Iconology and Semiotics Comparison Essay Example

Iconology and Semiotics Comparison Essay Example Iconology and Semiotics Comparison Essay Iconology and Semiotics Comparison Essay 11/11/2013 Edgar Gomes Prof. Brooks, Art History and Appreciation II Art Paper # 2: Iconology and Semiotics Comparison We as humans all have an item or two that has been passed down or inherited. Whether it is from a family member or a close friend, we have received something that has a deep meaning and/or tells a story about someone or something that extremely relates to ones self. The meaning the original object or story holder has, does not mean it is understood by others who hold the same story or object. As a 2 years old kid, I received a tiny sphere shaped black stone pendant, with white polka ots and gold plates on the north and south points. As I got older and was explained what it meant to our culture, I started understanding and appreciating it as I grew older. The sphere is supposed to protect the person who receives it from all evil and bad luck. It is usually given to the children from the mother or a close family member. Also the purpose and meaning is defeated if someone gives their selves the sphere. To other cultures, or people I am sure the sphere is considered Just a gifted sphere from someone with nothing else but an object and over seen as such an intangible meaning and beliefs. In the art world this situation is consider iconology and/or semiotics. During this paper I will be discussing how I think iconology and semiotics are very similar. In our everyday lives we go through things we dont know the meanings of or how it came about. Iconology is a great deal of this concept. Iconology is the study of visual imagery and its symbolism and interpretation, especially in art, social and political terms. This term was given by the Erwin Panofsky (1892 1968) when he published Studies in Iconology during 1939. In Panofskys study of art objects and images there are 3 points. The 1st level is as simple as identification. For example, if I showed you a picture of a man with armor on his body and sword in his hand, you are going to automatically identify the man as a warrior without anyone telling you that. The 2nd point is connecting artistic patterns with concepts, themes or conventional meaning. This step is linking what you know about the artist patterns based on theme and concepts. His 3rd point is probably best explained when quoted, It is apprehended by ascertaining those underlying principles which reveal the basic attitude of a nation, a period, class, a religious or hilosophical persuasion qualified by one personality and condensed into one workl . In other words Panofsky is saying that we have to use our own interpretation from common knowledge of the art product in order to comprehend it. If I asked anyone to think of and draw an old school cowboy, I would most likely have the same description of one as they would. He would have mulatto/dark skin, bow and arrows, fit/muscular body and a gentleman on a horse. However, if I asked for someone to think of a modern cowboy, they would think of the latest Caucasian, wild west, big ough hands, horse riding, with a gun on the waist or ankle holster and whos an asshole to most people. I am sure these are the image that comes to most peoples mind who thinks of those two different cowboys. This here to me is a great example cowboys thru pictures, art, movies and stories. The items/obJects and descriptions of the cowboys are icons to us and how we relate to who they are and what period of time it is. Semiotics is the study of symbols, signs and interpretation. In other words, it is the observation and use of signs and symbols. In the art worlds the nterpretation is all about the audience/viewer. Whatever it is they intake and digests about the art work, symbol or signs is what matters in this case. Semiotics happens to use in an everyday life basis and some of us dont even know or care for. Just as iconology, it has to do a lot with cultural, religion, nation, and period in time. All those points that connect iconology and semiotics are Just plain knowledge and experience in my opinion. With both having very strong similarities as one basically makes the other. Also it wouldnt be far fetching if someone can said they basically make each ther. I would not disagree with someone that says that because I find that totally acceptable. With iconology comes a symbol and representation of what you know and can identify with a person or a thing. That meaning comes from the persons logic, knowledge, culture, nation and period in time. In my opinion, the only little difference from the two mythology is where the person has no info or knowledge personally or given of the art work. For example, in 1943, Pablo Picasso described this to photographer George Brassal about his Bulls Headii artwork, Guess how I made the bulls head? One day, in a pile of objects all Jumbled up together, I found an old bicycle seat right next to a rusty set of handlebars. In a flash, they Joined together in my head. The idea of the Bulls Head came to me before I had a chance to think. All I did was weld them together [but] if you were only to see the bulls head and not the bicycle seat and handlebars that form it, the sculpture would lose some of its impact. 2 This is why I believe that both mythologies are so similar and feed off one another. In iconology terms this object could be a symbol that people have seen most nd relate the most from before throughout their life time, and it would most likely and up signifying a bicycle which most people have seen and relate to, appose to a bull. At the same time, someone can get to that same conclusion using Semiotics because if all one sees visually is what they had experienced in the past, which in this case I am sure most people have seen and dealt with a bicycle more than a bulls head. So naturally those people are going to relate to the sculpture as a bicycle. Experience and knowledge has a lot to do with these two mythologies and how one reacts visual, emotionally, and mentally. Another example I can give about how these two are very similar but yet a bit different is on the title. Without the title of the art work, there is no telling what a persons idea of the sculpture would be. However, given the title, which would affect the iconic knowledge of a person, people would surely have the idea that the sculpture is a bulls head. That little difference of where someone or something tells you what something means can be the difference in how you intake something solely based on your own opinion, emotion, or knowledge. To conclude, iconology and semiotics have extreme similarities but however do have a mall difference in my opinion. They actually even collaborate with each other because seeing and understanding something means you need the base knowledge of something. Something involving iconology is when an icon or object has been given to you over time with other art work knowledge, which is sometimes slightly perspective of the art work can be different since is Just based on the persons own emotion, knowledge, experience and time. As the example that I gave earlier about the Bulls Head, The mythologies are so similar that they basically lead to the same utlook and view on how one might end up getting the same perspective of the art work. However, they are still a tiny different and a small change to the detail as the title being given. Also knowing that Picasso was a Spaniard, and having the very common knowledge that it is a yearly tradition that they have the running of the bulls in Spain, can make the difference within the two mythologies. i Cape Verdean spirit sphere/ball pendant ii Penrose, Roland (1981). Picasso: His Life and Work, Third edition. University of californta press. p. 345. ISBN 0-520-04207-7.

The Common App - New Questions for 2013

The Common App - New Questions for 2013 The Common Application keeps a-changing! This admissions season we have both a new word limit (650, increased from 500) and new question choices. Here are the questions you will be asked to choose from if you are applying to college this fall: Some students have a background or a story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn? Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you? Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community or family. As pointed out by the Huffington Post, these questions are designed for you to demonstrate what you would contribute to your college class. What is special about you? What character do you possess? What are your values? What’s important to you? Do these questions seem daunting? Said one of my clients, â€Å"These questions all seem so theoretical!† He did not know where to start. Allow me to make a suggestion: Consider that these questions are only theoretical if you don’t know what you want to say in your essay. Once you choose a topic, I’m willing to bet you can find a way to talk about it in response to one of the five Common App questions. There’s a trick for interview preparation where you write a list of things you want to talk about, and then use whatever questions the interviewer asks to say what you wanted to say. It’s an art to succeed in this method, as you do need to answer the question (you can’t answer a different one). Let’s look at an example as it applies to the Common App. Let’s say you want to talk about your love of music and what it’s like to perform. You could answer any one of the Common App essay questions and say what you want to say. Perhaps your musical abilities are central to who you are (#1). Perhaps you played a wrong note in a concert, or struggled in some other way as you learned (#2). Maybe your parents or teacher wanted one thing for you, and you wanted another (#3). Is the stage a place where you feel completely at peace? If so, maybe question #4 is for you. And certainly if music is important enough to you for an essay, you might have some accomplishment there that marked a transition to adulthood (#5). As you consider how your topic might apply to each question, you might learn something about yourself you didn’t know before! â€Å"OK,† you might be saying, â€Å"Now the questions seem less theoretical, but I’m still daunted: If I could write a great answer to every one of the questions, how do I possibly choose which one to answer?† I would suggest outlining a response to as many of the questions as you think you might want to answer; then evaluate which question allows you to express yourself most fully. In which answer do the most aspects of yourself get revealed? And, perhaps most important, which answer is most interesting to read? Important: The most interesting answer will not necessarily be the easiest to write. It might be less straightforward and take more thought and creativity- which is exactly what admissions committees are looking for! What if I don’t have a topic in mind? If you don’t have a topic you know you want to write about, try going through the questions one by one and having a conversation with someone (most likely someone other than your parents) about how you might answer each question. Brainstorm ideas and see what arises. Give it some time. Sleep on it. Have conversations with more than one person. You might discover a topic you didn’t know could become an essay! And of course, if you’re still stuck, it might be time to work with a professional essay coach. The Essay Expert would be happy to help!