Berger Reading Assignment

Berger Reading Assignment

1.       Before you read:

If I was going to draw a picture of a woman I would draw her facing the eye of the beholder or gazing off into the distance as if in deep thought. I choose to draw her facing this way because without showing some portion of her face you lose a lot of the meaning and purpose of the picture. Almost all communication is non-verbal so if you eliminate the chance for facial expression, or any visuals from her then you eliminate almost any chance of purpose or meaning in the picture. Also I would choose to put her in a scene of simplicity in order to make it feel real and like your there. The scene would be anything like a café or walking on a board walk in order to show the realism in the photo as well as allow her beauty to standout compared to everything else in the image. I would have her with clothes on because beauty isn’t all about a woman’s body. Another reason is in our day and age it can be offensive and rude to make such a picture so I would choose to use clothing in order to really focus on her face and its beauty while prevent any offense.

In the photo above it is a picture the actor Sean Connery and it appears he is in deep thought. This photo is a very dark mysterious one that can speak to you in many ways depending on your mood. When I say this I mean if you were mad or upset he might appear remorseful and at the brink of tears. Another example is if your happy or excited this may appear he is extremely thankful or in deep prayer. Male celebrities are often depicted in a way of professionalism and mystery which in a way is powerful and attractive to some women.

               

The photo above of the women is a very different style of photography not only from the one above but also just overall compared to male photos. There are male celebrities that take photos with little clothing or coverage if you will in order to be attractive but most will be professional. In this day and age the males are often depicted in suits or casual clothes when modeling because men are still looked at as the people with power, mystery and adventure. The difference as you can see in this photo is that women are depicted to be almost always sexual or posing for attraction. For instance in this photo she is wearing a casual dress but they turn It into a sex image when it is falling short on her leg and showing a lot of skin. Male and female celebrities model the same way a lot but women are sadly always being setup and used in images as a sex symbol instead of a symbol of professionalism or virtue.

2.       Summary

This article by John Berger is set on the definition and difference between men and women and how they are depicted. John talks about how mean are shown as powerful, strong, professional and better than women. He also speaks and argues how women have been depicted ever sense the beginning as a form of sexuality. He talks about the two forms women have often been depicted as which are either nude or naked. John argues that a naked photo, painting or drawing of a woman is a way of expressing her beauty and unconditional love for this person or through two people where as naked paintings and so on are a form of prostitution. He says that these are used as sexuality or a image of sex for men to observe and use to help remind them of their superiority. John talks about how ever sense the story of Adam and Eve men have been seen as the righteous and strong where women are seen as sinful, degrading or just an image. He explains how men simply observe or watch women and women are always watching themselves or watching other people watch them. Women have been affected by these paintings and forms of art all the way up to this day and age as you can see women always wondering if they look good, if their clothes match or if they are the ideal image of beauty. John feels that women were lowered to a symbol of sex and still are to this day while men have no problems or have to think of themselves as an image.

3.       Synthesis

This article is very similar to McCloud’s article about icons, symbols and the images we perceive. In both articles the authors talk about how these simple art forms from our past can have so much effect on our present. They talk about how different things or people can be an icon for something or just a visual of their subject of representation. John Berger talks about how women are an icon for sexuality and overall an image of sex. McCloud talks about how subjects are further depicted by imagery such as women representing sex. Also McCloud explains how these past simple forms although may be cartoons and comics it’s similar to John Berger and women representing sex. John is using McCloud’s argument to say how we identify women and covers to magazines as symbols for sexuality and what our day’s beauty while men still are seen for power and solitude.

1.       Questioning and Discussing:

I think that this was just how the paintings were done in that time period. People often kept with what was the norm or accepted and this was what women meant and stood for back then. They probably didn’t understand how women were truly being seen and affected by this but they knew how they wanted the image to look in order to send a specific message. I think that Berger would agree to an extent I think he feels that we all have almost accepted these images and symbols for what they are cause it is how they have always been done. Although I fell Berger thinks that it was more of specific purpose and the artist used or made it a certain way because that’s how women were supposed to be and appear and no way otherwise.

2.       Questioning and Discussing:

When I see images of girls in our present time on a pop culture magazine or even just on TV they are still depicted all the time as a symbol for sex. Women are always wearing little or no clothing and are posing and expressing sexuality through body language and facial expressions.  This is nothing like the nudes from back then because we are a society that has come to see sex as a hobby or source for money now and have lost morals and ideals of true art or showing love and passion for someone. Today we focus on sex and sex alone in our images but I think that our society has made efforts to change or lower the identification of women and models as sex symbols. I think we have done this by using censorship and there are images or times where you see a woman for something more like maybe smiling and posing with a family.

1.       Applying and Exploring:

I think that men are becoming more of a symbol of sex and beauty as women are it may not be high right now but I feel as though it is progressing. I say this because I see underwear modeling and bodybuilding and all these images of men who attempt to have the absolute perfect body. I think there is a generation gap between now and what Berger is talking about because men are becoming sex symbols although the majority is still symbols of professionalism and a provider. Men are still seen as more than sex or an attempt of beauty they are seen or depicted as perfection or a source of good looks, good style, and good body and so on. The generation gap I think is what causes the difference or causes Berger to see things a little differently because it was till a couple decades ago that men have started to be seen posing and representing sex or products of sex and passion.

3.Appyling and Exploring:

I agree with Berger to an extent I don’t think it is all about how she is positioned her body or which way she is facing but more so how the image is taken of her. I mean that is it a close up or is It far away? Is the image of her dressed and smiling or of her in underwear biting her lips? The way the image is taken and the way at which they are expressing themselves non-verbally is all that makes up what the image is or is trying to portray. Berger is right but he has it narrowed to body positioning and in my opinion especially through what our society depicts today it is so much more than that. Also like I said about what she is wearing or even where she is in the image affects how we see them or the message they send to us. The entire image has to be accounted for when trying to see and understand what message or idea is being conveyed.

3.       Article Evaluation:

I think that this article had some very good points and was very similar to McCloud’s. This article talked and used a lot of the concepts and principles he talked about but in more depth. I learned quite a bit through reading this especially on how women became the image they did and how and why they were depicted In center ways in the past. Berger also allowed me to think more in depth about imagery and its meanings and effects it has on us today and or society. I didn’t care for how it was written or some of the vocabulary it used as it was confusing at times and was very hard to stick with and try to relate. I think what was good though was the fact it used actual pictures and how artist depicted women in them and why this really helped me understand the concept artist had about women back then. I overall agree with this article as even still today women worry so much on their mask or outer image instead of what’s inside and not always because they want to but because that’s what society tells them and makes them think for their whole lives.