Unveiling the visual
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When thinking about how we understand art and cinema, Lacan, Barthes, and Berger all have fascinating takes that overlap in some interesting ways. Lacan's idea of the "gaze" helps explain how movies trigger our unconscious desires and shape how we identify with characters. Barthes, on the other hand, discusses photography and how certain images can strike a personal chord ("punctum") or relate to broader cultural contexts ("studium").
Then, there's John Berger, who wrote in "Ways of Seeing" that "seeing comes before words." He emphasizes how we're impacted by images before we even understand language. He challenges us to see beyond the surface and recognize how our cultural lenses shape what we perceive.
When combined, these perspectives offer a dynamic toolkit for understanding art and how it connects with our minds, emotions, and cultural surroundings. They show us how seeing is never just about the eyes, but about our whole being and the world around us.
Esther Son
April 2024
Then, there's John Berger, who wrote in "Ways of Seeing" that "seeing comes before words." He emphasizes how we're impacted by images before we even understand language. He challenges us to see beyond the surface and recognize how our cultural lenses shape what we perceive.
When combined, these perspectives offer a dynamic toolkit for understanding art and how it connects with our minds, emotions, and cultural surroundings. They show us how seeing is never just about the eyes, but about our whole being and the world around us.
Esther Son
April 2024