Planning and structuring an essay

Question
"What is the role of print media in the digital age?"

Which academic sources will you reference?
Berger, J (1972). 'Ways of seeing'. London: British Broadcasting Corporation and Penguin Books.
Benjamin, W (1999). 'Illuminations'. London: Pimlico.
Hogarth, M. (2014) 'How to launch a magazine in this digital age'. London & New York: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Duffy, B (2013) 'Remake, Remodel'. Chicago, Urbana & Springfield: University of Illinois Press.
Merrin, W (2014) 'Media Studies 2.0'. Abingdon: Routledge.

What images/illustrations will you analyse?

L.H.O.O.Q Marcel Duchamp

Thesis
In this essay I will evaluate the functions of print media in past and present day, as through this I believe I will be able to draw valuable conclusions as to the role of print media in the current digital age. I will also be discussing the evolution of digital media and the effect this has had on art practice, focusing primarily on illustration.

4 points of argument 

1. Radical media (the history of print)
• Drawing parallels between the technological advancements of print and digital and how this progress (in two different periods) has shaped art practice. 
• Raising questions such as, can we see the same thing happen to print media as to historical paintings? Have we retained print as a medium because of the roots of it being a form of expression for the masses/working classes?
2. The resurgence of Print media 
• Why are we seeing a resurgence in print media? - a desire for physical ownership, young creatives, 'digital natives' 
• Where is this resurgence in print? - independent publishing, advertising?
• Examples of festivals/events/companies/exhibitions. 
3. The digital world 
• Discussing the negative and positive views of our new digitised world - distopian and utopian
• The development of the digital aesthetic
• How the digital world has changed the way we express ourselves creatively. 
4. How the digital age has influenced print media
• The positive and negative affects of the digital age on print media
• The combination of digital and print media
• The democratisation of technology. 

Crit/tutorial feedback 

• Got some interesting points - clearly got to grips with the question and have a good focus. 
• To be honest I did not find the crit that useful. They said the above, to just continue with what I am doing but I do not feel that the research and points I have found so far will bring me to a coherent conclusion. 
• I need to focus my interests further and narrow my research. Through this I will hopefully find more images and sources to use in my essay. 
• At the moment the two aspects that I most interested in investigating further is this idea of drawing parallels between the past and current role of print media. I would also like to do more research on the resurgence of print media in despite of, and in conjunction with, the rise of the digital age. 

Research: Looks good on paper

I read a really interesting article relevant to my essay question, about the resurgence of independent publishing. Interestingly this article claims that as the young generation have been 'raised on digital media' analogue and print media appears to be this new and exciting technology. The fear that the digital age would bring the death of print media has been completely dismissed as we see this desire of the younger generation for the beauty of the physically printed object. The increase in independent publications is sourced, according to the article, in the lack of jobs for young creatives. Those trying to find jobs in the creative industries have found independent publishing as a way of showcasing their talents to potential clients and employers. The digital age is also fueling this revival in many ways. The democratisation of technology has caused for people to crave time away from the screen, as well as the ownership and interaction of print publications. 

Key Quotes:

• "A generation raised on digital media rediscovers the pleasures of the printed page."

• "There's a desire for physical objects," "The way humans interact with a screen is very limited in terms of physicality – you are just touching and swiping. With a magazine, you can cut things out and doodle on it, you can interact in a way that says, 'Humans can do more than just type.'"

• "The amount of time we spend in front of digital screens is a help rather than a hindrance to his business model. "A lot of people these days respond to the idea of being away from the screen, which feels very much like being at work.""

• "Young people are interested again in things that 15 years ago people thought were on the way out because of digital. To them, it feels like new technology because it's unfamiliar." - raised as 'digital natives'. 

• "Visible ownership is very important to magazine buyers, Hinde says. "It can be a beautiful artefact that people can see you reading on the train and it says something about you, your taste and cultural values.""

•  "The internet drives magazine subscriptions while digital software underpins production quality".
• "What I can see is a sea change among the younger generation," "Ten years ago, they all wanted to build a website because it was deemed challenging. Now, they have all got blogs and [microblog] Tumblrs and take all that for granted. They're excited about doing print because they don't understand it."
• Many mainstream publishers have "become spreadsheet-led", he says. "They have been successful money-making machines and the rug has been pulled out from beneath them. A lot of independent publishers are making hay, creating beautiful magazines that people desire and pay quite large amounts for. It's fascinating to watch it develop."

Burrell, I. (2014). Looks Good on Paper. Available: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/looks-good-on-paper-forget-tablet-editions-a-new-wave-of-young-independent-publishers-is-producing-9139520.html. Last accessed 19/11/15.

Print Culture and Distribution Lecture

This lecture was perfect for providing information for my essay question "What is the role of print media in the digital age?", so I made some notes for future reference and to use in my essay plan over the next couple of weeks (because I won't remember it all).

• According to Mcluhan we are in the "Late Age of Print" 
• The Gutenberg printing press created in 1450, kickstarted the 'Age of Print'. 
• The Royal Academy - taught the 'fine arts' - painting, sculpture, architecture, music and poetry. These were the culturally accepted forms of art, as they were what was commissioned by the rich and affluent who could afford such things at the time.  The experience of 'snobbery' towards commercial art forms that we study here eg. graphic design, illustration, has fed from this… 
• The industrial revolution led to urbanisation. With dense concentration of people, never experienced before, class divides became more evident. People began to recognise themselves as a part of a certain class. 
• The working class not being able to identify themselves with the culture of the ruling classes (historical paintings) began to construct their own culture using printing methods such as engraving, lithograph ect. This was the beginning of 'popular culture', culture for the masses. 
• We therefore began to see a divide between two separate cultures - the culture of the ruling class (a minority culture), and the culture of the working class (popular culture). 

Belshazzar's Feast
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Martin_-_Belshazzar%27s_Feast_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

This painting is interesting not for its content but because of who created it and how they choose to market it as a piece of artwork.

• It was painted by John Martin who choose not to follow the 'traditional route' of becoming an artist (Royal Academy). 
• He exhibited the painting himself, charging a small fee to view and then did REPRODUCTIONS of his painting (engravings) that you could buy. This is an example of art becoming available to the masses (the 'everyman') and also the importance of the original art work being emphasised through its reproduction. 

Mathew Arnold "Culture and Anarchy" 

• In this book Mathew Arnold (a member of the ruling class) talks about how the spread of this new culture (popular culture) is ruining englishness? 
• The title itself can be pulled apart in order to express the veiled meaning within the book. "Culture" - traditional art, historical painting ect. Culture being determined by the ruling classes. "Anarchy" is used in direct reference to the working classes - the emergence of this new 'popular culture'. 
• Stemmed from fear? People were starting to question social structures… This is why the ruling classes became desperate to restore and maintain the 'natural order'. 

"Leavism" - FR Leavis & Q.D Leavis 

• Sees this emergence of popular culture as actually 'culture in decline' 
• There is 'collapse' in authority and it needs to be restored to when the intellectuals would lead the masses. When the ruling class would be the ones to determine and shape culture. 

Black Bess or the Knight of the Road
http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/penny-dreadfuls

• This book would have been looked down on by the ruling classes. But this does not matter - it was made by the working class for the working class. Made by people who want read and see this sort of thing. This is a prime example of popular culture being DEMOCRATIC. 

"The work of art in the age of reproduction" Walter Benjamin

• He talks about this "aura" surrounding art work - what he is referring to here is the habit of viewing art as containing some kind of genius, eternal value or authority. This is similar to what Berger talks about in his book (many of the ideas taken from Benjamin's essay) about intellectuals using 'learnt assumptions' by which to value art, viewing/valuing art with 'nostalgia'. (polysyllabic jargon if you will…)
• For example the Mona Lisa is surrounded by this 'aura' of containing some kind of higher meaning and genius. It is culturally accepted as a masterpiece, but does anyone actually know what makes it a masterpiece? Does anyone actually like it? Or do we just queue up to view it behind its bullet proof glass because we are told its important? 
• This whole idea of art containing some kind of higher value becomes political. It feeds into the ruling classes expressing superiority through culture. 'you deserve to be downtrodden' - people are happy to be downtrodden, treated as inferior. 
• Walter Benjamin was German and wrote this during a time of growing facism, the rise of Hitler into power. That is why there are lots of parallels between this (referrals to facism) as they both show a class/group of people creating ideas of superiority ect over another group of people. 

Marcel Duchamp L.H.O.O.Q
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L.H.O.O.Q.#/media/File:Marcel_Duchamp_Mona_Lisa_LHOOQ.jpg

• Reproduction has allowed us to remove art away from its 'temple' - galleries ect. and put it into new contexts. These new contexts can be used to change and shape the meaning of the image. 
• We can choose to mock the authority of these images e.g. Marcel Duchamp's L.H.O.O.Q
• Through this the cultural authority of images are destabilised - people can write their own culture. This reproduction of images is anti-authoritarian. 

The invention of the camera 

• The ability to reproduce images through photography worked even more effectively in ripping up the existing class dynamic. 
• "historical paintings" were important as they worked to document a moment in history, as well as to immortalise a person - people of importance were only able to do this. With the invention of the camera, the ability to immortalise yourself became available to the masses. 
• With photograph art was no longer 'needed' in order to document a certain time or place. 

Andy Warhols "Marilyns"
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/images/work/T/T03/T03093_10.jpg

• Andy Warhol's work is the perfect example of mass production of images. The place where his images were created was called the 'factory' and all of the images he created stemmed from mass media and popular culture. 
• His work is directly attacking the 'aura' surrounding traditional/original works of art. His prints have no meaning, no soul or mystery (destroying the concept that art does have these things). It exposes this 'aura' as nonsense. 
• His work is a prime of example of art being designed for reproducibility. 

Left: Walker Evans Alabama, Tenant farmer wife
Right: Sherrie Levine, After Walker Evans

• These are two photographs - one of them the original taken by Walker Evans, and the second a photograph of this photograph taken by Sherrie Levine - that she then sold as her own work. 
• This created a debate regarding intellectual property, is this stealing? (read high court arguments)
• Again this disputes the 'aura' surrounding original art work, that an exact replica of an image can just be created by a completely different person through photography. 
• But does this destroy genius? Because taking a photograph of an image is not recreating this image? It does not contain any of the consideration ect. that would be needed to create this image in the first place…  

(William Morris "Lesser Arts") -READ

• We value print culture today, over the digital, as we feel a human connection. It had been produced by a human being, it is physical - we can feel it and hold it in our hands. 
• Print culture is still the radical art of people. 

The Print Project 'No fly Posters'
http://files.idnworld.com/creators/files/v20n6/NoFlyPosters/006_The-Print-Project.jpg

The Glastonbury Free press 

• Anthony Burrill.. Print culture can be seen on streets, in our homes. It becomes a part, an experience of daily life. It is designed to be fleeting, comes and goes.
• There is a new resurgence of print culture. Can we see parallels between original artwork and the emergence of the age of reproduction, and print culture and the rise of the digital age?
• Is print culture now taking on a new/increasing in value? becoming cool and trendy? Appealing to a niche market? And now digital art/images viewed on the internet are behaving in the same - accessible for the masses, you don't have to buy it…images are now free for all. 

Collecting and Gathering Images

Our task was to collect 15 to 20 images related to our essay title. I am writing on the title - "What is the role of print media in the digital age?"

I collected images relevant to the mass production of images, the emergence of new media in the digital age and the resurgence of print media. I think some of the images I collected have more relevance than others, and I would like to research more into finding images representing the resurgence of print media so as to contrast with the rise of digital media in my essay.

http://www.kyletwebster.com/

Gargantua by Honore Daumier (1831)
https://mydailyartdisplay.wordpress.com/2013/11/20/honore-daumier-lithographs-and-caricatures/

L.H.O.O.Q. Marcel Duchamp
http://www.artofcolour.com/painting-profile/profiles-no6-files/lhooq.jpg

http://www.danielalexanderphotography.com/

Pablo Picasso, Bottle of Vieux Marx, Glass, Guitar and Newspaper 1913
http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/cubism#infocus

Basilica of San Francisco d'Assisi, Umbria Italy
http://www.sanfrancescoassisi.org/en/explore/lower-church

Part of Jean Jullien's solo show 'Allo?' at Kemistry Gallery, London
http://www.jeanjullien.com/work-137-allo-.html

Autumn Leaves, David Hockney 2008
Inkjet printed computer drawing on paper
http://www.hockneypictures.com/computer_drawings/cd_prints_08.php

Screenshot of the opening page of David Hockney's website
http://www.hockneypictures.com/terms.php

(Cropped Image of) Portrait of Mark Knopfler, Colin Davidson 2012
Oil on Linen
http://intolerances.tumblr.com/?route=%2F

Village Bookshop, Leeds
http://leeds-list.com/places/village-bookshop/ 

Virgin of the Rocks, Leonardo Da Vinci 1452-1519
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/leonardo-da-vinci-the-virgin-of-the-rocks

Still from man with a movie camera by Vertov
'Ways of Seeing' John Berger
https://sunni11.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/1157/

Creamer zine
http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/creamer-mag-ink-spots-820

Jean Jullien Sketchbook work
http://www.jeanjullien.com/work-187-instagram.html

Reading and Understanding a text

Tone of voice 

John Berger writes in a systematic and ordered fashion, building his argument carefully and slowly into a coherent conclusion. As his argument is constructed you begin to gain a sense of his disillusionment and distaste concerning the changing way in which we view art in modern society. I feel that his writing acts not as an opinion but a statement, which he well backs up with a wealth of knowledge and understanding of his subject. 

5 key points

• All images are a reproduction of sight, and what we see is shaped by what we know and what we choose to look at. An image is therefore a documentation of how one person saw something at particular point in time. 
• The appreciation of art is now determined on the basis of a series of "learnt assumptions". These expectations placed upon art 'mystify' the past and limit the discussion to a privileged minority. Art should be experienced through its personal relevance to the viewer and society. 
• The invention of the camera changed our view of perception from being centered on  the 'eye of the beholder' to a realisation that images are momentary, determined by your position in time and space. 
• The reproduction of images has changed the way in which we appreciate art. In their rarity originals have taken on a 'bogus religiosity'. The meaning of images can now be shaped by being placed within different contexts and purposes. The art of the past has lost its authority and with this we have created a new 'language of images'. 
• The art of the past has become a 'political issue' as the majority has become disconnected from their own history. It is important that we use this new 'language of images' to see our relation to the past and therefore give meaning to the present. 

5 key quotes

• "An image became a record of how X had seen Y"
• "Mystification is the process of explaining away what might otherwise be evident"
• "If the image is no longer unique and exclusive, the art object, the things, must be made mysteriously so"
• "The issue is not between innocence and knowledge (or between the natural and the cultural) but between a total approach to art which attempts to relate it to every aspect of experience and the esoteric approach of a few specialised experts who are the clerks of nostalgia of a ruling class in decline"
• "For the first time ever images of art have become ephemeral, ubiquitous, insubstantial, available, valueless, free...They have entered the mainstream of life over which they no longer, in themselves have power"

Summary

The first chapter of John Berger's book, 'The Ways of Seeing', evaluates how the mass production of images has changed the way value and appreciate art. The authority of an image has been removed through the process of its reproduction. As images are reproduced they take on new meaning and purpose, through being viewed within new contexts and presented with relevance to other information. The experience of viewing art is no longer a 'ritual' or culturally limited to a higher social class but a part of 'mainstream culture'. With this, the original 'art object' has also taken on a new significance, as in its rarity it is associated with a 'bogus religiosity' and treated as almost 'holy relics'. This has fed into the evaluation of artwork on the basis of 'learnt assumptions' used by an educated minority, which only acts to 'mystify' the past and disillusion the masses. In the age of mass production we have created a new 'language of images'. Images are readily available for all to see; however what we know about art has been warped both through the process of reproduction and the expectations we place upon art work. 

Image Analysis

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

Empire Marketing Board - 'East African Transport Old Style' and 'East African Transport New style' by Adrian Allinson,
from the 'Colonial Progress Brings Home Prosperity' series of posters; 60 x 40 ins, displayed December 1930- January 1931; Waterlow and Sons Ltd

All of these posters were created as advertisements in order to promote a product, or an ideal, to the wealthy and powerful of western society. Created decades apart these posters, as to be expected, have many differences; however it also possible to find many similarities between them, in terms of the ideas they contain and the methods through which they are promoting them.

'The Uncle Sam Range' poster is an advertisement for a cooker that was mass produced as a print, in the 19th century. The poster uses patriotism and nationalist pride in order to promote their product to the aspirational middle class or upper classes of America. This is evident in the presence of traditional American national imagery such as the stars and stripes adorning the room, and the eagle sitting on 'Uncle Sam's' shoulder, who himself is a personification of the American dream. There is also displays of American progression as the clock marks their 100 years of independence, which is emphasised through the centenary building we can see through the window. 'Dixie', 'West' and 'New England', represented as children sitting at 'Uncle Sam's' table is also a celebration of America's new found unity and the end of the civil war. The 'East African Transport' advertisements similarly use ideas of progression in order to promote a positive view of colonialism. This would have been aimed at, similarly to the 'Uncle Sam' advertisement', the wealthy in society as these would be considered potential investors.  The promotion of these positive affects of colonialism is achieved through the juxtaposition of the two images - the first showing life in the colonies before and the second demonstrating the progression after being colonised with the presence of technology, such as cars, roads and boats. The natives of these colonies also seemed to have been stripped of their culture, and 'civilised', the second image showing them without their traditional dress.

In evaluation of the aesthetics of these advertisements and how effectively, therefore, they are communicating with their respective audiences, the decades between them may become increasingly apparent. The first poster, 'The Uncle Sam Range', is adorned with symbols of nationalism and wealth in an effort to convey affluence and to celebrate American progression. As a consequence, however, the image is overly garish and busy, and the product, a cooker, has become second to this message of patriotism. The use of different sized, style and coloured typefaces also adds to the confusion and lack of sophistication of the image. The 'East African' posters, on the other hand, are a lot more subtle and demure in their methods of communication. The advertisements use a attractive art deco style, which would have been popular at the time, and an earthy colour palette to reflect the 'savage' and 'exotic' nature of these images location. The text is clear and concise, similarly to the construction and composition of the images.

Through these advertisements we can learn about the periods in which they were created.  'The Uncle Sam Range' poster, for example, was created post civil war and during a time in which America was developing into one of the leading competing nations in the world, hence the emphasis and use of American pride in order to promote the cooker. The "East African Transport' posters, on the other hand, show a time in which colonialism was becoming increasingly unpopular. This is hence the 'Empire Marketing board' made these posters in order to promote intra-empire trade and to boost empire sentiment. Both of these propaganda campaigns also tell us about the presence of similar social and cultural issues across both of these periods. Both of them use male figures, being 'Uncle Sam' and the white man in the 'East African Transport' second image, to convey power, strength and wealth, therefore demonstrating the patriarchal societies in which both of these advertisements were produced. They also both similarly promote white supremacy and dehumanise black people, as in the 'Uncle Sam' poster there is a black slave boy working the cooker and in the 'East African Transport' posters the 'natives' of these colonies rarely have their faces showing, and if they do their features seem aggressive and undefined.

In conclusion these posters may be different in the level of understanding they demonstrate concerning visual communication and image making; however they share many of the same ideals in terms of what they are using to promote their products and how they aim to go about this. They also show us that, despite being decades apart and from different countries, there are many similarities in terms of the cultural and social issues that were present in their respective societies. 

Choosing a question

Our session today was based around selecting one of five essay questions, that will then be the basis for future work in this module. In groups we were given one of these questions and then a task of finding 2 books and 1 image appropriate to the subject, as well as the definitions of some terms within the title. My groups question was - "What is the relationship between branding and The Consumer self?"

The definitions I found were -

Consumerism: The continual increase in the consumption of goods. (Oxford dictionary)

Branding: A name, term, symbol or design, or a combination of them, which is intended to signify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors. (Phillip Kotler from 'Managing markets planning, Analysis and Control', in 'Brandwatching' Lury, G)

Consumer: In the modern world, brands are a key part of how individuals define themselves and their relationships with one another...more and more we are simply consumers...we are what we wear, what we eat, what we drive. (Sir Michael Perry, Chairman of Unilever in 'Brandwatching' Lury, G)

The books I choose were -

Rath, Bay, Petrizzi & Gill (2008). The why of the buy. New York: Farchild books, Inc.
This book focused upon consumerism specifically in the fashion industry, discussing subjects such as - Fashion marketing, and external factors that influence our decisions as consumers. 
This book would be useful if I was to study this particular essay question; however as it specifically looks at the fashion industry I would have to supplement this research with other books that look at consumerism in a broader sense.

Lury, G (2001). Brandwatching. 2nd ed. USA
This book focused on branding, looking at it from quite a buisness-like approach. It was very interesting as it had a broad range of references, some of which have constructed their own very successful brands, e.g. Sir Michael Perry (as seen above). It mostly contained discussions, therefore, of what attracts people as consumers, as well as how to successfully construct and promote a brand.
On the other hand,  as this book was published in 2001 it may be a bit out of date and it would probably be worth looking for one that is more relevant to todays market.

This is the image that my group and I selected as relevant to our essay question. It is a pepsi advert that we found in a book called 'Creative Advertising' (by Mario Pricken). We found it interesting, and appropriate, as it shows the way in which brands try to appeal to consumers through the use of certain imagery and ways of association. We discussed how Pepsi has made their product desirable through the image of the reaching hands, as well as through the presence of ice in the advert which makes us think of a cold and refreshing drink. 

Preparatory Task

Historical

Definition: - of or concerning history or past events. - belonging to the past. - set in the past - based on an analysis of its development over a period. 

"That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all lessons of history" Aldous Huxley 

http://www.designishistory.com/1920/el-lissitzky/

"Beat the whites with the red wedge" 1919 propaganda poster by El Lissitzky, symbolic of the Russian civil war. 

http://www.justinleighton.com/Personal--Projects/Berlin-1989/1

Photograph of the Berlin Wall being knocked down in 1989, taken by Justin Leighton

In response to the word historical I pursued my interest in 20th century history, and, more specifically, the conflict that countries such as Germany and Russia underwent during this period. Both of the images that I have chosen, document events in which people rose up against a regime that had caused them suffering and hardship. My quote then speaks about how history often repeats itself, and that we do not learn from past mistakes is probably one of our greatest failures as human beings. 

Political

Definition: - of or relating to the government or public affairs of a country. - relating to the ideas or strategies of a particular party or group in politics. - interested in or active in politics. - motivated by a persons beliefs or actions concerning politics.

"It is not that I am not voting out of apathy. I am not voting out of absolute indifference and weariness and exhaustion from the lies, treachery and deceit of political class that has been going on for generations" Russell Brand, a quote from his interview with Jeremy Paxman

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/567031409306912161/

'A Peep under the iron curtain' by British cartoonist Illingworth published in 1946 by Daily mail, in response to, and support of, Churchill's speech.  

http://www.vice.com/read/nilfer-demir-interview-876

Photograph of a three-year old boy's dead body washed up on a turkish beach. The boy drowned when the boat his family were travelling in capsized as they tried to flee to Canada. 

Both of my images record important moments, both past and present, in politics. I selected the quote by Russell Brand as a part of researching why people choose not to vote in elections, usually the answer being a complete loss of faith in the current political system. 

Cultural

Definition: - relating to the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a society. - relating to the arts and to intellectual achievements.  

"They catch people's imagination, get appropriated by mainstream culture then die away" Alexis Petridis, in an article entitle "Youth subcultures: what are they now?" by The Guardian

http://www.beforethey.com/tribe/huli

Photograph of the Huli Wigmen, in Papau New Guinea. Part of a project called "Before they Pass away" in which photographer Jimmy Nelson travelled the world to document some of the last indigenous cultures still left today.

http://chineasy.org/basics/classes.aspx

Chineasy is a project created by Shaolan Hseuh and illustrated by Noma Bar. It aims to make Chinese easier to learn, and thus help to bridge the gap between East and West. 

I am interested in how the modern world is affecting culture and tradition. The images and quote I have chosen show how technological and industrial developments have affected culture in either a negative or positive manner. 

Technological

Definition: - relating to or using technology. 

"IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!

IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!

IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!

IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND!

HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!

HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!

HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE! 

HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!"

Exert from the poem 'Television' by Roald Dahl 

http://www.jeanjullien.com/work-137-allo-.html

An illustration by Jean Jullien that was a part of his solo show 'Allo?' at Kemistry gallery, London. This image comments on how technology can affectedly lead us to becoming asocial.  

http://www.richardprince.com/exhibitions/new-portraits/

Richard Prince's exhibition at Gagosian gallery, NY, featuring his recent work in which he made comments on and then rephotographed Instagram posts of various accounts. His use of these images without asking any of the account holder's permissions caused the exhibition to be controversial. 

All three of my responses demonstrate the different negative affects that technological developments have had on individuals and the public. 

Social

Definition: - relating to society or its organisation. - needing companionship and therefore best suited to living in communities. - an informal social gathering, especially one organised by the members of a particular club or group. 

"Happiness is only real when shared" a quote from Jon Krakauer's book "Into the Wild". 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2624164/

Part of a series of photographs taken by Eric Lafforgue on a visit to North Korea. All the photographs were banned as they contained forbidden subjects, this one shows a soldier trying to stop Lafforgue as photographs of the military were prohibited. 

http://www.jeanjullien.com/work-187-instagram.html

A piece of illustration by Jean Jullien identifying, and making humour of, the awkward situations that can occur when meeting people for the first time. 

In response to the word social I researched how we all naturally seek and crave companionship, the structures and codes of society that we all abide by to be a part of it, and closed societies that have isolated themselves from the outside world.