GRAP 2030 // Week 5 // Online Tutorial Script: Criticism, Semiotics and Layers of Meaning

What is criticism?

“Few things will be more valuable to your practice than critique, whether hit comes from your own critical reflection or from peer / client / public commentary.”

Critique is important an important tool for you

When you are working on your own, you need to learn how to approach your own work and ideas with a critical mindset. Freely ideate and come up with possible solutions, then explore them but often take a step back and review them. Be honest. Does what you’re producing address the brief, the problem, do you understand the context in which the design will exist, can you do better, are there angles you haven’t explored?

When working with a team, you need to practice being open and honest with your critique of others work. The goal is not to “be negative” but rather to see where improvements can be made and to use your alternate perspective to inform a better outcome.

Criticism should have something to say but doesn’t necessarily provide the answers—it provides space for an informed discussion that might lead to further exploration. This is part of the reason why I, as a tutor, will ask more questions than I answer when critiquing work. 

"Critique is the informed judgement about the value and performance of design in context."

Anecdote regarding the rebrand of the Government organisation Capital City Committee.

Quote from Chris Thornton: “A designer can do nothing (at least with confidence) without first defining and understanding exactly who the audience is."

They wanted to be rebranded to have an identity of their own, and a way to celebrate the work that they do in bringing together the South Australian Premier and cabinet together with the Adelaide City Mayor to do better for the city. To gauge how they perceived their role we asked their staff members and stakeholders (people who are invested in or work with the Capital City Committee) a number of questions. Two of the questions were:

1. If you were a car, what car would you be and why?

2. If you were a colour, what colour would you be and why?

The responses were interesting.

1. Volvo—we’re not flashy, or known for going fast, but we’re safe and reliable and will get you there on time.

2. Beige—we provide a neutral background against which other departments are able to shine, like how you paint the walls of a house beige and allow the decorations and contents to provide context.

Definition of what is a designer?

So, you might amend your personal definition of “What is a designer?” to incorporate this suggestion that a designer is someone who also practices and engages with criticism.

Ellen DeGeneres participates in a critique of Bic Pens for Women by developing a mock-advertisement

This also seems to be an issue for Bic in missing the mark when it comes to making social commentary, as evident in their National Womens' Day image in South Africa, 2015, which featured an image of woman alongside the text 'Look like a girl. Act like a lady. Think like a man. Work like a boss.' This image received much negative feedback.

If the goal is to celebrate International Women's Day, what critique might you make of this image?

Bic’s failed attempt at celebrating women in the workforce on International Women’s Day followed immediately by BOSS’ critical response

Two methods of reading and interpreting images

Semiotic Theory with Charles Sanders Peirce

Signs and Codes

Image of Sign chart from van den Broek, et al. (2012, Chapter 5)

Iconic Signs

Demonstrates similarity with something else. Eg. A painting, photograph or pictogram which bears resemblance to the thing it refers to.

Indexical signs

Sign and object less closely related. Strong similarity to object but not a representation. For example, smoke meaning fire, scratchy red skin as irritation, fingerprints identifying a criminal

Symbolic Signs

Connection between object and sign is not obvious and interpretation of meaning is constructed through social agreement

Denotation and Connotation with Roland Barthes 

Image of Denotation and Connotation chart from van den Broek, et al. (2012, Chapter 5)

Denotation

Initial reading of an image—what is it? Base understanding developed with own understanding.

Connotation

Refers to an additional layer of meaning developed at a cultural level that may also imply the emotional value of an object. For example, what does the colour pink mean for you in the context of the Bic for Women? Each person will have a different interpretation.

Requires a number of levels:

1. Primary or objective denotation

2. Secondary or intersubjective denotation

3. Primary or cultural connotation

Then individually, secondary or subjective connotation.

Hearts collection (semiotic analysis)

Questions regarding hearts

• Are these images iconic, indexical or symbolic?
• Are they all the same?
• What do each of these hearts mean?
• What is their agreed cultural value?
• Does this value shift depending on context?

Vietnamese image has shorthand for atrocities of Vietnam War

This powerful image stands in for the horror of the Vietnam War, fuelled by Americas decisions to participate in what was previously an internal conflict. The second image is produced by the street artist Banksy, who’s work is often seen as social critique. In ‘Napalm’ or ‘Can’t Beat That Feeling’ (which is a slogan used by McDonald’s fast-food restaurant), the image becomes a provocative critique of corporate America’s globalisation and expansion from the 1970s onwards.

Activity

Discuss the Banksy image and / or the American flag through the lens of Semiotic Theory then Barthes’ Layers of Meaning (denotation and connotation) to discern the statement and its effectiveness.

If you have time, can you compare and contrast the message of both?

Is the message the same or are there subtle differences between them?