Lecture 4 Notes - Communication Theory

Laxwell

Who says what to who, in what channel, to what effect.

Who is it who is passing on the message, via what context, be it telephone, letter or presentation and what is the result of this.

Traditions of Communication Theory (methodologies)

Cybernetic

Semiotics

Phenomenology

Trasmissional / Constitutive

Rhetorical

Socio-phsiological

Socio-cultural

Critical theory

Shannon & Weaver Bell Laboratories

Information Source > Transmission > Receiver > Destination

....................................................Noise........................................

"During the lecture i noted that this theory was interesting."

It made sense and was applicable to design context.

Client > Designer > Media Outlet > Audience

..............................Noise...........................................

"Graphic Design is the removal of noise"

Cybernetics / Weiner, 1948

Switch between mathematical, physiological, biological and social frames of reference.

> System theory

Semiotics

Signs communication.

Analyzing society as a structure.

Using the language of medicine as an example. The voice of science. They all work together to generate the impression of science, knowledge and cleanliness. (biological reference).

The design of these products follows this language. So what implications does this have on me as a designer?

Using semiotics to analyze and image. The aesthetics of colour, form and context.

> For more on this read into R. Barthes

Lecture 3 Notes

Lecture 2 Notes

Lecture 1 Notes

Panopticism Exemplified

We were asked to think of an example of panopticism in contemporary society and relate is back to a piece of text written my Michael Foucault. I chose something a little more obscure than CCTV or a lecture hall. I decided it might be intereting to consider the implications of hourse mounted police.

I was at a cup match at Wembley early last year and while walking back down millennium walk which leads directly form the train station to the entrance of Wembley Stadium it struck me just how many police there were present, especially after the match. There were probably somewhere in the region of 300 police men and women, over 40 of whom were on horse-back. They were stationed at regular intervals along the road acting as a toll booth-like barrier across the entire breadth of the road. Thousands of supporters were funnel through these small gaps which only allowed for about 2 people at a time to go through, our heads at the same height as their truncheons which rested at their sides. Together they had a clear view of everyone leaving the stadium, no crime, violence or disorderly behaviour would have gone un-noticed. For that reason there was a sense that we had to act a specific way. It certainly was a ‘mechanism’ that was created by the sheer number of police present.

"Inspections functions ceaselessly. The gaze is everywhere: ‘A Considerable body of militia, commanded by good officers and men of substance."

(M. Foucault, ‘Panopticism’ (P 76).

Another quote from Foucaults text on panopticism stood out to me.

"Behind disciplinary mechanisms can be read the haunting memory of ‘contagions’, of the plague, of rebellions, crimes, vagabondage, desertions…"

(M. Foucault, ‘Panopticism’ (P 78).

In years past there have been countless riots, acts of violence and crimes committed after and even before football matches especially. The presence of the horse-back police seemed to bring back the memories and stories that I had heard and seen of such events, and the crowd controlling measures that were used. Yes, with the police there we were safer from and violence against us. But to those people who dislike the police and are inherently violent at these events, the police presence may just be what they are looking for to spark off a riot.

"Whenever one is dealing with a multiplicity of individuals on whom a task or particular form of behaviors must be imposed, the panoptic scheme may be used."

(M. Foucault, ‘Panopticism’ (P 85).

Panopticism

pan·op·tic (pn-ptk) also pan·op·ti·cal (-t-kl)

adj.

Including everything visible in one view.

[From Greek panoptos, fully visible : pan-, with respect to everything, fully; see pan- + optos, visible; see ok^w- in Indo-European roots.]

panoptic [pænˈɒptɪk], panoptical

adj

taking in all parts, aspects, etc., in a single view; all-embracing a panoptic survey

[from Greek panoptēs seeing everything, from pan- + optos visible]

panoptically adv

The panopticism lecture was very interesting. It occurred to me mid lecture, “hang on why is the relevant to me as a graphic design.” But of course I realise it is now. I as a graphic Designer can use the idea of panopticism in my design practise. Controlling the masses with a piece of design or even using the theory as a way of getting people to think more about my designs may or may not be correct, but the idea seems quite to carry some serious implications of what is right and wrong, much like the panopticon itself. It truly does have implications ranging across the entire spectrum of design, from fine art to advertising.

In our follow up seminars we thought further about how panopticism was surrounding us in contemporary society. Even in the lecture theatre itself there was a clear example of it, with the lecturer at the font, with all the student in plain view, not one of use being able to act out of place without it being picked up on.

http://foucault.info/documents/disciplineAndPunish/foucault.disciplineAndPunish.panOpticism.html

Home Grown Exhibition - Manchester

I thought it would be useful to photograph all of the historical updates which guided you through the exhibition.

I thought these photos were really genuine, all people just enjoying creating the music and experimenting with something new.

This is an awesome example of a duotone double page spread. It is a nice piece of layout as well as reflecting the hip hop culture. Especially interesting as it is directly relevant so my colour and print mudule.

Foil blocking and embossing. Just thought it was anice combination of process, colour and substrate.

Ollie and Dave discussing some photography.

Atari, changed the way hip hop looked from the 80s onward. Still has strong implications on contemporary design.