is divided into the months through the names of the month on the outside and the lines and symbols coming from the centre represent each stage of the moon. It has all the basic information laid out in an easily understandable way. It also has the year and an image of the moon to clarify what it is.

It could also be seen that this piece of info graphics is using a different technique of entropy because at first there is a lot of lines, numbers and information thrown at you so the audience could feel a bit overwhelmed with information. The way the information is laid out could be considered as noise because it is laid out in a very visual and interesting way which some people could see as confusing.

Essay title

The title of my essay will be

'Is Adorno's view on music still relevant today?'

some references will include

Lawrence Grossberg (1984) ‘An other boring day in paradise: rock and roll and the empowerment of everyday life’ Available from: http://www.jstor.org/pss/853365 [Accessed 26.01.11]

Phillip Vannini (2002) ‘Adorno’s Legacy: On Critical Theory, Cultural Studies, and the Global Political Economy of Britney Spears Inc. Available from: http://gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/Illumina%20Folder/adornolegacy.htm [Accessed 25.01.11]

Andy Bennett (2000) ‘Popular Music and Youth Culture – Music Identity and Place’ Basingstoke, UK, Palgrave

Theodor W Adorno - John Storey (2006) ‘Cultural Theory and Popular Culture’, 3^rd Edition, Essex, UK. Pearson Education Limited

Seminar Five Notes

Lecture Five Notes

Task 2

Adorno feels that the mass produced popular music has as been standardized. Even when a musician tries to change a characteristic of the music, it is still standardized. He thinks that every piece of popular music is the same. He also goes on to say that the listener to this standardized music is psued0-individualised. This means that the listener already has a pre conception on what 'choice' of music he likes, even though there is no 'choice' because the whole music industry is standardised. He thinks that this standardised music keeps people in line because they don't realise that the music has already been listened too for them.

Its a type of control over the masses that hides its self within all the standardised music that appears to be choice. He even thinks that if people realised this 'hidden agenda' that it would provoke a resistance. But the promoters of this entertainment say they are just giving the people what they want. So it doesn't seem like they are force feeding the standardised music to the masses.

It also appears that this standardised music is easy to listen to rather than Adorno's 'serious music' which gives the listener room to escape the dullness of reality. Because the popular music is easy to listen to it doesn't push anyone out which makes it easy to sell cultural commodities which are hidden behind pseudo-individualisation.

This video of Katy Perry is definitely linked to a nice bit of escapism. The candy cane wonder world that is filled full of nice ginger bread men, beautiful girls and all things nice is linked to the American Dream and especially California. She sings about how nothing compares to these beautiful californian girls which makes both men and women think about being / being with these women. The woman Katy Perry is always branded as her own woman who has a 'don't give a shit' attitude which people love because they like 'individuals' but her herself and her rank music is standardised.

Lecture Four Notes

Seminar Three Notes

Seminar Two Notes

Lecture Two Notes

Task 1

Mobile phones are a good example of panopticism in modern society. A large percentage of the population have a contract mobile phone and once you sign a contract they have certain information about you

' This surveillance is based on a system of permanent registration' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:61) Once these companies have this information on you they can pass out your Name, Address, phone number, age, occupation etc. to authorities if they have liable cause that you are being involved or are involved in something illegal.

'He is seen, but he does not see; he is the object of information, never a subject in communication' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:65)

Although the end of this quote doesn't quite fit because 'he' is a subject in communication because a phone is a communication tool but the tool does make the user an object of information.

People may argue that you can get pay as you go phones which you don't need to sign a contract therefor no information on you has be logged but even then powers above us can listen in and find out where you are in the world through the signal and gps.

'Visibility is a trap' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:64)

Another way to view the panoptic nature of mobile phones is that, even though they are designed to communicate, they may actually be suppressing the level of communication.

'Exercising power over men, controlling their relations, of separating out their dangerous mixtures' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:62) Mobile phone conversations are only between two people which usually focuses on one point. So mobile phones could stop people getting together in large numbers and talking freely (with out a bill at the end) and thinking about new ideas which could be 'dangerous' for people in power.

Also each phone call is expensive, a poor man couldn't communicate with lots of people with out emptying his pocket therefore making the spoken word die out. 'It is an important mechanism, for it automatizes power' (Foucault in Thomas, J, 2000:65). Most of the population have this mechanism and that means that automatically the government or any other organisation with enough power can find information on you, hear what you are seeing, see what you are saying (through text) and find out where you are.

Seminar One Notes

Lecture One Notes

Level 05

- Semiotics Task -

This image of the band 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience' shows the three members of the band photographed at Heathrow airport in 1967. The first signifier that jumps out at you in the image is Jimi Hendrix. He is situated right in the middle of the image, this connotes that he is the main focus of the photograph which is quite obvious because the bands name is 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience'. This focus on the main signifier is backed up by the fact that Noel Reading and Mitch Mitchell, who play bass and drums in the band and looking away from the camera and into the distance.

This also may have connotations of racial differences within the band. Jimi Hendrix is the only black person in the band and is the only band member who is looking at the camera or at you in this image. The photograph is black and white, this has connotations that it is an old photograph and that the band is made up of both black and white musicians whos message was of peace and love which having a black and white photograph could be a statement that it doesn't matter what colour your skin is.

Jimi Hendrix is seen holding some vinyl records which denotes the fact that he listened to music but it also connotes that played and listened to music all the time, he lived and breathed it. This is also point is also stranthged by the fact that he has just walked of a plane and is on a runway but is still holding a few of his records with him because he would have been listening or looking at them on the plane.

The first and second album were realised in 1967 when this photo was taken, this was the peak of the bands popularity and they are seen holding their own luggage. This has connotations that the band, although extremely popular, were still real people and not untouchable super stars because they still carried there own luggage.

The signifier of the guitar seen being held by Noel Reading connotes that they are musicians and that they loved making and playing music so much that they took the guitar everywhere with them including a plane.Noel Reading who actually played the guitar and not the bass, but because Jimi Hendrix was a far more talented guitarist the job was given to him, is seen clutching the guitar it connotes that Reading wanted to be the guitarist in the band ad was jealous of Jimis talent.

The signifier of the bands clothes connotes that they are a very fashionable band becuase their clothes that they are wearing were very popular at the time. The signifier Jimi Hendrixs trousers which are bright crisp looking and probably very new signified that the band are making lots of money through their new found popularity and therfore are buying lots of new clothes, guitars and music.

- Essay Question -

The essay question i picked is

'Advertising doesn't sell things; all advertising does is change the way people think or feel' (Jeremy Bullmore). Evaluate this statement with reference to selected critical theories (past and present).

Here are some books which i may find useful for the essay..

Aronson, Elliot & Pratkins, Anthony (2001) 'Age of Propaganda' New York, USA. Henry Holt and Company

Berger, John (1972) 'Ways of seeing' London, UK. British Broadcasting Corporation

Bullmore, Jeremy (2003) 'More Bullmore Behind the Scenes In Advertising', 3^rd edition, Oxfordshire, UK. World Advertising Research Center

Dyer, Gillian (1996) 'Advertising as Communication' London, UK. Methuen & Co LTD

Williamson, Judith (1995) 'Decoding Advertisements' London, UK. Marion Boyars

- Lecture Notes -

Modernism and Modernity


Graphic Design - Media for the Masses

Advertising, publicity and the Media

The Mass media and Society

- Summarise the Text -

Avant Garde artists where exploring art in a more modern way because of the modernisation of the cities between the 19^th and the 20^th century. This modernity of life was never more evident than in the city of Paris. Which was seen as the epicentre of modernism. These art movements which were reflecting and expressing the new modern way of living was the art movements of ‘expressionism, cubism and Futurism’

Modernisation had a impact on the people of that era both social and cultural, with growing concerns that the people were being governed by the machine and loosing a sense of life..

- Image Analysis -

The Uncle Sam Range (1876) Advertising image by Schumacher & Ettlinger, New York.

Poster by Savile Lumley (1915)

The 'YOU' jumps out straight away in the text because its a different font and all in capitols, although it is a question to the character in the image it is directed to the reader. The main font looks childlike and curly giving the impression that a child is asking the question. The question its self begins of quite personal, in a way a child would call the parent, 'Daddy' but then goes forceful with the underlined YOU. This underlined 'YOU' is even more apparent with the man looking straight at you, the daughter is asking him and he is looking at you, asking you the same question.

The font in the Uncle Sam Range advert is very American looking, which ties in well with the theme of the advert. It looks Bold, Strong and grounded just like the range they are trying to sell.

This is a propaganda poster to recruit new soldiers for the first world war. It is playing with the idea of emotional manipulation. Its trying to make the reader feel guilty. It is saying that your children, or your future children will look up to you if you go to the war, being in the 'Great' war will make you brave and patriotic.

The purpose of the image is to advertise the range, but it is also selling the american dream which is attached to the product. They have used Uncle Sam, who is the personification of all things american as the main focus of the image rather than the range its self to show that they are selling a life style. The image is saying that America is the most powerful country so it can feed the rest of the world who is depicted as a bafoonish looking globe.

Both images are giving across the message that your life will be better if you go to war/buy the range.

The target audience for the propaganda poster is directed at middle class men, because the working class would have gone to war already. Therefor they have directed it to the middle class who would be less inclined to sign up to go to war hence the emotional persuasion.

The audience for the advertisement would be lower middle class who want to buy into a higher class life style. These images are very similar in the aspect of they are both aimed at the middle classes of society.

This propaganda poster was designed in 1915 which was the second year of the first world war, it was also before conscription was put in place so this poster is trying to recruit new soldiers to fight the war. It is full of patriotic imagery too, there are red roses on the curtains and the fleur de lise on the chair which is a royal symbol, it is saying that you should fight for king and country and be proud.

There is a clock in the background with 1876 and 1776 signifying the independence of America for 100 years, during this time everyone would be very patriotic, wearing and decorating things red white and blue. So the idea of using Uncle Sam to sell the product is a clever one because if they bought the product they would be more american.