Connecting Images with Ideology

1) “The rhetorical discourse comes into existence as a response to situation” (Bitzer 5).

2) “…[O]ne use of iconic images is their appropriation to new contexts, where they function to create analogies that recall past momments and suggest new possibilities” (Foss 308).

3) “The palimpsest, a paper on which one written text has been effaced and covered by another represents writing again, written upon twice (Helmer and Hill 14).

 4) “Students need to learn to appreciate the power of images for defining and reinforcing our cultural values and to understand the ways in which images help us define our individual roles  within society” (Hill 116).

I chose these quotes because they collectly speak to the means in which images produce meaning. In fact, moving from Bitzer, Foss, and Hill, I immediately connected to one particular image.

1)     “The rhetorical discourse comes into existence as a response to situation” (Bitzer 5). In effect, the “discourse” came into existence after the release of  this Vogue Cover, Lebron James being the first black man to grace the cover.  Bitzer argues the rhetorical situation invites discourse, but could decay or result in no utterance. Supposably, viewers could have simply praised Lebron James and Gisele Bundchen for their accomplishments; however, due to the “nature of the artifact”, the response was less celebratory and more controversial.

2)     Viewers, I suppose, focused on the “presented elements” such as color, space, and medium. Other choices for the cover, even moreso, challenge meaning through the use of color.  When Jeff posted this image last week, I was shocked that this was a natural representation where the two persons chose to contrast themselves even more with their usage of clothing (possibly unintentionally), so of course I’m led, like many others to question the fabricated pose offered by the cover option.

 “…[O]ne use of iconic images is their appropriation to new contexts, where they function to create analogies that recall past momments and suggest new possibilities” (Foss 308). I made such anaology without the use of Jeff’s contribution of a recalled past, yet it perpetuates the iconic represention of race. It’s unfortunate, of course, that color is not simply a color, and for the case of Jeff’s photo, I can posibly see this, but for the case of Vogue, there are just too many choices to consider. Why this position; why those colors? If not a suit, Lebron James’ Heat uniform would have sufficed, and the array of bright colors used by designers, even red to match James’ ensemble would not have taken away from this model’s beauty.

4) Of course this led to even more associative meaning, as it relates to the “presented elements” of body position, to the “suggested elements” of King Kong. “The palimpsest, a paper on which one written text has been effaced and covered by another represents writing again, written upon twice (Helmer and Hill 14). Critics argued the cover rewrote the ideal of white supremacy and the scary, black brute longing for white women.

4)     When Lebron was asked about the photo, he saw nothing wrong. Now, I’m not suggesting that he has to see in this way, or feel racially conflicted in represntaing himself. I’m sure he was more focused on simply being on the Cover, reveling in such accomplishments. However in after glance, even when given the tools to see, and still not “see” the “possibility” of such representaion or repond, might suggest he lacks a certain cultural awareness that comes with visuals, which makes this statement more true: “Students need to learn to appreciate the power of images for defining and reinforcing our cultural values and to understand the ways in which images help us define our individual roles  within society” (Hill 116). The cover clearly recalled past momments, but knowing this during the production of photo, could have led to new possibilities.