Mass Production of Culture - Report Example

MASS PRODUCTION OF CULTURE Name: Grade Course: Tutor’s Name: (September 08, 2011) Mass Production of Culture Introduction The world has been always very dynamic especially with the development of technology. Arts have also been very effective in the transformation process especially the development and preservation of culture1. Historically, art has been a form of preserving culture and many come to learn about their culture through forms of art such as music, pictures or artifacts. In the current generation development in technology has enable investors to be able to exploit the consumers through developing a hype culture. In fact, they can be able to modify the existing arts and make new cultures through digital reproductions. Theorists such as Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer have developed theories to explain this issue and they agree that mass produced culture posses a great danger to high arts. Culture has been used to exploit masses where it is used to cultivate selfish needs that are propagated by capitalism2. This paper focuses on the issue of cultural studies; specifically the issue of mass culture production. It discusses mass production of culture and how it allows the viewers to take on a critical perspective, in relation to digital reproduction of images. Digital reproduction of images Digital reproduction is an act that enables original images to be electronically stored, preserved and protected; this is essential since artifacts such as newspapers clippings, dairy, objects and original photos to be available electronically for any use. The technique involves the use of a digital camera or scanners that can enable transform the image to electronic3. When taking the images the individual may take different scans to cover the whole image if it is big; however it is recommended that if the digital camera is used one should use as many angles to take the photographs and also on different backgrounds so as to compare the photograph. The goal of Digital reproduction of images may vary from individuals but most aim as reproducing the image as it is; this includes the colors, flaws, contrast and shading. Other people aim at enlarging the image so as to make it legible and clear4. Figure 1: ‘Marilyn Diptych ’ (silkscreen on canvas, 1962)Tate Gallery, London http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/pop_art.htm 5 Digital reproduced images need editing to be able to achieve the intended purpose; indeed with the development of technology this is easy as long as the person has the skills and resources. After uploading the digital photograph or scanned image in the computer, then one can easily manipulate the image with the available software. Such software includes Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks, Corel draw, illustrator, windows picture viewer, and Nero among others6. The editor will edit and adjust the brightness, contrast, sharpness, light, shadow and color. This will make the image more enhanced by making the feature more pronounced or create a different image or form of art; in addition the image can also be transformed to a 3D form or better still add animation to completed amaze the audience7. The use of these digital reproduced images has enabled designers be able to transform the old generation portraits to new fashion that have been adopted by generations and become the talk of town and thus a popular culture. Designers are also able to combine several digital and handcrafted apparatus so as to create art works that have imparted on the cultures of societies through media8. These designs that are translated into mass culture are consumed by the populations and if effective exploited will change the cultures of the current generation. Mass production of culture Mass production of culture is created when individuals are exposed to the same issues through media, news, art, music, and programs. This means that the culture will be developed or broadcasted to the individual rather than the usual way of learning from daily interactions with members of the same society9. It will also not have a unique regional or local content as most cultures do but it will be a universal form. It will be used to highlight the function of persons as consumers. This has been aggravated by the increase of publishing and print media and more so the development and access of the internet. Mass culture can be defined as a pack of ideas, attitudes, practices, values and goals that are due to a regular exposure to the same environment. The environment can be media, art, news, social sites, music and communication channels that individual are exposed to give a similar notion. The exposure from the news makes individuals interested in certain things that have been publicized by the media. In real sense, mass culture does not contain the unique link of local communities or other regional cultural practices10. Such images created by various artists in the 1950’s became the order of the day and influenced the dos and donts of the society. Figure 2: Semple, (2008). Pop Art & Mass Culture. Aesthetica. http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/gfx/24popartandmassculture.pdf11 Culture can be defined in three aspects; these include firstly; arts and humanities which are referred to as high culture; secondly, there is the knowledge, behavior, and beliefs in the social settings; and thirdly, the values, practices, attitudes and goals in a group, organization or institution. These aspects normally impact on the social running of individuals in society and if exploited effectively, maximum benefits can be reaped in any industry12. Mass culture is mainly has three concepts which are high art; fork art; and mass media or mass culture. High art is supposedly not for commercial purposes; while folk art is what the people practice. Mass media exploits the chance that individuals are capable of linking to each other as atoms do; hence they can be exploited to develop a popular culture13. This is then used to sell product in bulk since masses will make a purchase to be associated with the culture. The investors will create a brand that will make individuals attached to it; for instance fans will want to be associated with a certain team such as Manchester United; Chelsea or Arsenal. They will hence purchase merchandise and products to the team they love and would love to be associated with14. Mass culture is produced by industrial techniques of mass production and will be introduced in the markets and marketed to make sure there is maximization of profits from the consumers in the public. Mass culture is determined by the profits generated from the production, sales and marketing of the products in the mass markets. As a result the passive audiences that can be manipulated through mass media are lured to purchase the products that are standardized, formulated, and given a reputable name15. Brands are created and patented and standardized so that they can be able to sell to the masses. Popular culture is the entirety of the ideas, attitudes, perspectives, or image that is preferred by majority of the population; this is especially very popular in the western world and was developed in the early and mid 20th century16. In 1954, Lawrence Alloway who was an art critic came up with the word POP; he used it to describe new styles of art that were being developed and inspired by images of popular culture. Together with Richard Hamilton, and Eduardo Paolozzi they formed an independent group of artists such as architects, and writers that were able to transform the world of art. They transformed the British Pop art that also transformed the society and its culture. This has also been greatly exploited in the 21st century and the mass media has been greatly influenced these trends. As cited by Browne, (1996, p.22)17 popular culture is the everyday culture of a large or small, group of people, it represents the way the individuals live in the society, it also identifies the daily world that surrounds them, it also describe what people do when they wake up, why and how they do it. By exploiting the everyday individual practices the mass media can be able to influence it to certain consumer behaviors. How mass production allows the viewers to take on a critical perspective Society presently has different consumption trends; which are majorly influenced by mass media. In this regard the media has been used to create a mass culture that is able to change the lifestyles, attitudes, preferences, values, behaviors, and beliefs of the viewers18. For instance, people will be lured to buying a product after advertising it; the advertisements are prepared to instill a hype or attitude of fashion or current trends19. Media is able to lure viewers with television ratings, scandals, high profile crimes, and celebrity lifestyles that create an impact of the individual’s decisions to purchase. The media connects the world and hence any influence on the individual is translated to others who will impart either directly or indirectly; this creates a new image in society. The mass media will not only have an effect on the consumptions trends but also the political and religious. For example recent uprising in the Arab world that are developed by social media through a culture of resistance and revolution created by the mass media20. Theorists have already predicted the use of mass media as a mechanism to control society; this is instrumental in changing the public opinion through exploiting atomization. Artists: Richard Hamilton collage; just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing?, became a pop art to get the publicity. Created in1956 it stood out to sell the ideal home. This was also recreated in 1992 to depict a female body builder21. It can also be translated to be with the current models that have continued to pose for magazines; and the culture of body building. The collage became a symbol of society transformation as it was used in comics, movies, newspapers, packaging, celebrities, advertising, sex and television. A black and white translation of the collage was also used in the 1956 Whitechapel exhibitions as the catalogue cover. This was a great transformation and inspired other artists Peter Blake, Allen Jones, Derek Boshier, Eduardo Paolozzi and David Hockney. Figure 3: Richard Hamilton (1922- )‘Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing?’ (collage, 1956) Kunsthalle Tübingen http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/pop_art.htm Andy Warhol was a renown artists who was involved in numerous fields, his works were paintings, films, fashion music and books. The tomato juice box stands out as one of his sculptures; and had numerous drawings published in his booklets such as Ho Ho Ho, Shoes Shoes, Shoes and A Gold Book22. His work could be greatly exploited to ensure the folk culture is influenced by the mass media culture through reproduction of his works. Andy Warhol was a great artist that personalized his arts, he worked greatly on commercial art work and was focused on mass culture, newspapers, movies, comics, and Television. He was responsible of elevating the American art to museum level. He greatly used second hand images for his art and even used consumer products and celebrities. He transformed the second hand images to redeem their meaning and emotional value by exposing them to the mass consumers. He enjoyed different topics and subjects including soup cans and some of his famous artwork included car crash, Campell’s Chicken Noodle, the electric chair. Andy was a great inspiration of the American society which was greatly inspired by mass production of culture and influencing the masses. His art works is mainly reliant on Duchamp’s secondhand images and was a real Dadaist who became a business model that greatly inspired society. Andy came up with the £36.3 million art work of the Green car Crash (Green Burning Car I) and the image of the last supper cycle of 1986. Figure 4: Schmuckli, Claudia (1999). "Andy Warhol: The Last Supper". SoHo: Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation http://pastexhibitions.guggenheim.org/warhol/ Eduardo Paolozzi was renown in the field of art and his creations involved the modern world and how to fit in it23. They depicted civilization through fantasy and a rich imagination. His works could be exploited by mass media to create a notion of richness and good lifestyle that would make individuals make mass purchases. One of his works “rich man’s plaything” is described as a popular art24. Eduardo’s work included the Tottenham Court Road tube station, Red Rose Speedway album cover, Piscator, mosaics in Redditch and the Athena. Figure 5: Eduardo Paolozzi (1924-2005) ‘I was a Rich Man's Plaything’ (collage, 1947). Tate Gallery, London http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/pop_art.htm Paolozzi mosaic in Tottenham, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Court_Road_Station Conclusion Mass production of culture can best be described as a capitalist approach to ensure products are sold en mass. It has been exploited at the expense of folk culture especially where negative attitudes have been passed on to society25. The theorists have already depicted it as a tool to control society; and this has been greatly aggravated by the technological developments and ease of flow of information. If mass production or popular culture is used to cultivate positive social attitudes, values and morals then it would help to shape the society; however the media has exploited it for personal gains. The use of digital reproduction has made it easier since the modification of the real art work is simpler and produces a duplicate copy with edited parts. The development of new culture is now simpler and very easy and the globe should embrace technology well aware of its impacts and effects. Notes Mass production of culture has greatly influenced the society and the current culture in the 21st century. Mass culture and pop culture are all the same as no clear line can be drawn between the two. Mass culture has also been commercially exploited to earn great profits through influencing social settings. Digital reproduction of images has greatly helped in the preservation of the art work developed over time Digital reproduction has also made it easier to edit and modify the previously developed images. Pop art was developed in the 1960’s as a young and fun movement involved in art. The Dada movement was a strong influence to pop culture. Pop art has greatly been driven by globalization and has influenced music and arts. Richard Hamilton, Eduardo Paolozzi, and Andy Warhol were artists who had great art works that influenced the society. Their artwork was part of pop art/mass art that transformed the society in the 1950’s to present. References Ashby, L. (2010), "The Rising of Popular Culture: A Historiographical Sketch," OAH Magazine of History, 24: 11–14 Browne, R. (1996). Internalizing popular culture studies. Journal of Popular Culture, 30: 21-37 Cohen, L. (2004). A consumers’ republic: The politics of mass consumption in postwar America. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(1): 236-23 Durham, M. & Kellner, D. (2001), Media and Cultural Studies. UK: Blackwell Publishing Gopnik, A. & Varnedoe, K., (1990). High & Low: Modern Art & Popular Culture, New York: The Museum of Modern Art Hassabian, A. (1999). "Popular", Key Terms in Popular Music and Culture, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers Livingstone, M., (1990). Pop Art: A Continuing History, New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Markham, T. (2007). Celebrity culture and public connection: Bridge or chasm? International Journal of Cultural Studies. 10: 403-421 Reinhard, E., Stark, M., Shirley, P., & Ferwerda, J. (2002). Photographic Tone Reproduction for Digital Images. ACM Transactions on Graphics, 21(3): 267–276 Ryan, J. W. & Wentworth, W. M. (1998). Media and Society: The Production of Culture in the Mass Media. New York: Allyn & Bacon Semple, (2008). Pop Art & Mass Culture. Aesthetica. : 30-33, http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/gfx/24popartandmassculture.pdf Tumblin, J., Hodgins, J. K., & Guenter, B. K. (1999). Two methods for display of high contrast images. ACM Transactions on Graphics 18 (1): 56–94 Read More

artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/pop_art.htm 5 Digital reproduced images need editing to be able to achieve the intended purpose; indeed with the development of technology this is easy as long as the person has the skills and resources. After uploading the digital photograph or scanned image in the computer, then one can easily manipulate the image with the available software. Such software includes Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks, Corel draw, illustrator, windows picture viewer, and Nero among others6.

The editor will edit and adjust the brightness, contrast, sharpness, light, shadow and color. This will make the image more enhanced by making the feature more pronounced or create a different image or form of art; in addition the image can also be transformed to a 3D form or better still add animation to completed amaze the audience7. The use of these digital reproduced images has enabled designers be able to transform the old generation portraits to new fashion that have been adopted by generations and become the talk of town and thus a popular culture.

Designers are also able to combine several digital and handcrafted apparatus so as to create art works that have imparted on the cultures of societies through media8. These designs that are translated into mass culture are consumed by the populations and if effective exploited will change the cultures of the current generation. Mass production of culture Mass production of culture is created when individuals are exposed to the same issues through media, news, art, music, and programs. This means that the culture will be developed or broadcasted to the individual rather than the usual way of learning from daily interactions with members of the same society9.

It will also not have a unique regional or local content as most cultures do but it will be a universal form. It will be used to highlight the function of persons as consumers. This has been aggravated by the increase of publishing and print media and more so the development and access of the internet. Mass culture can be defined as a pack of ideas, attitudes, practices, values and goals that are due to a regular exposure to the same environment. The environment can be media, art, news, social sites, music and communication channels that individual are exposed to give a similar notion.

The exposure from the news makes individuals interested in certain things that have been publicized by the media. In real sense, mass culture does not contain the unique link of local communities or other regional cultural practices10. Such images created by various artists in the 1950’s became the order of the day and influenced the dos and donts of the society. Figure 2: Semple, (2008). Pop Art & Mass Culture. Aesthetica. http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/gfx/24popartandmassculture.pdf11 Culture can be defined in three aspects; these include firstly; arts and humanities which are referred to as high culture; secondly, there is the knowledge, behavior, and beliefs in the social settings; and thirdly, the values, practices, attitudes and goals in a group, organization or institution.

These aspects normally impact on the social running of individuals in society and if exploited effectively, maximum benefits can be reaped in any industry12. Mass culture is mainly has three concepts which are high art; fork art; and mass media or mass culture. High art is supposedly not for commercial purposes; while folk art is what the people practice. Mass media exploits the chance that individuals are capable of linking to each other as atoms do; hence they can be exploited to develop a popular culture13.

This is then used to sell product in bulk since masses will make a purchase to be associated with the culture. The investors will create a brand that will make individuals attached to it; for instance fans will want to be associated with a certain team such as Manchester United; Chelsea or Arsenal. They will hence purchase merchandise and products to the team they love and would love to be associated with14.

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