The Message in the Medium: An Analysis of Graffiti with the Lens of John Berger
Historically, one’s possessions were depicted in oil paintings to display one’s riches as the paintings would entice potential spouses. Oil paints are used for they have the ability to create texture and communicate wealth. The medium of graffiti signifies rebellion … Continue reading →
Berger Tumblr Post
This is a bit late but here’s a cool little internet post that shows Berger’s observations in action.
Berger, Ways of Seeing
Video and slides from Jason Lieblang’s lecture for the Seeing and Knowing theme, February 2016.
John Berger and René Magritte
It seems odd that in our many discussions regarding John Berger’s art criticisms in Ways of Seeing, we never discussed the most immediate visual in the book: the cover. It is a painting by the Belgian artist René Magritte, and … Continue reading →
The Nude in Non-European Art
In the Way of Seeing, John Berger notes that the artistic convention of the female nude, women exhibiting their unclothed bodies in a way that increases the viewing pleasures of an unknown male spectator, is unique to the European oil painting tradition. To be nude, he contends, is … Continue reading →
Something is really bugging me about Berger
I have something to say that is really bugging me about Berger… I am currently writing on his pictorial essays, where he states that he wants to make the act of raising questions one that is absolutely natural. He wants questions being raised without any sort of unnecessary information getting in the way or infleunging […]
Ways of Femininity
In the novel Ways of Seeing, John Berger says that the expressions of the two women below are similar- and they are indeed similar. But does that necessarily mean that both images are a representation of offering up their femininity? I agree somewhat with Berger on the idea that their expressions looks similar, but to say […]
Sexual Objectification
When you look at yourself in the mirror every morning, think about who you’re looking at. You’re looking at you, a person with unique talents, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and so on. The issue with modern advertising is that sexually charged ads often take the “people” aspect out of the people they use to advertise their products. […]
Nudity versus nakedness
To this day, the naked body is considered unnatural. With the development of social norms and standards, civilization’s attitude toward nudity has fluctuated greatly. John Berger explains how “to be naked is to be oneself. To be nude is to be seen naked by others and yet not recognized for oneself”. In the past and […]
Men’s Ways of Seeing Women
Surprise, surprise, I’m talking about something feminist for my presentation, what else is new. I thought Berger pointed a lot of very profound things in the book, but chapter 3, the chapter in which he evaluated women in paintings, struck me particularly. Firstly, it was the voice that it was written in. It was surprisingly […]