Theory and Methods ARH 411

  The Cinema, Sexualilty and Social Conditions In the writing Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema author Laura Mulvey discusses Sigmund Freud’s stages of psychosexual development, scopophilia, and the mirror effect outlined by Jacques Lacan. Mulvey supports her acknowledgements of social conditions during the 70’s by comparing them to the effects created on and by the big screen. Women and luxury are definitely glamorized on the big screen along with the American dream which was especially glamorized during the 70’s and decades prior.  Scopophilia is quite literally the pleasure, joy or love of looking but more specifically it is described by the objectifying male gaze and this objectifying male gaze is almost always directed at women. In a way the object being viewed is being controlled by the gaze. In a cinematic setting the audience can gain control by putting themselves in the main characters shoes and living vicariously through them or the audience can gain control by c...

  Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? In the writing Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists, the author Linda Nochlin highlights the issues with women not being addressed in art history, the white western male view points presence in art history, feminine styles and auras of art. No women are referenced in ancient art history, only men like Michelangelo, very few women are referenced going into the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and we even struggle with presenting female artworks alongside mens artworks in the twenty-first century. Linda explains how the white male western viewpoint dominates what is seen as intellectual or in the art world influences what is great art. She also explains subject matter should not be compared or associated with style and even more so not be compared with femininity or masculinity.  The present day has acknowledged more female artists from the past and given them credit but they did not receive credit during their lifetimes ...

  The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction The writing The Work of art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Walter Benjamin explains the repercussions of multiple copies of an art work, the capitalistic effects of idolizing artworks and how technological advances have changed the aura of artworks. Benjamin's claims are fairly reasonable but at the same time individual preferences apply.  To begin Benjamin explains that a work of art can be reproduced, artifacts of one man can be imitated by another man and masters teach their pupils to replicate them. He further explains methods of replication like stamping, printing and photography. Benjamin also presents us with the question: how does replicating works affect their presence in time and space? He claims prints and photographs of works damage the experience that is afforded when you see the original work. He also claims multiple replications of a work contribute to its capitalistic value because many peopl...

  Visual Interpretation (Perception) In the reading Semiology and Visual Interpretation the author Norman Bryson references the ideas of the perception. Bryson emphasizes the use of signs and symbols to portray a message. He also highlights both ends of interpretation: the creator and viewer. Bryson’s ideals are easy to resonate with, as we all recognize iconic symbols with universal meanings as well as use them to communicate.  Bryson references John Ruskin at the beginning of his writing, Ruskins speaks of Joseph Turner, a romantic painter. Often Turner used the same device’s in his works to portray a specific design. Ruskin uses Turner’s work to explain the effects of associated memories with new perceptions, “... each new bridge Turner sees and paints reminds Turner of previous bridges… Turner’s new perception of a bridge brings with it the train of all the bridges Turner has previously perceived (pg 89).” Bryson then references the text Art and Illusion written by Emst G...

 Archaic Ideals of Beauty  In the article “Every man knows where and how beauty gives him pleasure” Beauty Discourse and the Logic of Aesthetics Amelia Jones describes a warped sense of beauty held by figures with a sort of authoritarian persona. I would have to agree with Amelia’s argument that the definition of beauty cannot be the same amongst everyone due to a social construct.  The title of the article is a John Ruskin quote. Ruskin’s quote is specifically chosen because it is a dual gesture. His quote acknowledges that beauty is subjective by stating “Every man knows…(pg 215).” While at the same time Ruskin callously naturalizes the definition of beauty. Throughout the piece Jones points out the theories of the men she referenced (Immanuel Kant, Johann Winkelmann, John Ruskin) contradict each other. Each theory just like Ruskin’s claims an authoritarian persona as if the author speaking/ writing it is correct in their definition of beauty and no one else is. Jones ...