Visual Cultural Industries Analysis - Literature review Example

Visual Сulturаl Industriеs Аnаlysis Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Top of Form Bottom of Form Visual Сulturаl Industriеs Аnаlysis Introduction Visual culture refers to the observed or created visual creation of the world (Mina and George, 2007). Visual culture helps people think across culture in a more critical way. At the same time, one is able to express himself and let his audience understand given concept that he is delivering (Kins, 2009). Human beings are different in many ways. The differences prompt people to have unique ways of expressing themselves. In the same way, visual culture is different. There are both conceptual or geographic macro and micro visual cultures. This essay seeks to discuss the evolution of visual culture including the changes that have taken place. In order to ensure that this objective is met, the essay will review one of the funding bodies and exhibiting entities in visual cultures. A cultural festival will as well be used to illustrate the aim of this work. Definition and Overview of Visual Culture The meaning of visual culture has been controversial for a long time. Different scholars give contradicting definition of the same. Visual culture is regarded as the shared practice of a particular community, group though which meaning is depicted by visual, textual or oral representation (Dasgupta, 2006). Therefore visual culture defines the way a given society leads its life and how it ties its shoelaces, how people eat, dress and the total representation of lifestyle. Further, visual culture should not be understood as a set of things or components but it involves practices and processes, illustrating how people define themselves in the society (Ligood, 2014). At the same time, visual culture is neither a static activity nor science. Based on the above observation visual culture is the analysis of the looking process. Through looking practices, Visual culture enables people to be engaged in both communicative and symbolic activities (Shields, 2009). Visual culture also defines the effect of agents of cultural activities on mankind. The agents make people feel, look and act in a particular way. The visual culture cuts across many different media. In this respect, visual culture can be felt in advertisements, all kinds of digital media, Television, the industries of science and medicine, photography, film, fashion, as well as signage, among others (Collins, 2006). If one runs through such varied media, it is clear that evolution of images is real such that ideas can be transferred and that images are not fixed but open for different criticism and interpretation, which is done through the viewer’s eyes and convinced though the artist’s influence. Therefore, it is the content of the images that affect the response and the kind of criticism from the viewer (Kendall, 2006). It is also through this that a certain aspect of visual culture can be relevant to other media, as well determining how the viewer’s previous experience, the exposure of the same and illustrate the aspects of the images that bring meaning. Many elements affect visual culture. These include history, race, geography, religion, technology, economy, as well as culture (Petersen, 2010). These are the same aspects affecting human kind in different ways. It explains why some observable visual cultures are collectively the same, globally. However, the differences in visual cultures can be seen in various advertising campaigns that promote the same product across varying geographical regions. A good example is the global band of coca cola that one can observe varying advertising approaches of the same product in different areas. The National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria usually knows, as the NGV is an art museum located in Melbourne. The museum was established in 1861. In Australia, it is the oldest public museum. It is operated in two distinct locations, NGV International situated in St Kilda Road, which is near in the Southbank’s Melbourne Arts Precinct. The second site is the Ian Potter Centre, which is situated at Federation Square. The former was established in 1968 while the latter was founded in 2002 (Wolper, 2013). The museum is proud to have more than 70,000 artworks across the world. There are many institutions associated with the museum such as the National Gallery of Victoria Art School, which was established in 1867 and has been the center of one of the most accomplished artists in Australia (Murphy-Berman, 2003). Some of the collections found in the museum include the indigenous Australian art of aboriginal nature. Others include the colonial Australian art and Impressionist as well as the modern, 20th century and the contemporary Australian art. In 19th and 20th century, Australian domestic art developed massively especially due to Heidelberg School1, which gave the NGV an opportunity to add more flavor to Australian art. The Australian artifacts added to the museum were primarily from the imported styles of Europe. Besides the Australian collections, the NGV also have a wide variety of international encyclopaedic collection of artwork. The international collection include Mesoamerican art, photography, antiquities, fashion and textiles, decorative arts, drawings and prints, Pacific art, Asian art, sculpture, as well as contemporary art. The facility also consists of strong collections in diverse areas such as Egyptian artifacts, Greek vases, historical European ceramics and old masters. The museum has the largest and most detailed range of Australian artworks in the country. The History of Visual Culture and the Latest Developments In most cases, People tend to see visual culture as a new phenomenon that generated with this millennium. However, the reality is that visual culture has an immense history depicted with images and other visual artistic elements. The correct version is that the search for the space in the visual art can be dated back to antiquity. Since then, visual art has fitted into the art history of immersion and illusion. The aim has all along been to tell about a phenomenon and helping people understand the same in a visual reality that goes beyond the hype. In every epoch of visual culture, there was a deliberate attempt to explain an issue using the most technical means that was available. However, the most common method of visual communication was the use of drawing and painting especially in the pre-industrial period. These traditional visual expressions were instrumental in achieving illusion. They came to be helpful to artists especially in frescoes such as in the Villa dei Misteri in Pompeii as well as the gardens of the Villa Livia, which is near Primaporta, including Baroque and Renaissance illusion panoramas and spaces. This were some of the most developed forms of illusion that were achieved through the use of traditional methods of painting as well as the mass image medium prior to the use of film. As mentioned above, many changes have and are taking place as far as development and advancement of visual culture is concerned. This has made people define ways of looking at visual arts in many ways to discern the meanings (Minkov, 2011). It must be admitted that these development has been highly contributed by the technological development. Some of the most focused visual representation includes published images, for instance those found in magazines advertisements and in journals. This means that communicating information through visual culture has necessitated the business environment and d understanding information in a wider spectrum. The analysis of such images in the current art against a particular background assists people to be able to make a well-informed criticism of implied and political meanings of information. In addition, fashion and design has also been highly improved (Parvis, 2007). A good example is that through the media of dressing, one can observe the utilization of transferred prints, images and graphic images. All these aspects can influence human beings in varying degrees, as well as perpetuating positions of ideas in the society. In addition, advertisements have made use visual aspect in the promotion of products. Through such advertisements, one can be able to observe all manner of juxtapositions including the use of classical art against robots. Further, the use of body scans has created new as well as controversial images about the physicality of human beings. The advancement of technology has played a great role in ensuring that such developments can take place. Innovation of new ways of doing scientific research based on empirical information has been contributed by visual culture. Furthermore, the use of textual information and graphics has been observed in packaging of more prolific products such as cigarettes, which consequently create images that are powerful for the audience (Chemerinsky, 2012). Additionally, introductions of digital media have taken visual culture to unimaginable levels. A good example is the use of digital media in electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods as well as the internet. The digitization of social media is a step to reckon with in the current transfer of information (Ayers, 2005). It has created unprecedented speed in the transmission of images as well as proliferation. In this respect, development internet related programs and software have made tremendous changes in the visual art (Roberts, 2011). These include, Whatsup, Facebook, Instagram or twitter, to mention but a few. These platforms are used in sending instant visual images and textual information. The latest technology has as well meant well for the visual artists since the audience or the targeted market can access their information at the fastest speed possible. It is also through such technology that artists are able to use programs in editing and developing their work. The attitude of the society regarding the cultural diversity has also changed (Warwick Mules, 2000). This refers to the historical understanding of culture as a platform used by artists to separate the elites from the rest of the world. Art and culture was used to show the stronger aspect of a given society in the world. In most cases, images would be used to mock enemies and competitors. A good example include the before, during and after the World War I and World War II. The main objective was to ensure that the enemy or rivals developed fear and retreat from any aggressive move (Brislin, 2008). The elite classes, using the economic privileges and influence were able to patronize as well as supporting the classics in literature, music and art, which was referred to as the high culture. On the other hand, the low culture was mostly associated with poor and less privileged in the society. These included the use of comic books and photography. However, the art of Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol, as well as The 60’s Pop Art Movement, came to revolutionize visual culture including such notion (Lawrence, 2000). These efforts made the ‘low’ art images become the high art images, which is now used as such. In view of the above observation, it can generally been agreed that instead of the divisive visual cultural work witnessed in yester years, the current situation is that visual culture has been to unite the society (Banff Centre for the Arts, 2003). This has partly been contributed by the globalization and technology. On the same breath, visual culture is used to propagate divisive agenda and causing fear among the public. A good example is the issue of terrorism, which has affected almost every nation in the world. It therefore calls for all stakeholders to ensure that visual culture is properly utilized to bring unity and peaceful coexistence, which is the main objective visual culture and art. Differentiating Between Visual Culture Studies and Image Studies While the picture remains a point of convergence in visual society studies, it is the relations in the middle of pictures and customers that are assessed for their social centrality, not simply the picture all by itself Jane (2010), Martin Jay illuminates, "In spite of the fact that pictures of assorted types have since quite a while ago served as representations of contentions made desultorily, the development of visual culture as a field has permitted them to be analyzed all the more in their own particular terms as mind boggling figural antiquities or the stimulants to visual experiences. Moreover, W. J. T. Mitchell unequivocally recognizes the two fields in his claim that visual society studies "helps us to see that notwithstanding something as wide as the picture does not deplete the field of visually; that visual studies is not the same thing as picture studies, and that the investigation of the visual picture is only one segment of the bigger field Screen Australian This is one of the recognized funding bodies of visual cultural artwork in Australia (Parvis, 2007). The main objective of screen Australia is to promote the local content by funding various projects done by artists. These include the development and production of artwork as well as marketing. In addition, the most profound contribution this institution has achieved is the development of Australian talent and the promotion of screen production business in the country. These projects are funded to professionally trained practitioners who need to have some experience in the industry, though this depends on the program under consideration. Some of the projects include filmmaking, which has tremendously grown in Australia. In addition, the intuition also funds live events. All these are aimed in promoting art and the artists in Australia, and more so development of visual culture. The Australian Film Commission (AFC) was an Australian government organization with a command to advance the creation and appropriation of movies in Australia and additionally to save the nation's film history. It additionally had a creation arm in charge of generation and authorizing of movies for the Australian Government. It was set up by the Whitlam Government in 1975 as the successor to the Australian Film Development Corporation set up by the Gorton Government. The AFC had workplaces in Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. The AFC was supported partially by the national government and to some extent from its arrival on interests in film creation and also enthusiasm in video form improvement advances. It fiscally helped film and TV generation furthermore created movies by and large proposed for government purposes, through its creation arm, Film Australia, beforehand known as the Commonwealth Film Unit (Jane 2010) A Film Australia highlights film for youngsters, Let the Balloon Go, and was discharged in 1976. In 1998-99, Film Finance Corporation Australia was situated up as an administration possessed partnership and assumed control over the significant part of financing element film and TV generation, with the AFC focusing on the subsidizing of advancement, promoting and examination work for the media. Film Australia turned into a different substance. At that point in enactment in 2008, the Australian Government made another organization, Screen Australia, which combined the significant government film bodies Film Finance Corporation Australia, Film Australia, and the Australian Film Commission once more into a solitary body, though with somewhat diverse capacities, parts and financing strategies. Screen Australia began working in July 200 Interpretation of Visual Images and Symbols In art images have a great and significant effect on one’s perspective of the world. It is from childhood that one’s brains are able to use the images available to him to get what is happening in the environment (Shore and Warden, 2008). These images later end up being either false or true, depending on how one interprets the same in his life. However, these can well be illustrated with the idea of representation that is observable in everyday cultural mediums including television and advertisements. It is good to understand that representation refers to how people interpret images and symbols of a particular culture as well as the way the same images explain the reason why the world is the way it is (Pratt, 2010). Therefore, no one is exempted from representing since these images and symbols are available in different cultural mediums on a daily basis, even the society puts strict restrictive measures. This is because in some instances a given group of people in the society may be excluded from coming across some representation. This could depend on the age, tribe, and beliefs among other issues (Gerston, 2007). A good example is where children underage are not allowed some material on the screen including advertisements, which makes them unable to relate with such images and thus interpretative connection of the same. However, the reality prevails that in almost every form of visual media, there is an inclusion of photograph, which cannot be disputed as an evidence of an event (Feeley, 2008). The myth of truth concerning photography exists where photographs are considered as subjective but they can be contextualized to depict a given meaning. A good example is the photograph that was taken during the holocaust2 by the Nazi. In these photographs, it is shown that Nazis killed millions of people. However, different connotative meanings from the same photographs could be taken (Hall, 2013). Different people based on their culture, beliefs or experiences could derive these connotative meanings. These could include the view that the photographs are justifiable, in favor of Nazis’ actions, while some could see them as horrendous. The above connotative attachments could be taken as the ideological views of the majority of the people in a given society (Barker, 2007). This means that culture is defined by the ideological beliefs. These beliefs and ideas are passed from one group to another, and taught to become culture. It also indicates that one’s culture can easily be affected by his interpretation of what he can see. This has been the case in many ads, which are done on the screen and written materials. However, despite varying ideological interpretation of visual cultural elements, it is good to analyze the same as one of the learning tools to understand the world that one is living in. According to Tichenor, ‘‘One may see things in different light or an image might take upon new meaning once its meaning is analyzed and truly understood. Through the process of representation, psychoanalytic theory, and photographic truth, one may find a completely new world in the very one that they live in’’ (Tichenor, 2010). Melbourne International Film Festival In Australia, visual culture is developed in many platforms (Laiho, 2010). One of these is the Melbourne International Film Festival3. This festival was founded in 1952 (Locklin, 2008). The event is held annually in Melbourne Australia. It is the largest showcase of the new Australian cinema and the largest festival about films not only in Australia but also in the entire southern hemisphere. It is evidently correct that since its inception4, the festival has played a great role in developing visual culture in that films that are screened in Melbourne go a long way in the world. Various communities, while at the same time depicting the world culture and its trend can watch them. The Melbourne International Film Festival is led crosswise over different venues situated in Melbourne and in 2013 the accompanying venues were utilized: Australian Center for the Moving Image, Forum Theater, Greater Union Cinemas, Mandala Festival Wine Bar, Hoyts Melbourne Central, the Arts Center Melbourne, Kino Cinemas, Wheeler Center, Village Roadshow Theatrette, and Speakeasy Cinema (Jane 2010). Since the year 1962 MIFF has managed to organize a short film competition, further is has been able to facilitate numerous movie awards classification. The body also tends to organize the audience with popularity awards for feature movies and documentary. The festival's inaugural award was 'Best Short Film', but the main theme was dubbed 'Grand Prix for Best Short Film' in 1965. Conclusion As the shared practice of a particular community, group through which meaning is depicted by visual, textual or oral representation as well as the observed or created visual creation of the world. Visual culture has been taken a notch higher by the continued technological advancement. These include the use of digital media and platforms such as Whatsup, Facebook, Instagram or twitter. They are used in sending instant visual images and textual information. However, these developments should be used prudently to serve their purpose of informing the society of relevant information rather than being used to propagate hatred. The future of visual culture is promising as more innovations are made in the industry. References Art. (2014). Costa Mesa: Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Ayers, M. D. (2005). Cyber sounds: Essays on visual music culture. New York: Lang. Banff Centre for the Arts (2003). Immersed in technology: Art and visual environments. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press. Brislin, R. W. (2008). Working with cultural differences: Dealing effectively with diversity in the workplace. Westport, Conn: Praeger. Barker, J. (2007). Why don't we communicate visually ? Communicating & connecting in relationships. Tigard, OR: Petersen Publications. Chemerinsky, D. T. (2012). Redefining Visual art. Washington: Art Institute. Collins, A. (2006). Shielded from knowing. New York: Pine Forge Press. Dasgupta, S. (2006). Encyclopedia of visual communities and technologies. Norwood Mass: Books24x7.com. Feeley E. M, (2008). Culture : Political Identity and Tragic Compromise. Ann arbor, Mich: University of Michigan Press. Gerston, L. N. (2007). Development of art ; A concise introduction. Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe. Hall, M. R. (2013). Understanding cultural differences in art. Yarmouth, Me: Intercultural Press. Kendall E., (2006). Reconceptualizing Visual art. New York: New York Art School Review. Lawrence, R. G. (2000). The politics of force: Media and the construction of visual culture. Berkeley: University of California Press. Ligood, M. R. (Ed.). (2014). Art theorists and their work (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Disagreement on visual culture e; New American journal of art study uncovers systemic problem. (2012, Jun 08). Business Wire . Laiho, A. (2010). Academisation of art education. Higher Education, 60(6), Journal of School Locklin, R. B. (2008). Visual Culture and art. Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press. Kins, B. (2009). Cultural differences and improving performances: How values and beliefs influence organizational performance. Farnham, England: Gower. Mina, N., & George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. (2007). Blogs, cyber- literature and visual culture in Iran. Garmisch-Partenkirchen: George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. Minkov G. H. (2011). Fashion and art. Bingley, UK: Emerald. Murphy-Berman, V. (2003). National Gallery of Victoria . Lincoln.: Univ. of Nebraska Press. Parvis, L. (2007). Screen Australia. Morrisville, NC: Lulu Press. Petersen, A. (2010). Improve your artistic skills. London: KoganPage. Pratt, J. R. (2010). The history of art . Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Roberts, K.A., Yamane, D. (2011).Technology and art. Pine Forge Press. Shields, R. (2009). Cultures of Internet: Visual spaces, real histories, living bodies. London: Sage Publications. Shore, J., & Warden, S. (2008). The art of agile development. Beijing: O'Reilly Media, Inc. Tichenor, J. D. (2010). The history of Art: Ideas, interests, and institutions. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. Warwick Mules. (2000) Visual culture, time and images: beyond representation. M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 3(2). Wolper, L. F. (2013). Cultural art administration. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Jane K (2010) a History of Visual Culture: Western Civilization from the 18th to the 21st Century: Amazon Publishers. New York City. Read More

If one runs through such varied media, it is clear that evolution of images is real such that ideas can be transferred and that images are not fixed but open for different criticism and interpretation, which is done through the viewer’s eyes and convinced though the artist’s influence. Therefore, it is the content of the images that affect the response and the kind of criticism from the viewer (Kendall, 2006). It is also through this that a certain aspect of visual culture can be relevant to other media, as well determining how the viewer’s previous experience, the exposure of the same and illustrate the aspects of the images that bring meaning.

Many elements affect visual culture. These include history, race, geography, religion, technology, economy, as well as culture (Petersen, 2010). These are the same aspects affecting human kind in different ways. It explains why some observable visual cultures are collectively the same, globally. However, the differences in visual cultures can be seen in various advertising campaigns that promote the same product across varying geographical regions. A good example is the global band of coca cola that one can observe varying advertising approaches of the same product in different areas.

The National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria usually knows, as the NGV is an art museum located in Melbourne. The museum was established in 1861. In Australia, it is the oldest public museum. It is operated in two distinct locations, NGV International situated in St Kilda Road, which is near in the Southbank’s Melbourne Arts Precinct. The second site is the Ian Potter Centre, which is situated at Federation Square. The former was established in 1968 while the latter was founded in 2002 (Wolper, 2013).

The museum is proud to have more than 70,000 artworks across the world. There are many institutions associated with the museum such as the National Gallery of Victoria Art School, which was established in 1867 and has been the center of one of the most accomplished artists in Australia (Murphy-Berman, 2003). Some of the collections found in the museum include the indigenous Australian art of aboriginal nature. Others include the colonial Australian art and Impressionist as well as the modern, 20th century and the contemporary Australian art.

In 19th and 20th century, Australian domestic art developed massively especially due to Heidelberg School1, which gave the NGV an opportunity to add more flavor to Australian art. The Australian artifacts added to the museum were primarily from the imported styles of Europe. Besides the Australian collections, the NGV also have a wide variety of international encyclopaedic collection of artwork. The international collection include Mesoamerican art, photography, antiquities, fashion and textiles, decorative arts, drawings and prints, Pacific art, Asian art, sculpture, as well as contemporary art.

The facility also consists of strong collections in diverse areas such as Egyptian artifacts, Greek vases, historical European ceramics and old masters. The museum has the largest and most detailed range of Australian artworks in the country. The History of Visual Culture and the Latest Developments In most cases, People tend to see visual culture as a new phenomenon that generated with this millennium. However, the reality is that visual culture has an immense history depicted with images and other visual artistic elements.

The correct version is that the search for the space in the visual art can be dated back to antiquity. Since then, visual art has fitted into the art history of immersion and illusion. The aim has all along been to tell about a phenomenon and helping people understand the same in a visual reality that goes beyond the hype. In every epoch of visual culture, there was a deliberate attempt to explain an issue using the most technical means that was available. However, the most common method of visual communication was the use of drawing and painting especially in the pre-industrial period.

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