Task 3

I have 3 ideas on what to write my critical essay on.

1. Exploring the views of hierarchy and snobbery in use of typography. 

This could be done through a similar way Adorno talks about popular music. Main focus will be the Culture lecture and seminar, but also Marxism might be an interesting view to debate the class struggle and how this affects the base and superstructure.

2. Graphic Design vs. Fine Art. 

This would be pretty interesting... but do think I may give a one sided view. Again, the culture lecture and seminar would be useful when exploring this topic. Also I think Foucaults writings on Panopticism would be useful as I can look at how we act in certain situations and how this makes the gap between Graphic Design and Fine Art bigger.

Books I could use...

• Adorno, T. (1991) The Culture Industry: Selected Essays on Mass Culture. London, Routledge. (306 ADO) 
• Arato, A. and Gephardt, E. (eds.) (1998) The Essential Frankfurt School Reader. London, Continuum. (306.22) 
• Debord, G. (1994) The Society of the Spectacle. London, Rebel Press. (306 DEB) 
• Marcuse, H. (1991) One-Dimensional Man. London, Routledge. (306 MAR) 
• Strinati, D. (2nd edition, 2004) An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture. London, Routledge, pp. 45-76. (306.2)
• D'Amato, P. (2006) The Meaning of Marxism. Chicago, Haymarket Books. (335.4) 
• McClellan, D. (ed.) (2000) Karl Marx: Selected Writings. Oxford, Oxford University Press. (335.4) 
• Strinati, D. (2nd edition, 2004) An Introduction To Theories Of Popular Culture. London, Routledge, pp. 115-153. (306.2)
• Foucault, M. (1975) ‘Panopticism’ in Hall, S. and Evans, J. (1999) Visual Culture: the Reader. London, Sage Publications. (306.23)

3. Analysing and evaluating the effectiveness of suture in charity campaigns. 

I could explore the Gaze theory for this topic.

Books I could use...

• Betterton, R. (ed.) (1987) Looking On: Images of Femininity in the Visual Arts and Media. London, Pandora Press. (704.072) 
• Coward, R. (2000) ‘The Look’ in Thomas, J. ed. (2000) Reading Images. Basingstoke, Palgrave, pp.33- 39. (306.23) 
• Lutz, C. and Collins, J. (1993) ‘The Photograph as an Intersection of Gazes: the Example of National Geographic’ in Taylor, L. (1994) Visualizing Theory: Selected Essays from V.A.R. 1990-1994. New York, Routledge, pp.363-384. (306.23) 
• Mulvey, L. (1975) ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ in Hall, S. and Evans, J. (1999) Visual Culture: the Reader London, Sage, pp.381-389. (306.23) 
• Sturken, M. and Cartwright, L. (2nd edition, 2009) Practices of Looking: an Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford, Oxford University Press. (306.23)

The Gaze seminar

Jean Baudrillard and Hyperreality lecture

Brand are overpowering and can even change history. Coca-cola invented the Father Christmas we know and picture today. Since the late 1920's advertisements boomed by the use of magazines and graphic illustrations. The use of the hand-drawn allowed artists to be more expressive and bend the truth. We are still doing this today by Photoshop and 3D visualiser tools. Advertisers can create unrealistic realities which can be difficult to distinguish.

Illustration from Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol

Coca-cola Santa