1) Read: Sherry Turkle’s Article “Construction and Reconstruction of Self in Virtual Reality”
2) Blog: Summarize what you believe the main ideas are in Turkle’s article. Then, state whether you agree or disagree with her and why.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Exploitation and Pornography
Group Work and Blog (for casual presentation in next class): Select one of the works and/or artists below to research on the Internet, on television, in film, in magazines, or in other media. Please note that some of these images might be considered particularly shocking or disturbing (they are marked with asterisk*). 1) Describe the work briefly and explain the ideas you believe are intended. 2) Describe your personal reactions to the work. 3) Discuss ways in which the work is exploitative and/or non-exploitative and why. How do you define exploitation? Would you consider some of the images to be “pornographic”? How do you define pornography? We will discuss some of them in class. Remember to include images in your blogging.
1) Sally Mann’s photographs of her children
2) Shelby Lee Adams’ images of Appalachian families*
3) Vanessa Beecroft’s performances
4) Robert Mapplethorpe’s X Portfolio images ***
(contains homoerotic and sado-masochistic imagery)
5) Jessica Loseby’s shockwave piece entitled Textual Tango
6) Nudism: Lutz, Florida, is the nudist capital of the U.S., with several luxury resorts such as Caliente and Paradise Lakes. Travel Naturally is a nudist magazine.
6) The Intruder (web site by Natalie Bookchin)
7) Introduction to the television show Crossing Jordan (A&E).
8) A true crime show that examines “evidence” (your choice)
9) News photos with graphic depictions of the body (your choice)
10) A video game that focuses on the body (your choice)
11) A film that features the body graphically (your choice)
12) An ad that features the body prominently
13) Pornographic images that do not feature nudity compared to those that do. (Discuss how you are determining what is “pornographic” and provide examples.) ***
14) Imagery of violence to the body that you consider to be exploitative, contrasted with violent images you consider to be non-exploitative (Discuss the contexts of these images and how you see them as different)
1) Sally Mann’s photographs of her children
2) Shelby Lee Adams’ images of Appalachian families*
3) Vanessa Beecroft’s performances
4) Robert Mapplethorpe’s X Portfolio images ***
(contains homoerotic and sado-masochistic imagery)
5) Jessica Loseby’s shockwave piece entitled Textual Tango
6) Nudism: Lutz, Florida, is the nudist capital of the U.S., with several luxury resorts such as Caliente and Paradise Lakes. Travel Naturally is a nudist magazine.
6) The Intruder (web site by Natalie Bookchin)
7) Introduction to the television show Crossing Jordan (A&E).
8) A true crime show that examines “evidence” (your choice)
9) News photos with graphic depictions of the body (your choice)
10) A video game that focuses on the body (your choice)
11) A film that features the body graphically (your choice)
12) An ad that features the body prominently
13) Pornographic images that do not feature nudity compared to those that do. (Discuss how you are determining what is “pornographic” and provide examples.) ***
14) Imagery of violence to the body that you consider to be exploitative, contrasted with violent images you consider to be non-exploitative (Discuss the contexts of these images and how you see them as different)
Naked and Nude
Read “Representing the Body” assignment; complete the summary & blog:
Summary: Set up two columns on a sheet of paper: one called “naked” and the other called “nude”. On one side, list the attributes Berger refers to as belonging to a “naked” image, and on the other side, list attributes that Berger refers to as belonging to a “nude” image.
Blog: Find a historical or contemporary image (in a magazine or on the Internet) that you could clearly describe as “naked” or “nude” based on the article you have read. Write a paragraph in which you 1) identify it as naked or nude, 2) describe the image, and 3) explain why your description qualifies it as naked or nude, based on Berger’s article. Include an image in your blog. Be careful! His definitions are probably different from your own. The “nude” is not a “classy naked lady”—it is the objectified state.
Summary: Set up two columns on a sheet of paper: one called “naked” and the other called “nude”. On one side, list the attributes Berger refers to as belonging to a “naked” image, and on the other side, list attributes that Berger refers to as belonging to a “nude” image.
Blog: Find a historical or contemporary image (in a magazine or on the Internet) that you could clearly describe as “naked” or “nude” based on the article you have read. Write a paragraph in which you 1) identify it as naked or nude, 2) describe the image, and 3) explain why your description qualifies it as naked or nude, based on Berger’s article. Include an image in your blog. Be careful! His definitions are probably different from your own. The “nude” is not a “classy naked lady”—it is the objectified state.
"Virtuality and Events: The Hell of Power"
1) Read: Baudrillard’s “Virtuality and Events: The Hell of Power” (parag 1-14) and the Steve Kurtz case (Google it or see http://www.caedefensefund.org/).
2) Blog: Summarize what you believe are the main ideas in Baudrillard’s writing. What is your personal response? How do you believe Baudrillard’s article relates to the Steve Kurtz case?
2) Blog: Summarize what you believe are the main ideas in Baudrillard’s writing. What is your personal response? How do you believe Baudrillard’s article relates to the Steve Kurtz case?
“Soft-soaping Empire: Commodity Racism and Imperial Advertising”
Read “Soft-soaping Empire: Commodity Racism and Imperial Advertising” (paragraphs 1-15)—from Imperial Leather: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Colonial Contest by Anne McClintock (download .pdf).
Blog a summary of the article, and then give a personal response. How many different kinds of soaps do you use? Advertising tells us they are embued with what kind of magical powers? Give at least one specific example that you explain well. What other fetishized objects take on fetish powers in your life? Explain.
Blog a summary of the article, and then give a personal response. How many different kinds of soaps do you use? Advertising tells us they are embued with what kind of magical powers? Give at least one specific example that you explain well. What other fetishized objects take on fetish powers in your life? Explain.
Your Paper
Tell us what your ideas you have for your paper. Freewrite about some of your ideas. If you haven’t really thought about it, now is the time to get serious. Then, create a quick outline for the paper that includes:
- Thesis statement
- Body Paragraph #1 topic sentence
- Body Paragraph #2 topic sentence
- Body Paragraph #3 topic sentence
(possibly more)
- Thesis statement
- Body Paragraph #1 topic sentence
- Body Paragraph #2 topic sentence
- Body Paragraph #3 topic sentence
(possibly more)
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Field Trip: Museums
Blog about one to three works of art you saw that interested you. If you can find the images online, include them. Describe what you saw and why you believe the artist made some of the choices made (for example, medium, formal elements, content). What ideas do the pieces you saw at the museum communicate? Remember the lesson we had in class on elements and principles, as well as the analysis exercise we shared. Respond to other classmates who have selected the same work and are posting comments about it.
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