#237.130

Now focusing on the graffiti on trains, this is a worldwide issue. Train lines can be found underground as well as stations on ground level, inside and out. At night time, these places can be found to appear dark , gloomy and sometimes intimidating. With this issue of graffiti on trains continuing to grow, I wish to create a work that intends to inform of this issue, persuade those necessary and illustrate change.

I am thinking of taking this issue and creating a piece of work that will promote change to these public spaces and promote graffiti culture in a good way, helping cities minimise defaced property and other illegal action. I am wishing to create a work that promotes change with certain, designated trains and stations that street artists are allowed to work on and use to create beautiful pieces of art to brighten these places up and make them more inviting as this has not been done yet and can help demolish the association these places have with being intimidating at night when alone. 

As the topic of graffiti is quite a broad topic, I decided to narrow down an aspect of this culture and use visual activism in contrast with this. As I found political pieces of graffiti would no longer have the powerful message they need to obtain, if painted on a legal space, I knew this was not an area I should focus on as political graffiti has a long history, and taking Banksy for example, his works would not have gained recognition if they were in a designated legal space, not providing impact to viewers. 

“So what then is visual culture? It has evolved into a form of practice that might be called visual thinking.” (Mirzoeff. 289) Nicholas Mirzoeff describes visual thinking in the novel How to See the World as something we need to engage with in order to understand. It is described as something that is “converged around visual activism” (Mirzoeff. 289)  Visual Activism is the use of creating something visual, using a sense of visual thinking and expressed as something to create change. These changes are forms of such social and political issues, only to name a couple. An example of this would be graffiti where artists like Banksy would create such powerful street art in order to associate and express change in the world. Simply, seeing these issues and seeing the world is not enough. As Mirzoeff states, “The point is to change it.” (Mirzoeff. 298)

WORKS CITED

Selected Question & Chapter: 4. The Changing World

The topical issue of my analytical essay is the “conquest of nature”, and it’s implications. The question - bearing in mind the nature of an analytical essay -  requires the objectification (abiding by “The Changing World” context) of the selected visual texts created by those concerned. What I have detained from the question, is that I have to decide whether or not they are successful in their efforts of communication; and perhaps what needs improvement. This discussion will include the consequences of climate change; as well as some New Zealand/Aotearoa context.

*Speaking at an early stage, my interpretation of the question is subject to change.

NOTES

- Do research on the psychology of visual communication - give me more substance when analysing my selected texts.

Looking at ‘worldview’, ‘ideology’, and ‘the myth of photographic truth’ all three terms can result in relation to one another through the use of conception. The way one has a particular conception of the world which influences how they see the truth behind photography, which is also influenced by their ideologies. They all help in relation to one another when un-packing visual texts and critically analysing images. When evaluating the producer of a visual text their world view needs to be considered. Thus informing us of their techniques, ideologies and the messages their text is intending to communicate. When evaluating the audience of the visual text, again considering their world views as this will assist in what message they were receiving from the image and furthermore encourage the use of looking at different views.  A visual text might represent and promote a dominant worldview in a way that is accepted differently amongst audiences. For example, a visual text promoting an item may address as normal in a western world view but opposed differently in an indigenous worldview.

“Selfie” - http://www.shiachat.com/forum/topic/235023750-selfies/

“Selfie” and “self-portrait” - http://blog.redbubble.com/2015/05/open-discussion-has-the-selfie-killed-the-self-portrait/

“Selfie” and “self-portrait” - http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/whats-the-difference-between-a-selfie-and-a-self-portrait/