Communicative Semiotics in Everyday Life (Cultural Criticism – the image in the 21st century) A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English School of Arts Brunel University June 2014 DALEL FIDOUH This thesis is dedicated with the deepest love and everlasting respect to my parents. ii Abstract What am I seeing? What does it mean? This thesis addresses the transformations in cultural life in the 21st century due to the cultural dominance of the image, which resulted from the radical change and enormous progress in the media, communication and the development of information systems in the world. All this has led to changes in the intellectual structure, and an increased tendency to drift in all areas, and the emergence of a society and a culture governed by the culture of shock. The fundamental issue concerning the image is an epistemological issue, as we cannot distinguish between the visual image and the semantic product. We live in a world surrounded with stunning and spectacular visual images. We are overloaded with images from all types in our everyday life. We probably see images more than we read words. This thesis provides an analytical framework for understanding how images produce meanings using the semiotic approach. Semiotics is the most important approach that can be used to analyze all types of images. Semiotic analysis addresses images as signs which communicate meaning. The symbols used in signs are often culturally specific. This thesis indicates the focus of the receiver to adapt to this visual cultural situation, to be able to grasp the content of the new cultural discourse as it is present in all the details of the receiver’s daily life. There have been a number of questions that pushed me to accomplish this research, including: what are the elements of the culture of the image? What is its impact on the mental perception and production of semantic meaning? What is its reflection on the nature of social networking in general? The thesis discussed all of these issues. iii Acknowledgment Undertaking this PhD has been a truly life-changing experience for me and it would not have been possible without the support and guidance that I received from many people. I would like to thank my supervisor Dr. Nick Hubble for all his support, encouragement and excellent guidance. I would like to express my appreciation to my second supervisor Prof. Philip Tew, who provided valuable support to my research. Additional thanks go to Dr. Claire Lynch and Dr. Anshuman Mondal. I thank my father, Prof. Abdelkader Fidouh who cultivated my interest in research since I was young, along with my mother Malika, for their faith in me and allowing me to be as ambitious as I wanted, for their unconditional support. My sister Prof. Yasmina Fidouh, who always had faith in me, thank you for everything. My brothers, Habib and Amine, thank you for your support and encouragement. Last but not least, I am deeply grateful to Mouloud, for his unwavering love and support. iv Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgment ................................................................................................................. iii Table of Contents ................................................................................................................. iv Table of Figures ................................................................................................................... vi Note on texts used ................................................................................................................ ix Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: The image and the production of meaning ...................................................... 8 1.1 Communicative response to the meaning of the language of art .............................. 8 1.2 Visual discourse ................................................................................................... 21 Chapter 2: Iconographic Image ........................................................................................ 34 2.1 Public Art ............................................................................................................. 34 2.1.1 Language of Photography - Barbara Kruger ................................................ 37 2.1.2 The violence of the image ........................................................................... 39 2.2 The ideology of images ........................................................................................ 61 2.2.1 The image lies ............................................................................................ 61 2.2.2 Photography and the connotative meaning .................................................. 70 2.3 The culture of access ............................................................................................ 76 2.3.1 The advertising discourse ........................................................................... 76 2.3.2 Advertising as a culture of shock ................................................................ 88 2.3.3 Culture of stimuli access ............................................................................. 96 Chapter 3: Street Art ...................................................................................................... 107 3.1 Street blackboard ................................................................................................ 107 3.2 The wall as a shelter of rebels ............................................................................. 120 3.2.1 The open space ......................................................................................... 131 3.2.2 Visual protest: Banksy .............................................................................. 131 3.2.2.1 A painter of everyday life ............................................................. 131 3.2.2.2 Champion of peace ....................................................................... 131 3.3 Wall writing - Translocal Culture ....................................................................... 157 3.3.1 Wall newspaper ........................................................................................ 157 3.3.2 Walls as objection books – a culture of disapproval .................................. 164 v Chapter 4: Visual Semiotics ............................................................................................ 171 4.1 Image and visual perception ............................................................................... 171 4.2 Image between the signifier and the signified ..................................................... 180 4.3 Types of visual discourse production and subculture .......................................... 189 4.3.1 Perceptions of the image ........................................................................... 192 4.3.2 Image and production of surface ............................................................... 192 4.3.3 The aesthetic of appearances ..................................................................... 198 4.3.4 The production of fake images .................................................................. 204 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 217 Bibliography .................................................................................................................... 221 Images Sources ................................................................................................................ 239 vi Table of Figures Figure 1-1 Napalm - Ronald McDonald and Mickey Mouse 12 Figure 1-2 Christ with Shopping Bags 14 Figure 1-3 Dorothy Count 15 Figure 1-4 Famine in Africa 16 Figure 1-5 Smoking Kills 18 Figure 1-6 Calgon: Cop 19 Figure 1-7 Occupy London 25 Figure 1-8 Pulp Fiction 28 Figure 1-9 The Hurt Lock 32 Figure 2-1 Kim Phuc - The Napalm Girl in Vietnam 42 Figure 2-2 The Statue of Saddam Hussein 43 Figure 2-3 Fall of Baghdad 44 Figure 2-4 American soldiers posing with Iraqi detainees in Abu Ghraib prison 45 Figure 2-5 Vietnam War 50 Figure 2-6 Vietnam Monk Protest 52 Figure 2-7 Vietnam War Saigon Execution 54 Figure 2-8 Dorothy Count 55 Figure 2-9 Muhammad al-Durrah incident 57 Figure 2-10 Girl in the Blue Bra 58 Figure 2-11 Abu Ghraib Prisoner Abuse 59 Figure 2-12 Little Girl 64 Figure 2-13 Marines Make Valentine's Day Visit in Fallujah, Iraq 65 Figure 2-14 An old man kissing a soldier's hand 67 Figure 2-15 Bush Mission Accomplished 69 Figure 2-16 Famine in Africa 71 vii Figure 2-17 A starving girl 73 Figure 2-18 Famine in Chad 74 Figure 3-1 Occupy London 137 Figure 3-2 One nation under CCTV 139 Figure 3-3 Rat Stencil 141 Figure 3-4 You Lie 142 Figure 3-5 Lying to the Police Is Never Wrong 142 Figure 3-6 Pulp Fiction 144 Figure 3-7 Don't Believe In Global Warming 145 Figure 3-8 Christ with Shopping Bags 146 Figure 3-9 Napalm - Ronald McDonald and Mickey Mouse 146 Figure 3-10 Very Little Helps - Tesco Pledge Your Allegiance 148 Figure 3-11 Mona Lisa with Bazooka Rocket 148 Figure 3-12 Banksy at the West Bank barrier 150 Figure 3-13 Stable conditions 151 Figure 3-14 Armoured Dove of Peace 153 Figure 3-15 Sweeping It under the Carpet 154 Figure 3-16 Kids on Guns Hills 155 Figure 3-17 Banksy brings art to the streets