Category: Media Studies

Mainstream Media and Religion

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The content of mainstream television these days is by and large determined by the conservative political agenda. This phenomenon is at its most visible in the United States and somewhat mellowed down in other advanced societies of Western Europe. Needless to say, developing and under-developed nations have poor freedom of expression in mediums such as television and print journalism. In the three weeks of attentive television watching, I focused on the news station CNN. The continuous watching and analysis of the programs, some overarching themes and operational frameworks for news content are discernible to me. The following passages will outlay the same.

One of the dominant issues dealt with by CNN are American politics, with the date of elections to the Senate getting nearer. Although the panel discussions centered on politics do not treat overtly religious themes, there are many instances of religious connotations and symbolisms. It appeared to me that, without any . . . Read More

Land Art Movement: Spiral Jetty and Tree of Life

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The foremost common feature between the two works is how they embrace the theme of nature. Both of them are exemplary specimens of the ‘Land Art’ genre and they attempt to extend human imprint onto the natural world and vice versa. For example, Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty is an audacious attempt to create an artificial spiral jetty on the edge of the iconic Salt Lake in Utah. The spiraling quay-like structure spans nearly 1,500 feet in an anti-clockwise fashion. The land art ‘sculpture’ can be construed as a tribute to the unique ecology of the saline lake. Indeed, the choice of mud, basalt rocks and salt crystals were based on their complementary qualities. For example, the basalt rock is naturally black and the salt crystals are of various hues. Together they present a mosaic like appearance. Apart from this attention to aesthetic detail, the Spiral Jetty is of great utilitarian value. Not only does the construction please the eye, but it serves as a medium for . . . Read More

Kurt Schwitters: Artworks & Biography

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Kurt Schwitters is an important German artist of the early twentieth century. Not only did he pioneer domains like graphic design and collages but also contributed significantly to a multitude of art forms. Indeed, his artistic interests were so varied and multifarious that it spanned a spectrum of written, spoken and visual arts. This essay will present a short professional biography of Schwitters, with a focus on his graphic design and collages (Merz Pictures), as well as his collaboration with Dutch colleague Theo Van Doesberg. 

Schwitters is one of the early exponents of the Dada style of drawings and prints. Despite his mastery of this form, he was perceived as an outsider by other proponents of this style. For example, in 1919, he was officially rejected by Tristan Tzara and fellow Zurich Dadaists for perceived bourgeois sensibility in his works. Although art is supposed to remain above and beyond politics, Schwitters’ association with the bourgeoisie continued . . . Read More

Szpilman family’s disintegration in The Pianist (2002)

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There are several scenes in the film which show the Szpilman family’s gradual disintegration. When German troops invade Poland and make rapid inroads, the Szpilmans were still hopeful that the foreigners will be soon driven out. But formal Polish resistance to the Nazi advance turns out to be very weak. Within a month Poland surrenders and strict controls were imposed on civilian life. But even during this stage the Szpilmans are very much together. Their major concern at this point is not security but sustenance. While the threat of raids by the secret police makes life edgy, the Szpilmans still have the comfort of the family to keep aloft their spirits. 

Even when all Jews are ordered to move to the Jewish ghetto, the family is hopeful of quick military intervention by Britain and France. After the annexation of Poland, the Nazi command had ordained that no Jewish Poles can run businesses or work where they choose. As a result, the Szpilmans were forced to sell off . . . Read More

Is Language Unique to Humans?

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 Version 1:

Language is a uniquely human faculty. It is true that all animals communicate with each other through sounds, smell and body language. But by definition this sort of communication is not language. Simply put, language is defined as words linked to objects and concepts. The words in turn can be chained into sentences that follow grammatical rules. Some species like parrots and chimpanzees can be trained to understand sentences used by humans. However, this is a one way communication they could not reciprocally ‘speak’ or express themselves in a broad range. What gave rise to language in humans is the need to represent human ‘action’.  Beyond this utilitarian purpose, through evolutionary mechanisms language has now developed into a tool for imagination and abstract thought. 

Version 2:

Several species of whales, monkeys, birds and lizards have been shown to communicate using their language of signals. Yet, . . . Read More

Protestantism and Capitalism

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When we study the roots of Protestantism, we find that it the product of the dialectic between liberal values and conservatism. At the heart of this great theological confrontation was a political debate. When Martin Luther posted his famous 99 theses on the doorsteps of the Catholic Church, his was an act of rebellion against perceived authoritarianism by the extant official order. The theses were based on commonsensical criticism of the flaws and excesses accrued by the Catholic tradition. (Morgan, 2002, p.56) One could consider the theses to be an early modern political document, second only in historical import to the Magna Carta. 

As Schofield Clark observes, the founding principles of Protestantism have led to the Protestantization of modern societies. Take say, the value of individualism. (Clark, 2002, p.8) It is a value that is strongly equated to advanced industrial societies. The concept is used in Occidental discourse as the opposing principle to . . . Read More

Stop Making Sense (Talking Heads – 1984): Review

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The 88 minute long rock concert video Stop Making Sense is a path breaking work of the genre.  It superbly combines the spontaneity and energy of a live concert with the thoughtful orchestration of a recorded event. The concert movie is both visually and aurally satisfactory. An operative keyword that defines the entire video is ‘presence’. The creative team tries to actualize lead singer David Byrne’s philosophy of music-making as an active and in-the-moment experience. Consequently, the performers are all seen ‘experiencing’ each and every song on stage, instead of passively ‘singing’ it to the audience. In this approach to music-making, there is strong communication and reciprocity with the audience. The latter seem to absorb the underlying philosophy and quickly graduate from being detached spectators to active participants. This phenomenon is observed in how, after an indifferent response during the first half hour, the audience quickly gets into the groove . . . Read More

Abstract Expressionism: Bird’s Eye View by Rolph Scarlett

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Painted in 1947, the work in question is a fine example of abstract expressionism. The work could be read and interpreted in more than one way. But the most obvious reference following from the title is that of a cityscape, with its attendant congestion, uniformity and chaos. 

Being an example of expressionist art, the mood is the foremost aesthetic component in the work. The painter uses a couple of devices to illustrate his intentions. It also invokes a somber mood, consistent with the condition of human alienation common to city-dweller. This darkened mood is expressed through an apt choice of colors. In particular, the use of red, black and dark blue serves to show how urban lifestyles leave individuals feeling secluded. The juxtaposition of dark and light hues gives the illusion of cramped spaces – both in geographic terms and as a metaphor for the state of mind of a city-dweller.

We can also see in the painting how a cityscape is illustrated . . . Read More

Dreamgirls (Musical): Synopsis, Characters

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The main theme of the musical is about the rollercoaster nature of showbiz, especially that of pop music. Based on the 1960’s and 70’s rise of this genre, the musical attempts to capture all the drama and encumbrance that celebrity brings. It tries to capture the paradox of how high fame can create high-stakes for those involved. In this heady atmosphere, ego clashes, fluctuations of fortunes and changing trends take a toll on the players involved. As a result there is manifestation of greed, egoism, mistrust, jealousy and insecurity aplenty. Yet, there are also expressions of such admirable human traits as grit, determination, resoluteness and worthy ambition.

One of the main points of conflict in the musical is the one between Marty and Curtis as they both claim patronage of Dreamettes. The two men who played a key role in the rising stardom of the all-female pop band act possessively toward their protégés. They both believe that they have earned some unarticulated . . . Read More

Circles in a Circle by Wassily Kandinsky

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The work of art chosen for this essay is Circles in a Circle by Wassily Kandinsky. This oil on canvas painting was first exhibited in 1923. It has dimensions of 38 x 37 inches approximately, excluding the frame. The work is a fine specimen of Modern Art. As the explanatory note accompanying the exhibit says, the artist, by way of using rulers, compasses and optically perfect circles, opens up a new sensibility to the art form. Similar to fellow American artist Manierre Dawson, Kandinsky’s style and substance was “based on coordinates and curves suggested by parabolas, hyperbolas and circles so familiar to engineering students.” (Petroski 29) Although Kandinsky was never formally trained as an engineer, he seemed to have possessed an intuitive grasp of the subject. Far from being an one-off experimentation in the subject, the themes of geometry and precision are recurrent in his whole corpus of works. Starting from the 1920s, Kandinsky developed a unique style, . . . Read More