Week 3 - Living La Dolce Vita

I have a confession to make, I am not a big fan of women's magazine. If I had to choose between a Vogue magazine or a Reader's Digest, I would choose the latter in a heartbeat. Don't get me wrong, I love fashion, designer bags, the entire of Chanel House and living 'la dolce vita'. But the thought of reading repetitive articles on how to get a man to love you or how to get women into bed or how to stay slim can be daunting. On top of that, I don't like being told how to dress, wear my hair and makeup and how much I should be spending on everything. Having said that, I do not go cold turkey on female magazines. Every once in a while, I'll pick up an issue of Marie Claire for their interesting articles, particularly on females social evolution, inspiring life stories or their personal struggles. So, women's fashion magazine are impossible to resist. On a different note, arising from Dr Chris Woo's lecture on Semiotics, I feel the need to honour Coco Chanel again for liberating women from the constricting fashions of the past. The thought of women in tight corsets and breaking their ribs for the pleasure of men is just bizarre. If not for Coco, we women would not be wearing pants today!! So, thank you Mademoiselle Coco Chanel.

Fashion icon, Coco Chanel

Fashion was torture before Coco Chanel

While we are on the subject of fashion, for this blog entry, I will attempt to analyze the front cover of April 2008 Vogue magazine using the theory of semiotics. The first thing that struck me about this Vogue magazine cover is the unusual combination of basketball player Lebron James and supermodel Gisele Bundchen. 

LeBron-Gisele Vogue cover

Utilizing semiotics to explore a variety of interpretations of the Vogue magazine cover (Griffin, 2009), I shall dissect the elements contain in the front page cover starting with the word on the top of the image, 'Vogue'. The sign printed in scarlet red illustrates the title of the cover and Vogue as we know is a monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine for women. It is also considered as the epitome of fashion and style. Today, Vogue became the fashion bible of modern woman (Winterman, 2007). Generally, Vogue reeks of high fashion and style.

Moving to the image, it denotively shows a huge black man in a black basketball outfit holding a skinny white woman wearing a green strapless dress. The subjects are Lebron James, a 6 foot 9 basketball superstar and top Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. The image depicts LeBron crouching and dribbling a basketball while holding the petite Gisele by the waist. On a side note, please direct your attention to Lebron's shoes, it is as big as Gisele's leg! The image also show the NBA star snarling at the camera while Gisele smiles benignly. Regardless of skin color; their body sizes and postures draw a striking contrast. In the Vogue cover, Lebron appeared gigantic compared to Gisele and his pose connotes power, fierceness and masculinity as opposed to Gisele who portrays grace and femininity. In my point of view, Lebron dressed in basketball apparel, bouncing a ball and making that facial expression illustrates that he is athlete who brought his competitive spirit on the basketball court into the photo shoot. On the other hand, Gisele clad in a slim fitting dress signifies style and glamour. I have to admit the collaboration was a rather odd one, but this image depicts a sexy and gorgeous woman like Gisele, clad in a designer dress has no problem being around a talented athlete despite his physical appearance and overall presentation.

The photo is anchored with a large caption below the image 'Shape Issue', indicating the Vogue annual issue focusing on women fitness and health. The large written text is accompanied with a slightly smaller caption 'Secrets of the Best Bodies', printed in a red font. Underneath the caption is another written text introducing the identity of the persons in the image “GISELE & LeBRON” printed in capital letters plus another text caption below stating “+ the World's Top Models and Star Athletes”. That caption is intended to inform readers of Gisele's and Lebron's celebrity status.

Through the caption text, it provides readers with a clearer picture of what the image is trying to convey. In my opinion, Lebron and Gisele appearance in the Vogue Shape Issue indicates how beauty and fitness are intertwined. Gisele represents beauty while Lebron serves as a role model for physical fitness. 

'Voguing", the dance craze from the early 90's is also inspired by Vogue magazine. Strike a POSE!

Lastly, it is important to note that this Vogue cover was a subject of controversy as the crafted image has been accused of perpetuating racial stereotypes (USA Today, 2008). It angered people within the black community, citing that Lebron portrayal as 'King-Kong' in contrast to Gisele's tiny figure was racially insensitive and distasteful. I personally don't find this photo provocative, neither offensive. I have seen more controversial images than this. But everyone sees something from their own perspective whether its race, gender, ethnicity or class. Therefore the image is open to different meanings and interpretations.

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." — Coco Chanel

 

References :

Winterman, D. (2007, November 6). The epitome of glamour. BBC News Magazine. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7078859.stm

Griffin, E. (2009). A First Look At Communication Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill.

USA Today. (2008). LeBron James' 'Vogue' cover called racially insensitive. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-03-24-vogue-controversy_N.htm

Week 2 – Perception VS Reality

On the second week of lecture, we learned the process of seeing things or images with our eyes and how we interpret the visual objects based on our existing knowledge The initial process as we studied involves seeing visual images individually without the influences of social or cultural codes (Woo, 2010). Psychologist James G. Gibson (1979) described it as the 'first-hand experience' where we become aware of something. The process is instantly proceeded with being made aware of something which he refers to as 'perception' (Gibson, 1979). It is a complex process but to simplify it, perception is the process of categorizing and interpreting sensory information.

Let me proceed directly to tutorial question three for this week, “Does culture and society affect perception?” My answer to the question is a resounding yes. We live in the process of socialization everyday and our experiences are molded by our cultural setting. It is undeniable that we perceive things based on our cultural and social standpoints. This is crucial in Visual Communication because we isolate the reality of that particular image and distort it with our cultural and social beliefs.

For the purpose of this argument, I shall use 'tattoo' as an illustration. Permanent tattoo is a form of body art made by injecting ink into the skin (Aalatimes , 2011). From the Bruneian Malay perspective, permanent tattoo is frowned upon by the society as it not only contradicts the Islamic religion but tattoo is also closely associated with violence and gangs. In contrast to that, the Iban ethnic groups in Brunei regard tattoo as a symbol of a warrior's status. This afternoon I stumbled across an interesting documentary in Discovery channel called “Les Stroud Beyond Survival: The Mentawai Shamans of Indonesia.” In the documentary, Les Stroud, a Canadian filmmaker took part in the rituals of the Indonesian Mentawai tribes and gone to the extent of getting his left upper arm tattooed by a Mentawai Shaman. Regardless of that, the documentary demonstrates the tribe's tattooing ritual and how tattoos represent spiritual significance and symbolize status in the society.

On the other hand in North America, tattoo majorly is a trendy fashion statement. Apart from fashion significance, tattoo plays an important part in today's Western culture and contributed to the active tattoo subculture (Atkinson, 2003). Popular MTV reality shows such as LA Ink, Miami Ink and Inked illustrates the the ever-growing world of tattoos. The striking presence of tattoo artist and celebrity 'Kat Von D' further help transformed perception of tattoos from 'trashy' to 'trendy'.

In actual fact, tattoos are simply works of art but using the body as a canvas and the permanent markings posed problems to the Malay Islamic culture. Because some cultures consider tattoo unacceptable, its members are at risk neglecting creative potentials of the body artworks and the symbolic meanings to different cultures, societies or individuals.

Ultimately, these illustrates that people have different perceptions of 'tattoos' due to different social and cultural backgrounds. Therefore the visual image of tattoo carries different meanings and interpretations, depending upon the nature of the society and environment we live in. Driven by cultural and social influences, our visual perception is undoubtedly impacted.

Just a thought, if perception is the distortion of reality, then what is reality?

Anyone fancy a tongue tattoo?

 Iban ethnic group considers tattoos as symbols of bravery

 Stunning tattoo artist, Kat Von D

"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is - infinite" - William Blake.

References :

Aalatimes. (2011). Tattoos can expose people to hepatitis virus: Doctors. Retrieved from http://www.aalatimes.com/2011/07/28/tattoos-can-expose-people-to-hepatitis-virus-doctors/

Atkinson, M. (2003). Tattoed : the sociogenesis of a body art. Canada : University of Toronto Press.

Gibson, J. J. (1979). The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Woo, C. (2010). Analyzing visual communication. Brunei Darussalam : Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

Week 1 - Where thou art - that - is home...

Look around the everyday objects of your house. How do they explain and contribute to the concept of home and family?

When I am trying to find the answer to this question, the first thing that pops in my head is the hit American TV series; 'The Simpsons'. Although the dysfunctional Simpsons family bears absolutely no similarity to that of my family (at least not Homer Simpson), but  our house share common settings which contribute to the concept of home and family. After all, filmmakers need to create a setting to convince their target audience that the characters in the film are family members.

My Home Sweet Home.

Now if you have been watching the Simpsons Family or at least watched the opening sequence, you will notice the infamous Homer Simpson couch in the centre of the living room. In my home, the white fabric upholstered sofa is the centerpiece in the living room. Apart from sitting or lying on the couch to relax and unwind, sofa is a point where members of a household would go to watch television thus promoting family connections. The living room sofa area is also a place where we congregate for family discussions, family meetings or simply to have a great cup of coffee with family and friends. I consider the white couch in the living room as my little retreat after a hectic day, advocating psychologist Sigmund Frued's idea of lying down on the couch to liberate our thoughts (BBC, 2011). If you are an avid Simpsons fan like me, you would know that the couch is Homer's favourite spot, earning him the title of a true couch potato. Other than that, the Simpsons brown couch is where Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa or Maggie reconvene for family discussions or family fights.

I am a huge Simpsons fan. Love the witty humor.

The centerpiece in my living room is this insanely comfy sofa.

The next conspicuous object in the Simpsons family home is the television positioned across the couch. Unlike Simpsons antique television with the antennas sticking out, mine is the 40-inch Samsung flat – screen LCD TV, which Mat Groening (creator of the Simpsons) should consider. Although television has its negative influences, but positively it brings together the interactions among family members (Vangelisti, 2008). With our hectic life, gathering with family members to watch the news, sports or any TV programs may only be the opportunity for us to spend some quality time during weekdays.

Simpsons Vintage TV. Seriously Groening, we are living in HIGH DEFINITION!!

HD television is no longer a luxury, its a NECESSITY!! This part of the living room is our favourite spot.

The dining table on the other hand is considered a key element in family because it is a place where parents and children sat down to share a meal and their experiences of the day. It is the epicenter of family life because family bonds are strengthened when we share time to enjoy good food together and rediscover the joy of eating with family (Gibbs, 2006). During the Ramadan month, sitting together with family to break the fast at sunset is a great feeling. I personally enjoy family feasts, dinner parties or pot lucks because it has produced many memorable moments. If you watch most episodes of the Simpsons, you will see that many scenes take place at the dining table, like any other family television shows. Therefore the daily ritual of gathering at the dinner table reinforce the value of family connections and help keep the institution of family strong (Curran, 2001). 

The Simpsons threw many dinner parties and always make room for their frenemies.

I genuinely love family dinners and outings. It is a time for the family to reconnect. The kids having their favourite pepperoni pizza in Fratini's.

Memorable dinner with my mum this year.

Lastly, the most common item found in any household are family photo frames. If you notice inside the Simpsons living room, a large family photo is hung above their fireplace. Apart from decorative purposes, the display of family photos in our house serves to show the immediate members in the family circle. In addition to that, the family snapshots depicts memorable events shared among a family such as a wedding, graduation, vacation or baby pictures. Furthermore, the photographs are selected for presentation and to reflect a close-knit family environment through the family photographs. In essence, family photographs serves as a reminder of the special moments we had with our loved ones and unfortunately, it remind me of those 'bad hair days' too. 

Family portrait displayed proudly in the home

Family pictures are a constant reminder of what is most important in our life.

We might not be aware of the items around our house, but these material possessions significantly contribute to the strengthening and consolidation of the family unit.

"We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us." - Winston Churchill.





References : 
 

BBC. (2011). Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalytic Couch. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/cC0TV0KISWGsw1N0fERYRg

Curran, D. R. (2001). Traits of a Healthy Family (pp. 31-43). NY: Ballantine Books.

Gibbs, N. (2006, June 4). The magic of the family meal. Time Magazine Health. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine

Vangelisti, A. (2008). Handbook of family communication. New Jersey : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.