Today we read “Viewers Make Meaning: Dealing with Aesthetics and Taste,” which discusses the concept of every individual having a different perception of a single image. Without getting too philosophical, this article made me think about the way we perceive the world around us. I have always wondered if colors look different to people and they just learn the different hues as “blue,” or “red.”
But I digress, Sturken and Cartwright define how an image is able to create meaning. They have decided that meaning can be created simply by following three points:
- codes and conventions that create the images can not be separated from the content of the image
- the viewers interpretation or experience with the image
- the context and environment in which the image is viewed
I kept getting hung up on the environmental influence that an audience can experience.
This is a unique concept, I believe, because we view images around us daily. For instance, if you saw a man wearing a cap and oversized sweatshirt in a jewelry store, it is likely that you would react differently to him if he was standing next to the Walmart jewelry counter.
This is the same idea as if you were to view a Monet painting in an antique store versus an art gallery. The quality of the piece is likely to be put in question if the painting is seen in the antique store.
Discussion Questions:
- Can you give another example of how your environment has changed the way you have perceived an image?
- What are some of the ways you can “experience” an image?
Dadgum Domestic 