OUGD501 Task 5 - Design Ethics (Triangulation)

Using the texts Garland, K. 'The First Things First Manifesto (1964); Poyner, Lasn et al (2000) ' The First Things First Manifesto 2000'; Poyner, R. (2000) 'First Things First Revisited' and Beirut, M. (2007) 'Ten Footnotes to a Manifesto' write a triangulated critical analysis of two media images (works of graphic design / advert / TV commercial / publicity poster / magazine cover / news story). This analysis should discuss the ethical role of the designer, and ideally should compare one example of 'ethical' design with another 'unethical' one. 

The idea that the advertising and marketing industry have let consumerism dictate the importance of their concepts and designs is on that has been discussed by Ken Garland in 'The First Things First Manifesto (1964), Poyner, Lasn et al in ' The First Things First Manifesto' (2000), Poyner, R., in 'First Things First Revisited'(2000) and Beirut, M. in 'Ten Footnotes to a Manifesto (2007) All of these authors have commented on how consumerism has changed what it means to be a designer, a profession which has now been associated with a money-making agenda. For example, Garland was the first to assume anti-consumerist stance in 'The First Things First Manifesto' in 1964 and made the point that "we have reached a saturation point at which the high pitched scream of consumer selling is no more than sheer noise. We think there are other things more worth using our skill and experience on", insinuating that consumerism is not where a designers priorities should lie, and that their work should have more purpose than to sell products. This point is supported by the claim that "Commercial work has always paid the bills, but many graphic designers have now let it become, in large measure, what graphic designers do. This, in turn, is how the world perceives design. The profession's time and energy is used up manufacturing demand for things that are inessential at best" (Poyner, Lasn et al 'First Things First Manifesto' 2000).

This notion implies that designing with a purpose has been made redundant due to the greater wealth that can be gained by consumerist design. Both these authors have agreed in each manifesto that an alteration needs to be made in favour of more purposeful and ethical design. The images above show two examples of ethical advertisements, and two that are considered unethical, created for "a mental environment so saturated with commercial messages that it is changing the very way citizen-consumers speak, think, feel, respond and interact" (Beirut, M., 'Ten Footnotes to a Manifesto' 2007). This style of advertising capitalises on points made by John Berger, that the public is hypnotised by what they see as humans have a basic instinct to trust their eyes. The first two examples of Heineken ads give the viewer a thirst for something refreshing, and this effect has been made with purely visual connotations.

However, of the second two, the first makes an attempt to counteract it's sexism by using a woman to take advantage of it, while the second has openly racist implications in it's slogan. However, "'consumer-culture is an oxymoron' is one of those aphorisms so pleasing one accepts it unthinkingly" (Beirut, M., 'Ten Footnotes to a Manifesto' 2007), so in cases similar to this, viewers are being led to believe something simply because they don't want to argue. This point is secured by the notion that the world is now so surrounded by design that the public do not care about the message, perhaps leading to an idea of "designers being engaged in nothing less than the manufacture of contemporary reality" (Poyner, R 'First Things First (Revisited)' 2007). While this may be the case in much of the modern world, all authors have expressed "hope that our society will tire of gimmick merchants, status salesmen and hidden persuaders, and that the prior call on our skills will be for worth while purposes" (Garland, K., 'The First Things First Manifesto', 1964) and perhaps then the concept of design will return to substance over style.

OUGD501 Women and the Gaze Task

Write an analysis of a media representation of femininity and Women and the Gaze, referring to "The Look' by Rosalind Coward.

Dior's 'J'Adore Dior' television advert is not only painting a lifestyle image for the public, but also a very distinct female image. The way in which this differs from other perfume adverts is that this one makes light of the supposed lifestyle that comes with the perfume. Some other examples exhibit a ridiculously luxurious lifestyle that comes in conjunction with the purchase of their perfume but such quotes as 'A limousine is a car' and 'gold is cold' implies that this perfume brings life to things that are otherwise obsolete, an slightly differing approach to the perfume ad 'norm'.

However, using a sex symbol such as Charlize Theron as the model, a woman considered beautiful in the modern world, has allowed for the male consideration to come into play despite this ad being aimed at women. They have made her out to be a very available and sexualised woman, and the exaggerated movements when tearing off her jewellery no doubt remind men of women in a more sexual environment. It puts forward the notion that "entertainment as we know it is crucially predicted on a masculine investigation of women, and a circulation of women's images for men", and this aggressively sexual sequence is one that a man responds to, consequently followed by a woman, understanding the male response.

In terms of 'The Look', Coward implies that looking is not neutral, nor is it innocent. This example is only half in support of that notion as the gazer is challenged by Theron's expression and supposed determination, only breaking her glance to remove something that she is wearing at the time. In this sense, the gaze could be considered neutral, however, in this instance, Theron's returning gaze seems to be the one with the objective, whether it implies a sexual objective or otherwise is left up to the viewer. For women, she appears confident and sexy but to a male eye her expression could be in conjunction with their view of her. According to Coward "women often feel embarrassed, irritated or downright angered by men's persistent gaze", which this particular advertisement is not in agreement with. This example is much more supportive of the claim that "fantasy women stare off the walls with a look of urgent availability".

Something left in the open in this example is how the woman came to own the items she is disregarding. The fact is that anyone who is aware of Theron is aware that she most probably acquired these items through her own doing, but in this fantasy, it could make reference to how men "hold the key to our psychic well-being, our social success, and indeed to whether or not we will be loved", and ultimately, this sequence is a fantasy. It evokes a consistent implication of 'sex-at-a-distance', which "is the only complete secure relation which men can have with women. Perhaps other forms of contact are too unsettling".

While the objective of this campaign may not be in conjunction with Coward's view, the manner in which the advert has been constructed could arguably be directed at a male audience, with females feeding off their reaction (or expected reaction) to it. Women responding to this are responding to the desire to be the ideal woman and "because the female body is the main object of attention, it is on women's bodies, on women's looks, that prevailing sexual definitions are placed". No matter how much Theron may objectify The Gaze, this commercial supports the notion that "the 'aesthetic sex' is the subordinate sex because beauty like truth is one of those empty terms, filled by values of a particular society at a given historical moment".

Design For Print Progress Crit

After todays crit, I was advised to rethink my concept, as my intentions for creating a newspaper/magazine weren't relevant enough to the brief. I have been wanting to incorporate a newspaper format into a brief for a while, and this may not be the appropriate context for that format.

The main processes I wanted to involve in my information pack are Screen Printing, Embossing and Foiling, so I decided to go ahead and focus on these processes and their individual considerations.

After deciding to alter the format, I had the idea of creating a selection of individual packs for each process, with considerations, directional instructions and examples included within each.

I'm really interested by the various counterparts that have gone into the construction of this info pack, and has made me consider the elements I want to include in my pack:

- diagrammatic instructional guide through the processes

- what formats this process works for and why you should choose/not choose it for varied formats

- some purely aesthetic examples for inspiration/reference

- a small miscellaneous product, such as a sticker or badge with appropriate slogan

This info pack for Glenside hospital are packs tailored specifically for the doctors and surgeons within the hospital with the information they need as oppose to the visitors. In doing this, it is clear that the information included is of a high level of importance.

I love the construction of the packaging of this example, and is a good representation of information for a design school, as it consciously exhibits design skills in its make up.

Similarly, I find this packaging could be very appropriate to my new concept and would allow for all of the various elements to be packed together determining process.

The construction of this pack allows the packaging to determine it's functionality and act as a guide through the pack. This would be interesting for a print process as they do all have fairly strict guidelines.

Looking at some of these examples of what I consider to be effective and innovative representations of information did put my previous concept into perspective and lead me away from it. I wanted to avoid booklets, but when I decided this is was with the idea that booklets would form the whole pack, however by breaking it down into packs determined by process I can include a lot more with conscious relevance to the one process.

OUGD501 Study Task 4 - The Gaze

Using the text Coward, R. 'The Look', write one critical analysis of a media image (advert / TV commercial / publicity poster / magazine cover / news story) which, in your opinion, constructs a particular type of gender sterotype, or reflects the dominant patriarchal concepts of gender, critiqued in the lecture 'The Gaze & the Media' (31/10/13). Use at least five quotes, referenced according to the Harvard system, in support of your argument.

Fragrance advertisements often seem to be one of the biggest advocates of the concept of 'The Gaze' in advertising, perhaps because they're selling something the consumers can't see or prove. The only way this product can be sold is through convincing their audience that they want/need to buy it through their marketing. The advertisement above is directed at men on more than one level, one being that the product is drawing the male models attention away from the woman, and another that he is being submissive of the woman, giving the audience permission to gaze upon her. In this instance "the look confers power; women's inability to return such a critical and aggressive look is a sign of subordination, of being recipients of another's assessment: (Coward, R., ‘The Look’ in Thomas, J. (e.d) (2000) p.34).

The idea that "men's scrutiny of women is just part of the natural order" (Coward, R., 'The Look' in Thomans, J (e.d) (2000) p.34),gives the audience a further impression that they can acceptably view this woman as an inferior, partially because the man in the image is almost dismissing her for the product. The fact that you can only see a fraction of her face and that she is clearly very engaged with the male company enhances the myth that certain types of women are controllable and available, giving the viewers permission to engross themselves in in a "sex-at-a-distance" fantasy, "the only complete secure relation which men can have with women. Perhaps other forms of contact are too unsettling"(Coward, R., ‘The Look’ in Thomas, J. (e.d) (2000) p.34).

While in this particular image it may not be the case, often when 'The Gaze' is inflicted upon a male audience it does transfer over to the female audience. In some other cases it may appear that "the female body is the main object of attention, it is on women's bodies, on women's looks, that prevailing sexual definitions are placed. The 'aesthetic' sex is the subordinate sex because beauty like truth is one of those empty terms, filled by the values of a particular society at a given historical moment." (Coward, R., ‘The Look’ in Thomas, J. (e.d) (2000) p.35). Sadly, much of the time, females will respond to these conventions of beauty, and so, in this instance, it's difficult to tell how 'beautiful' the woman is, but to the featured man, it would appear not beautiful enough to justify giving her attention over the product. It is the man that has been made to appear insatiable, and worth her obsession in spite of his lack of interest, the reason being that he is wearing this cologne.

"Strict control over women's sexuality seems to be a characteristic of a male dominated society. Marriage, for instance, often operates to secure women's labour and reproductive capacity to the advantage of men" (Coward, R., ‘The Look’ in Thomas, J. (e.d) (2000) p.35). The implication of this is that if women are not being physically controlled as they are in some cultures, then they are being emotionally controlled, convincing then that they need men's affection. The featured advertisement seems to work in conjunction with this idea, but as a society we cannot claim that women don't also use their power as the "object of attention" in other forms of advertising.

OUGD501 Lecture 4: The Gaze and the Media

"According to usage and conventions which are at last being questionned but by no means being overcome - men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at" - John Berger 1972

This quote implies that women see themselves in comparison to the way other women are presented in the media. Women eternalise the Gaze and view themselves as other women are viewed.

Hans Memling - Vanity

By including a mirror in the image, in which the woman looks herself, it insinuates that it is okay for the viewer to be looking at her too. The reflection is not that of a realistic angle for where the mirror is placed and shows a warped image of her.

Mirrors have been often used in the media and photography. The placement of the mirror in this image allows the viewer to look at her without any resistance, as she is busy looking at herself.

Alexandre Cabanel - Birth of Venus

In this image, the woman is openly sexual in her stance, particularly with her head thrown back, which again allows the viewer to look at her uninterrupted as she can't see them.

Sophie Dahl for Opium YSL

This initial image to be used for the campaign embodies the same sexual elements as the two before it. Her hand position and head thrown back exudes sexuality but again allows the viewers to gaze upon her.

Initially considered to be too overtly sexual, this image was turned on it's side to reduce the sex appeal of the image.

Venus of Urbino

It could be interpreted in this image that the woman is unaware of the gaze from the viewer, and similarly, we are unsure if her left hand is positioned in such a way to cover herself, or to express a more sexual act.

Manet - Olympia

This image has been compared to Venus of Urbino, fitting the same composition, but a very different impression from it. The woman in this, thought of to be a prostitute, is much more challenging of the gaze from the viewer and it is not as comfortable to look at her. Similarly in this image, the hand seems to be much firmer as oppose to the inviting nature of the previous image.

Ingres - La Grand Odalisque

While this image is considered more modest than the previous images, there is a sense of mystery about the other side of her body.

The image has been recreated for Guerrilla Girls, interrogating the viewer about nudity in art. It questions why women are considered the models for art, and not taken seriously as creators.

Manet - Bar at the Folies Bergeres

The image above is an interpretation of the composition of Manet's painting. This photograph exhibits the rule of thirds, separated by the edges of the mirrors. We have to be reminded that we're not looking through a window but it continues the theme of the male gaze, this time shown in the actually image.

This image has made a point of the female being minimally dressed while surrounded by fully dressed people going to work, none of whom are reacting to her semi nudity, which normalises the idea of a nude female form in society. The use of the sunglasses is used as a tool to allow the viewers to gaze upon her without their stare being challenged.

Eva Herzigova - Wonderbra

This advertisement was blown up to a billboard size, which fits the stance of the woman looking downwards, but also gives another opportunity for people to look at her, since her gaze can't return theirs.

The Gaze and male objectification

In this image the man's eyes are closed and he is positioned in such a way that implies he could be asleep, meaning that there will be no objection to the viewer looking at him.

The amount of ads painting men in this light is substantially fewer than that of women, as it is more often that men return the gaze. Women are considered more passive figures while men symbolise power, so it is unlikely that they will be exhibited in a vulnerable manner like this one.

Films often suggest that the females are not leading roles, but are positioned to react quite passively to the men in the film.

In a dark cinema room, people can be comfortable knowing they are not easily seem and so are able to observe what is on the screen without any feeling of shame or guilt, allowing for an opportunity to use female objectification in film.

Artemisia Gentileschi - Judith Beheading

This is one of few examples of females being portrayed quite unusually, as they are in control and taking action over a male figure. The painter, a woman, is trying to make the impact of women more obvious, since they are often left out of some elements of art history.

G. Pollock 1981

- Women are 'marginalised within the masculine discourses of art history'

- This notion supports the 'hegemony of men in cultural practice, in art'

- Women are not only marginalised, but they are supposed to be marginalised.

Cindy Sherman - Untitled Film Still no. 6

Sherman made a point of saying that her intention was not to challenge the gaze, but her work does this in its own right. Again, the image has been rotated as she was very reclined in the original, and in doing this the focus shifts to her face. She is sitting in an awkward position, holding a mirror that she is not looking at, which eliminates the comfort that viewers would find in that (as in Vanity).

Barbara Kruger - Your Gaze Hits The Side Of My Face

This image is more challenging of the notion of the gaze than of the gaze itself, and gives viewers the opportunity to contemplate the social aspects of the concept of the gaze.

Sarah Lucas - Eating A Banana

This image is challenging the viewer, who would be under the assumption that this action is presented to them with an underlying innuendo. Lucas is gazing back at the viewer with a more aggressive expression, implying that she knows what they're thinking and is boisterously challenging it.

Sarah Lucas - Self Portrait With Fried Eggs

The more comedic element to this image is completely counteracted, before anyone can find too much humour in it, by the open challenge of the returning gaze.

Tracy Emin - Money Photo

This image was constructed to make a mockery of people who didn't agree with the money that Emin was making through her work, and has posed it as an implication of prostitution.

Caroline Lucas MP June 2003

This photo was taken before Lucas was asked to remove the T-shirt as it violated the dress code of the house of commons, in spite of the Sun being available for purchase there.

"I'd say it's a constant undercurrent, when women write about feminist  issues or are exposed in a lot of media for speaking out about sexism they tend to get a barrage of abuse and threats" - Lucas

Criado-Perez argued that as the Equality Act 2010 commits public institutions to end discrimination. She received up to 50 death threats a day via Twitter, including threats of rape and murder. Although she reported the abuse, police lost evidence and she was forced to delete her account.

The woman who protest or speak out against the objectification of women are consequently met with violence. Proposing and pushing the idea of putting women on banknotes was considered a method to place women into history.

This headline wiped away anyone's memory of a female winner, who won only a couple of decades ago.

This suggests that a female victory has been erased from history because a man won.

Social networking is used to perpetuate the gaze of men/the media. It plays on teenagers body consciousness, and potentially carries on those perceptions to adult life.

Susan Sontag - On Photography

- 'To photograph is to appropriate the thing photographed.'

- 'The act of photographing is more passive observing. Like sexual voyeurism, it is a way of at least tacitly, often explicitly encouraging what is going to keep on happening.'

Paparazzi shot of Princess Diana

This image shows how Diana was constantly of interest to the paparazzi, eventually resulting in her death. This implied that the female form is nothing more than an image that will interest the public.

Reality TV:

- Appears to offer us the position as the all-seeing eye - the power of the gaze.

- Allows us a voyeuristic passive consumption of a type of reality.

- Use of editing eliminates the concept of it being reality.

- Contestants are aware of how they represent themselves.

- Began as an experiment, but changed the way people thought they were being seen and looked at by others.

The Truman Show - Peter Weir

This film explores the concept that the world that people construct over other peoples views of them is a false identity.

Big Brother makes voyeurism an everyday occurrence. We can see the contestants and they cannot see us, but still they hold onto and play up to the knowledge that they are being looked at.

"Looking is not indifferent. There can never be any question of 'just looking'." - Victor Burgin 1982