Semiotics

Semiotics was the heart of this weeks seminar we're our lecturer Kristianne Drake really opened my eyes to the subject.


Definition


The study of signs, words, sounds, gestures and objects to understand how meanings are made and how reality is represented. 


Without going into too much detail there are three main ways in which we make our analysis: 

• A "linguistic" message - the linguistics can allure to both connotation and denotation in the analysis of the image.

• A “non-coded iconic” message - The denotations in the photograph: these are the recognisable/identifiable (the signifier) objects in the photograph.

• A “coded iconic “ message - The connotations (derived from the larger sign system of society:the signified) in the photograph.

Putting aside the lecture I've recently been re-introduced to the work of Gregory Crewdson who's tableaux photography invigorates the viewers imagination as they gaze at these astonishing images. His Twilight series consist of a series of photographs that creates tension, promoting fear and uncertainty in the heart of American suburbia. Untitled (Ophelia) 2001 was one photograph that truly caught my eye, perhaps it's due to Crewdson making an archetypal references to Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Gregory Crewdson, Untitled (Ophelia) 2001.

I was first introduced to the work of Gregory Crewdson throughout my post-sixteen education, and ever since I have fell in love with these outstanding tableaux images. It's fair to say that Crewdson is probably the source of my passion for photography and every time I see one of his photographs I feel somewhat compelled to produce a body of work. Although his photographs consist of characters throughout Crewdson is very much a landscape photographer, as his aim is to "penetrate the psychological disquiet at the heart of the American family." Contemporary art (2011) 

What I find most fascinating about his work is that I have to use semiotics in order to interpret what is trying to be conveyed. I notice that Crewdson uses both ambient and artificial lighting to create this 'cinematic' effect, I feel as if he's using this technique to take the ordinary photograph and submerge it in the world of cinema which has always had a relationship with surrealism. Further to this Crewdson's images seem as if they belong to a film yet they promote anxiety throughout, it's this in addition to the photographs of real places making the audience question what really goes on in American suburbia.

I would love to go on about his work, influences ect however I have ran out of time and will continue this later this week.

Bibliography  

Contemporary art,. 2011. Gregory Crewdson: Twilight. In: MarthaGarzon's blog [online]. 1st June 2011. [viewed 15/2/12]. Available from:http://www.marthagarzon.com/contemporary_art/2011/01/gregory-crewdson-twilight/