Mannerism is an artistic style popular among Italian artists, sculptors, and architects in the 16th century. According to Gardner and Kleiner, the main distinctive feature of mannerism is artifice (p. 274). It appeared as the contrast to the tendency of realism and implied the intended unnaturalness of complex composition. The term Mannerism takes its meaning from the Italian word maniera that means “style.” Thus, the primary approach of mannerism lies in being stylish and elegant.
Main body
Tintoretto, who claimed that he studied from Titian, employed Titian’s colors but enriched his works with mannerist details. The artist’s Last Supper remarkably contrasts with Da Vinci’s cognominal work. As Gardner and Kleiner claim, it is “imbued with dramatic power, depth of spiritual vision” (p. 277). The figures in the picture are placed in a chaotic and dark interior with spiritual details, such as shimmering halos. In contradiction to Leonardo’s geometrically arranged and balanced Last Supper, Tintoretto’s work is visually complex and has an imbalanced composition.
References
Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner’s Art through the Ages: a Concise Global History. 3rd ed., Cengage Learning, 2017.
Reviving real events of Chinese history, the film The Taking of Tiger Mountain directed by Tsui Hark depicts the incident during the Chinese Civil War. State-of-the-art special effects and historical truth have converged in the film, touching viewers’ feelings and attracting the vast audience. This paper will discuss The Taking of Tiger Mountain by referring to the film’s predecessors and analyzing the novel techniques of its direction and cinematography.
The plot of The Taking of Tiger Mountain and its predecessors is based on authentic historical circumstances; specifically, the story is set in the late1940s. The eight-year war against the Japanese is over but counter-revolutionary gangs begin to rage in the northeastern regions of China. The squad of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is sent to fight guerillas (Hark). The PLA fighters “are flawlessly portrayed as noble, heroic, and brave” (To 8). However, they are involved in an unequal battle because the bandits exceed them in weaponry and number. Planting a mole in the gang seems to be the sole opportunity to fulfill the PLA’s mission. Yang Zirong, the main heroic protagonist of the film, was also a real-life character (To 6). He infiltrates the gang under the guise of a parliamentarian from another gang and ensures the PLA’s advantage in the struggle against the enemies. The combined forces of the PLA and mobilized villagers eradicate the gang (Hark).
These historical events and heroic deeds of Chinese patriots served as an inspirational source for different Chinese art forms, including a literary work, the Peking revolutionary opera, a television play, a stage play, an animated film, and movies (Chen 83). All of these pieces of art can be identified as predecessors of The Taking of Tiger Mountain. Initially, these historical circumstances were depicted by Qu Bo in his novel Tracks in the Snowy Forest in 1957. The success of the novel contributed to its adaptation to other art genres. A year later, in 1958, the Troupe of the Shanghai Academy of the Peking Opera performed Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy, identifying it as a modern revolutionary Peking opera (Peking Opera Troupe i). Later on, in 1971, the Group of the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe published the booklet containing a list of performers, photo reproductions, scripts of scenes, descriptions of musical instruments, and texts of songs in both Chinese and English.
Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy (1971), a so-called model opera film was also one of the predecessors of The Taking of Tiger Mountain. The depiction of heroic battles, images of Chinese patriots, national symbols, and the triumph of communist ideas were the most important semantic and emotional dominants during the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) (Spence and Chin 28). Mao Zedong believed that art had to promote proletarian ideology. Moreover, the entertainment character of works was not welcomed in the Maoist era. Model revolutionary operas were used by Chinese authorities as a powerful political movement for new proletarian literature and art, as well as a means of strengthening the new ideology. Therefore, revolutionary opera was a solely sanctioned opera genre in China at that time (Peking Opera Troupe 15). Grounding on the Beijing Opera techniques, Mao-era model operas had to be flawless in terms of the communist ideology, glorify the revolutionary struggle, and demonstrate the synthesis of traditional Chinese art and Western culture through the prism of socialist realism. Even though politicized messages were apparent in the plot and text of the libretto, the talent and professionalism of everyone involved in the production of Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy made it a real masterpiece.
Preceding The Taking of Tiger Mountain, the animated film Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy was released in 2011. Examining viewers’ online testimonials, Chen states that the perception of the animated predecessor of The Taking of Tiger Mountain was mainly negative because this artistic creation is overloaded with historical and political components (88). The audience perceived the animated film “as a propaganda tool served for the political purpose” (Chen 86). Nevertheless, Chen admits that viewers’ negative attitudes towards an artistic quality of the animated version can be defined as warped judgments (86). Obviously, in The Taking of Tiger Mountain, as well as in its predecessors, hyperboles and exaggeration are widely used in order to create vivid and convincing heroic-patriotic images. In this case, the collective image of people performing feats acquires special significance. It is emphasized that people are the main contributors to societal transformations. The film characters personify the entire strength of the nation. Being an important philosophical and ideological constant for Chinese people, this idea constitutes part of their national consciousness and collective memory.
Tsui Hark’s approaches to direction and filming are in line with the promotion of the proletarian ideology in the film’s predecessors. In Hark’s creation, “the camera angles, poses, and gestures of the PLA protagonist Yang Zirong, in particular, enhance the ideological presentation of the film” (To 8). On the contrary, the grotesque representation is apparent in the scenes with the bandits. However, despite similarities between The Taking of Tiger Mountain and its previous versions related to the plot and patriotism-grounded context, the film involves some distinctions regarding its direction and cinematography. The utilization of computer-generated imagery and 3D technology has allowed creating a completely new look at past events.
In addition, as distinct from its previous versions, Tsui Hark’s film introduces a contemporary character named Jimmy, a young ethnic Chinese from New York. The past events reproduced in the Peking model opera Kill the Tiger in the Mountain, an old film, are interpreted through Jimmy’s perception by using the flashback technique. The boy watches the film on his smartphone at any opportunity. The scenes with Jimmy intersperse with the depiction of events in the past. Jimmy’s absorption with the film articulates the significance of the events portrayed. He recalls his grandfather’s story and realizes that his family member is one of the film characters, specifically, a child saved by the PLA soldiers. Returning to his grandmother’s home, during Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner, Jimmy fantasizes that the ghosts of the PLA platoon join him at the festive dinner (Hark). This approach accentuates interconnections that can exist between the Chinese government and members of ethnic Chinese Diasporas.
Another technique applied in The Taking of Tiger Mountain is the frequent visualization of ideology-oriented posters from the era of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. The posters convey strong patriotism, loyalty, and involvement (To 12). The depiction of the noble and courageous PLA soldiers and villagers’ trust in them involuntarily evokes allegiance.
Summing up, magnificent heroic and patriotic images embodied in works of art have not only cognitive importance, but also play an effective role in shaping the consciousness of spectators, their aesthetic views, and patriotism-related ideals. These trends are specific to The Taking of Tiger Mountain. Although the film involves the application of some novel direction and cinematography methods, it serves the same ideological purposes as its predecessors.
Works Cited
Chen, Shaopeng. “Chinese Netizens’ Reactions to Red Classics Cinema Animation: A Case Study of Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy (2011).” Asian Culture and History, vol. 8, no. 2, 2016, pp. 83-90.
Hark, Tsui, director. The Taking of Tiger Mountain. Bona Film Group, 2014.
Peking Opera Troupe. Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy: A Modern Revolutionary Peking Opera. Foreign Languages Press, 1971.
Spence, Jonathan, and Ann-ping Chin. The Chinese Century: A Photographic History of the Last Hundred Years. Random House, 1996.
The focal point of Hunt’s painting to Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shalott” is the Lady herself, whose body is tied by the threads that continue to whirl up to not let her go. The viewer’s eye notices the Lady’s inner conflict, which is tracked through the pose she has taken. Although the woman’s body bends as she tries to break free, her head seems to have already accepted the fate and, thus, bows remorsefully.
The directional force makes a viewer switch attention from the Lady’s figure to a large loom, a place where she has spent most of her time weaving. It is seen that the loom also traps her inside of its circle. As one continues viewing the composition, the invisible path, paved by the painter, leads an eye to the mirror in the background. The mirror itself is a symbol of the Lady’s downfall. One may trace a premonition of catastrophe in its reflection: unwitting Lancelot heads towards the distant Camelot. In this illustration, Hunt refers to typological symbolism to explain the message of the picture. By adding such an element, the artist attempted to provide a deeper definition of the key concept of the illustration and, thus, unveil all of the sides of the Lady’s conflict.
In addition to the earlier mentioned details, there is one more relevant symbol to find in this picture – the figure of Christ on the cross, located next to the mirror. Eventually, Hunt added it intentionally to demonstrate God’s plans and his will regarding the matter. Again, this deep moral message is what the artist attempted to carry to the public – the fact that there is always a conflict between the good and the evil, the right and the wrong within a person.
Appreciating pieces of art is a great pleasure as it gives us time for imagining the personalized meaning of those objects through our own personal mirrors of our egos and minds. Sometimes, we try to find the meaning of what we see or hear with the help of our instinct or intuitive feeling beyond the logic and strict reasoning to understand the pictures or sculptures.
The same can be claimed about psychology and different theories that are aimed at explaining human desires and unconscious intentions. The perception of art objects can be understood with the help of applying Lacanian psychoanalytic theory to objects depicted and the way people usually understand those.
As psychological interpretation of contemporary art suggests abundant sources for comprehending our experience on art, it is possoble to use Lacanian psychoanalytic theory to understand the essential aspects of postmodern artworks in terms of the concept of desire. The relation between the concept of desire according to Jacques Lacan’s theory and such aspects as what is shown, what is seen, and the way of perception in the objects of art are of the main focus of the current paper.
Aim and scope
The current paper is aimed at showing the number of different explanations that can be evoked by implementation of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory while observing and discussing the objects of art such as mixed media sculptures created in contemporary conditions with the help of modern materials, techniques and methods including postmodern tendencies.
In particular, reviewing the works designed by Louise Bourgeois including Arch of Hysteria (1993) and Cell (Eyes and Mirrors) (1989-1993) and Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Room – Phalli’s Field (1965) and Narcissus Garden (1966) can demonstrate the most prominent features of Lacanian theory in these art objects regarding desire in postmodernities.
The art objects mentioned above will be analysed in the current paper in accordance with the Lacanian psychoanalysis theory that includes such aspects as concept of mirror, phallocentrism, femininity, and mirror with regard to desire and psycho-sexual tendencies.
Theoretical Background
Lacanian Psychoanalytic Theory
Lacanian psychoanalytic theory’s main purpose is to evoke hidden side of human mind, the unconscious, so that people could explain things that seem ambiguous or, on the contrary, obvious. The number of explanations of the unconscious desire can vary due to the background of every person involved in the process of discussion. For instance, certain events, either negative or positive, in the life of a person influence his/her perception of self and individual desire in different ways.
According to Lacanian theory of mirror stage in terms of personality development, the aspect of Narcissism is the shared feature of personal human desire. “The mirror stage is also closely related to narcissism”1 as the Greek myth dwells on the beauty of a young man who fell in love with his own reflection in the water.
“Lacan develops Freud’s concept by linking it more explicitly with its namesake, the myth of Narcissus”2. The mirror image in early childhood serves to mould a self-image that is not actually a self-image, but an ideal one of what we want to be, and, consequently, it serves to set a psychological drive toward self-definition based on a imaginary structure forced by the identification with external social order.
In this respect, Lacan’s theory does not focus only on biological aspect of mirror stage of psycho-sexual development; the mirror stage is suggested as the primary stage in the perception of a person that helps to conceive the real image from the self and from others. The scope of ideas on the concept of mirrors can be presented in a multivolume work whereas the main ideas can be found in the theory of psychoanalysis established by Jacques Lacan.
Though Lacan’s theory has proven to be one of the most insightful interpretations of our time, some critics found explanation and analysis of certain concepts gender-oriented and discriminating. For example, French feminists Julia Kristeva and Helen Cixous have argued about the objectivity of presentation of concepts of phallocentrism made by prominent theorists, philosophers, and psychologists Jacques Lacan and the person influenced by Lacan’s ideas, Jacques Derrida.
Female writers criticized Lacanian theory because it suggested lack of self in women making them penis-less creatures deprived of the ego and associated more as a part of the male essence. In this respect, Helene Cixous’s essay ‘The laugh of the medusa’ is aimed at discussing the influence of gender aspects on cultural life of people, art objects, and language in particular.
The author dwells on the difference between cultural concepts and gender aspects that, as the author claims, should not be mixed with one another and with biological peculiarities of life.3 The more we try to tie the aspect of gender to other areas of human life, the less appropriate these concepts may become.
Different problems with the perception of this or that idea or object of art can be the main reason for treating the phallocentric concepts as those discriminating femininity as a feature of the gender. Julia Kristeva suggests the idea of “drives [that] involve pre-Oedipal semiotic functions”4; this statement can be considered one of the most appropriate ideas for discussion with regard to desire and drives in the process of analysing the objects of art.
Phallocentrism is defined here as irrelevant panegyric on make sexual organ and behaviour of male representatives associated with their attitude to this organ as well. In this respect, the desire related to the objects of art can be found in the issue of glorification of the male sexual organ.
The more theories try to approach the concept of the mirror, the more ideas appear in the process of analysis even on the simplest phenomena that did not suggest that many explanations of a specific term before. In this respect, it is necessary to emphasise that Lacanian psychoanalytic theory is aimed at provoking human thoughts on different subjects as a person who knows about the suggested concepts would use those ideas while analysing the objects of art.
For instance, Jacques Lacan introduced a concept of mirror and explanation of the function of the unit I as suggested in psychoanalytic practice. His work “Mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience” demonstrates the inner stage that is suggested to analyse as the initial condition or a ‘mirror’ as the inner reflection of all actions performed by a person.
This mirror is treated as a specific place or an object used for analysis of actions, behaviour, and deeds by a person; such a self-analysis and counter-analysis are used for signification and counter-signification of the self.5
This concept was not critically perceived by female writers Cixous and Kristeva because it was not treated as the one that is posted against the femininity, female concepts, and feminine gender in general though the concept of mirrors helps to assess the role of desire in the analysis of the self.
Desire in Postmodernities
Postmodernism is a movement in art and architecture that can be considered one of the most influential trends in twentieth century due to its simplicity and complicatedness at the same time. Though different styles in art can be claimed to have found their application in culture, postmodern movement had a prominent impact on the architecture and art objects.
As suggested by Tobin Siebers in his book Heterotopia: postmodern utopia and the body politic, the postmodernities can be compared to desire that cannot be explained and understood completely.6 On the other hand, it is necessary to trace the real meaning of postmodern art objects that can be insightfully explained using psychological analysis theories aimed at explaining human desires, fears, and intentions.
The analysis of the self can be performed through the use of mirrors that represent the relations between what a person wants to show and others want to see or are able to see. Besides, as suggested by Jacques Lacan, the desire can be clearly understood after analysis of the body: Fragmented body is analysed in terms of the desires and fears and the hidden intentions behind the reflection of different parts of the human body.7
Most postmodernists are sceptical of the concept, ‘certainty’ or ‘authentic truth’ because the function, meaning, and symbolic value are varied in the context or situation; the same can be traced in psychoanalysis where every detail is thoroughly examined to trace the connection between the desire and images usually reflected in the inner mirror.
Though every object of art can be analysed in a different way, there is a number of traits that can be traced in most of them with regard to the gender of the author, the inner reflection of the actions, and attitude to the self, and other concepts that can be easily found in psychoanalytic theory established by Jacques Lacan.
So, the objects of art created with regard to the tendencies and concepts established for postmodernities can be easily analysed with the help of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory designed merely at the same time as the postmodern movement.
In this respect, it is possible to apply the concepts of psychoanalysis such as self-criticism by Freud8 to the objects of art designed by contemporary authors due to the background of authors and their reflection of the self in those art objects.
Position of Theory to the Art Object
Louise Bourgeois, Arch of Hysteria, 1993
The first object of art that should be analysed with regard to the concept of desire in postmodernities and the basic concepts revealed in Lacanian psychoanalytic theory is the one designed by Louise Bourgeois. This piece of art was created in 1993; the Arch of Hysteria can be considered one of the most feminine and delicate works created by this author.9
At the same time, it is powerful demonstration of the human body. And the name of the sculpture created using polished patina on the hanging piece made of bronze talks for itself. The attack of hysteria makes people change the positions of their bodies.
The same can be traced when a person experiences some strong emotions or feelings and is not able to control the movements, gestures, and emotions expressed on his/her face. Every attack of hysteria can be depicted in another way because every individual has his/her own reflection of the self and is able to analyse the self using the inner mirror.
The discussion of femininity is related to the ideas the author of this object of art found relevant due to the feminism movements and active involvement in those.10 The author manages to create her works without being too gender-discriminating toward the representatives of the opposite sex. Moreover, her work Arch of Hysteria (1993) can be considered the one that makes the male body the core concept of the overall image created.
In this respect, the idea of phallocentrism vigorously criticised by Cixous and Kristeva can be easily traced in this particular object. Moreover, the body hanging in the air can be analysed using the concept of fragmented body with regard to the wholeness of the subject, totalization and autonomous self. In other words, the concept of desire in postmodernities can be explained with the help of this sculpture that seems to be aimed at dethroning the power of the male body by making it more feminine with the help of hysteria that was considered a female disease.
Every person has certain secrets whereas all hidden desires and intentions can be revealed with the help of the psychoanalysis suggested by Lacan who based his theory on the concepts explained and analysed by Sigmund Freud.
The main idea of the current object of art can be considered the real human emotion captured in the earthly body while every gesture and movement made by the person helps to reveal this emotion and explain the reasons for experiencing it.
In the same way, every person can be read as a book with the help of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory when every image, dream, or idea is the result of some events and situations that took place in the life of this person; the same events and situations can be treated as the reasons or causes of other events.
The concept of desire can be considered the core idea of every piece of art because every author has certain desires and intentions and can use those as inspiration while designing the object of art. Moreover, the sexual desire can be traced in every art object that is aimed at reflecting the author’s intentions through the presentation of the human body.
Louise Bourgeois, Cell (Eyes and Mirrors), 1989-1993
The next object of art is designed by the same author. This creation is represented through the cell which contains specific eyes and mirrors. In this respect, it is necessary to trace the meaning transferred with the help of those objects to the meaning of the whole piece of art.11 The more different objects we introduce to the piece of art, the more complicated it becomes.
The complicatedness of the object can be traced through the number of meanings attributed to every object it contains. In other words, the meaning of this Cell (Eyes and Mirrors)12 should be analysed with regard to the meaning of cell, eyes as parts of the human body, and mirrors and the concept of desire in postmodernities.
It is possible to analyse every concept in turn and, after that, try to explain the meaning of the whole object of art bearing in mind the meaning of each separate object that is included in the structure. For instance, the work of art Cell (Eyes and Mirrors) designed by Louise Bourgeois in 1989-1993 can be analysed as a set of objects each having its own meaning and contributing to the meaning of the entire object.
As every object can have meanings with regard to the context, it is necessary to analyse the possibility for occurrence of meanings and the number of meanings that can depend on different factors. In other words, the background knowledge and situations that occurred in the life of a person prior to observation of a concrete object of art should influence his/her perception of this work.
So, cell can be considered as the limitation or restriction imposed on a person by his/her parents, friends, or supervisors. Besides, certain prohibition can be treated as the reason for author to use such an object in the overall construction. If a person had no negative experience related to the image of a cell, this work of art would not evoke any negative emotions.
The concept of eyes in combination with mirrors represents the reflection of the ideas with the help of mirrors. In addition, this combination can be treated as the desire of the author to show the audience something hidden in her inner self which can be seen only through the eyes. Thus, the eyes reflected in mirrors suggest a hidden desire of the author to reveal her hidden feelings or something she cannot say aloud.
Another idea that comes to mind while looking at this object of art created by a woman is the female aspect of this work. In this respect, it is necessary to remember about the concern of all women about their look. As they often look in the mirror, they can see something that cannot be seen without a mirror.
In other words, the mirror can be used as an instrument to show and see something mysterious or at least something that cannot be seen without this magical device. The desire to say something can be treated as the core concept of this work because mirrors and reflections can often say something a person is afraid to reveal to him/herself or is confused about the consequences of such information transferred to a stranger.
Masks and disguise contribute greatly to the overall image of the object of art called Cell (Eyes and Mirrors) designed by Louise Bourgeois in 1989-1993 because it is a feature of most women to have many identities and play many roles while only a mirror can reflect the real image of a woman.
It is necessary to mention that the object of art designed by Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Room – Phalli’s Field created in 196513 can be considered one of the most original objects of art designed under the influence of postmodern trends and technologies. This work can be easily analysed applying Lacanian psychoanalytic theory to practice because mirrors play the core role in this work.
The more a person reflects on his/her self image in the mirror, the more he/she is likely to change in the inner world to adjust to the conditions of the outer world. On the other hand, it is possible that a person changes the inner world to have it as a shelter from the oppression and all negative factors that exist in the outer world.
In this respect, it is possible to treat the mirrors as an instrument for initiating self-analysis. As suggested in the work by Peter Gay who analyses Freudian theory of psychoanalysis, “The physician should be opaque to the patient and, like a mirror, show nothing but what is shown to him.”14
For Lacan, however, mirror image has some deceiving aspects that alienate human from the real self by representing the Narcissistic illusion of self-autonomy. In this regard, the mirror in the Kusama’s work is the place for searching human identity on the dialectical relationship between ‘seeing and to be seen’.
Lacan’s key concept regarding the mirror stage is for challenging the integrated identity that reflects human’s narcissistic desire for wholeness, totalitarian or self-autonomy which we should overcome to be mature.
In addition, he thought integrated identity to be illusion of synthesis which is not really existent in the real world. For Lacan, human is in fragmented body in the real world and the fragmented body refers not only to images of the physical body but also to any sense of fragmentation and disunity.
The life in society can be considered another influential feature in creation of this object of art due to postmodernities with regard to desire and values typical of times and cultures; many identities are reflected in the mirror and it is up to a person to see or not to see them.
The objects on the floor of the mirror room can be treated as obstacles for analysis because the roles we play in the everyday life can differ greatly from what we are and who we are because of the necessity to adjust to the conditions of the outer world. Besides, the society that we live in often imposes the roles on its members in order to protect itself from misunderstandings.
This aspect can be regarded as a great obstacle for analysis of a person, his/her real desires, fears, intentions, and beliefs. In addition, the efforts of a person to take away those obstacles can be considered unavailing because the mirror room is closed whereas all objects are inside it and there is no way out except the door.
It is possible that the only way to walk through the door is to recognise the reflection in the mirror and confront the uneasiness of the fragmented body in the number of identities assigned by contemporary life.
Yayoi Kusama, Narcissus Garden, 1966
The next object of art for analysis is the mixed media Narcissus Garden created by Yayoi Kusama in 1966.15 The author managed to use the reflection received while looking in the water. This object consists of a pond and silver balls in the water. These balls are light enough not to drown while their reflection in the water can be treated as the reflection of each person in the mirror in the previous work of art.
As suggested by Sigmund Freud in his study ‘On Dreams’, every dream has specific content16 that can be analysed. Moreover, every object depicted in the dream has a specific meaning with regard to the situation in which it appears. In this case, the balls that can be seen on the water surface can reflect the desire of a person to swim opposed to the possibility of drowning.
Every object that can be analysed can be influential in terms of hidden desires or fears that can be revealed in the process of analysing those dreams. Though some dreams may seem strange, it has some points to try to analyse each of them in order to see the real nature of the soul.
The pond with silver balls can be associated with a desire to see the number of identities. If a person reflects the pond with silver balls in the object of art, she may have some problems with self-identification. In other words, a person that experiences difficulties with analysis of the self can try to reflect those problems in this way.
For instance, the number of balls can correspond to the number of identities or roles a person has in everyday life and uses those while communicating with colleagues, building relationships in the family, and other situations.
However, the surface of the water shows everything that is reflected while some reasons can be found for this. In this case, the balls are reflected in the outer world while an inner mirror is situated in the inner world. In this respect, the number of identities will be reflected in the water every time.
Every identity has its own reflection in the outer world as well as every person can find his/her reflection in the mirror being a parent, a friend, or performing some other roles. In this respect, an inner mirror of the ego should show our Narcissistic desire towards independent entity.
Every concept of life can be reflected in the inner world whereas it depends upon a person whether to let certain concepts into the inner world or leave those outside. As the personal life of every individual is full of certain events, all those events can influence successive events and the condition of the inner worlds.
Thus, a reflection in the inner mirror can distorted due to the impact of all events that take place in the life of a person. The pond with silver balls can also be treated as the outer world with all its imperfectness and obstacles that appear on the way of a person when he/she wants to look at the Narcissistic reflection on self but can only see the numerous identities. Every identity can be reflected in the mirror of the outer world though it is up to a person whether to let those identities into the inner world to be reflected in the inner mirror.
Conclusion
The concept of self, reflection in the mirror, the number of identities and roles assigned to every person, feminism and male sexual organs can be traced in the objects of art. As the theory of Lacan is mainly based on the theory established by Sigmund Freud, it is necessary to mention the significance of his study for analysis of sexuality and gender differences.
The Arch of Hysteria reflects the power of human body whereas it can be treated in a different way when applying Lacanian psychoanalytic theory to it. In this respect, a human body can be considered the symbolic representation of human desires reflected with the help of postmodernism trends.
Female critics of Jacques Lacan’s theory do not blindly criticise his theory; they try to see the discrimination of identity of woman in the analysis through rejection of the phallocentrism as a core aspect of most psychological analyses. In other words, Helene Cixous and Julia Kristeva apply Lacan’s psychoanalysis as the assessment of sexual features, desires (often sexual), and fears related to the gendered self.
Lacan’s theory of the mirror stage demonstrates that our self-identification is based on an illusion of an idealistic image of completeness that does not actually exist in the real. And the imaginary identity created by the co-operation between Narcissistic desire and external forces is subject to the fragmentation of identity in reality.
Thus, the ideal-I acts in similar way as Sigmund Freud’s ego in that it prevents this fragmentation from emerging to the surface. The main aspect that can be traced in the objects of art such as Cell (Eyes and Mirrors) by Louise Bourgeois and Infinity Mirror Room – Phalli’s Field and Narcissus Garden designed by Yayoi Kusama is the mirror and reflection of the self including the further analysis of the self.
Works Cited
Bourgeois, Louise, Arch of Hysteria (1993). Web.
Bourgeois, Louise, Cell (Eyes and Mirrors), (1989-1993). Web.
Cixous, Helene, ‘The laugh of the medusa’, in Peter Simon (ed.), The Norton anthology of theory and criticism (London: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001), 2039-2056.
Evans, Dylan, An introductory dictionary of Lacanian psychoanalysis (London: Routledge, 1996).
Freud, Sigmund, ‘On dreams’, in Alan Sheridan (tr.), Charles Harrison and Paul Wood (eds.), Art in theory: 1900-2000 (Oxford: Blackwell, [1901], 2003), 21-28.
Freud, Sigmund, ‘The ego and the id’, in James Strachey et al. (tr. and ed.), The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 19, London: The Hogarth Press Ltd., [1923], 1961), 19-27.
Gay, Peter, Freud: a life for our time (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1998).
Kristeva, Julia, ‘Revolution in poetic language. The semiotic chora ordering the drives’, in Peter Simon (ed.), The Norton anthology of theory and criticism (London: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001), 2169-2179.
Lacan, Jacques, ‘The mirror stage as formative of the function of the I as revealed in psychoanalytic experience’, in Peter Simon (ed.), The Norton anthology of theory and criticism (London: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001), 1285-1310.
Lacan, Jacques, ‘The mirror-phase as formative of the function of the I’, in Alan Sheridan (tr.), Charles Harrison and Paul Wood (eds.), Art in theory: 1900-2000 (Oxford: Blackwell, [1966], 2003), 620-624.
Nixon, Mignon, Fantastic reality: Louise Bourgeois and a story of modern art (MIT Press/October Books, 2005).
Nixon, Mignon, ‘The she-fox: transference and the “woman artist”’, in Carol Armstrong and Catherine de Zegher (eds.), Women Artists at the Millennium (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press/October Books, 2006), 275-303.
Siebers, Tobin, Heterotopia: postmodern utopia and the body politic (Lansing: University of Michigan Press, 1994).
Footnotes
Dylan Evans, An Introductory Dictionary of Lacanian Psychoanalysis (London: Routledge, 1996), 119.
Ibid., 123.
Helene Cixous, ‘The Laugh of the Medusa’, in Peter Simon (ed.), The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism (London: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001), 2039-2056 at 2039.
Julia Kristeva, ‘Revolution in Poetic Language. The Semiotic Chora Ordering the Drives’, in Peter Simon (ed.), The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism (London: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001), 2169-2179 at 2172.
Jacques Lacan, ‘The Mirror Stage as Formative of the Function of the I as Revealed in Psychoanalytic Experience’, in Peter Simon (ed.), The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism (London: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2001), 1285-1310 at 1288-1289.
Tobin Siebers, Heterotopia: Postmodern Utopia and the Body Politic (Lansing: University of Michigan Press, 1994), 2.
Jacques Lacan, ‘The Mirror-Phase as Formative of the Function of the I’, in Alan Sheridan (tr.), Charles Harrison and Paul Wood (eds.), Art in Theory: 1900-2000 (Oxford: Blackwell, [1966], 2003), 620-624 at 622.
Sigmund Freud, ‘The Ego and the Id’, in James Strachey et al. (tr. and ed.), The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 19, London: The Hogarth Press Ltd., [1923], 1961), 19-27 at 33.
Louise Bourgeois, Arch of Hysteria, (1993).
Mignon Nixon, Fantastic Reality: Louise Bourgeois and a Story of Modern Art (MIT Press/October Books, 2005).
Nixon, Mignon, ‘The She-Fox: Transference and the “Woman Artist”’, in Carol Armstrong and Catherine de Zegher (eds.), Women Artists at the Millennium (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press/October Books, 2006), 275-303 at 277.
Louise Bourgeois, Cell (Eyes and Mirrors), (1989-1993).
Freud, Sigmund, ‘On dreams’, in Alan Sheridan (tr.), Charles Harrison and Paul Wood (eds.), Art in theory: 1900-2000 (Oxford: Blackwell, [1901], 2003), 21-28 at 21.
Zhang Yimou’s ode to life, Red Sorghum (1987), is one of the fascinating stories which acquired world recognition. Yimou managed to create a great cinematographic ‘painting’ where light, shadow, and color tessellate into a majestic mosaic. Frame 3a is a great illustration of the picturesque world created by Yimou. This frame shows the way color and light may tell a story of life.
The director employs a number of tools to tell his story. For example, he makes use of aerial perspective in the frame in question. This tool helps the director to create a very specific atmosphere. The protagonist is central to the scene as well as to the entire story. Aerial perspective poses the necessary focus on the protagonist. The main character, Jiu’er, addresses the distiller workers to inspire them to continue working. The perspective used helps the director to show the way the workers look at Jiu’er. She becomes the center of the universe for them for a certain period of time.
Yimou was fascinated by light, and he claimed that western painting was a great example of this art form as it was full of light (Zhen 48). Thus, the frame is also full of light. Notably, the director also uses a close-up to focus on the protagonist and her inflaming speech.
This frame is made up of light as Jiu’er’s face is enlightened by natural light as well as by her inspiring speech. It is also important to note that a straight angle is used to focus on the protagonist and to show that she is talking with her workers, and they are all equal. The director also uses frontal lighting to make it clear who the most important character in the scene is. There is no obscurity, and this adds to the creation of an atmosphere of trust and cordial warmth.
It is important to note that color also contributes greatly to the creation of the meaning in the frame. The director was fascinated by western painting due to its colorfulness (Zhang 308). The frame is also colorful. Pink, white, and red dominate in this frame. Yimou often employed contrast in his works (Rayns 14). This contrast is revealed in the frame as the white is contrasted to the red. The protagonist is literally lit with natural light, but red is seen in the background.
This color plays a central role. Red is one of the major colors of the film, and it is a symbol of liquor, passion, blood, life, and death. Notably, the director is famous for the density of his films as they are full of color (Zhang 308).
In conclusion, it is necessary to note that frame 3a is exemplary in terms of Yimou’s unique style and his techniques. The use of light, shadow, and color helps the director to tell his ode to life. The director manages to create a colorful world where light and color are essential. These tools intensify the cast’s performance. It is also remarkable that light and color (as well as shadow) are an integral part of the story. It is simply impossible to imagine the story of Jiu’er without the colorful and sometimes obscure settings. These tools also create a symbolic world where light stands for inspiration and desire to live, shadow stands for sadness, red stands for passion, blood, and death.
Works Cited
Rayns, Tony. “The New Chinese Cinema: An Introduction.” King of the Children and the New Chinese Cinema. Ed. Tony Rayns. Boston: Faber and Faber, 1989. 1-15. Print.
Zhang, Xudong. Chinese Modernism in the Era of Reforms. London: Duke University Press, 1997. Print.
Zhen, Ni. Memoirs from the Beijing Film Academy. London: Duke University Press, 2002. Print.
There have been significant differences between the sculptures in Kuwait and those in Australia. The research will evaluate the weaknesses in Kuwait sculptures in terms of funds accessible, available galleries and the public awareness on this artistic works. In addition, the research will evaluate ways of strengthening the sculptures in Kuwait.
Synopsis
The difference between contemporary and traditional art can be demonstrated by analyzing the sculptures in Kuwait. This is because the available sculptures have been neglected and the artists remain unappreciated despite their amazing talent and dedication.
This paper will analyze the galleries in Kuwait, the art schools, funds allocated and the existing sculptures, and compare these factors with those in Australia. The differences to be realized after the analysis will be used to develop a strategy aimed at improving the sculptures and other artworks in Kuwait.
Background Information
The sculptures available in Kuwait have been long forgotten, especially those in public places. The sculpture in Rumaithiya is one example of sculptures that have been neglected, as demonstrated by the rust and cracks in the sculpture (Modeen 2009).
For a very long time, many people have ignored artworks and sculptures across Kuwait. The government has also not been vibrant enough to promote sculpture making. This has made individuals to take to other jobs, hence reducing the number of artists willing to engage in sculpture making.
The artists who have concentrated in sculpture making have been reducing in numbers given that in this era developed computer software is being used to generate virtual designs. Graphic design and other computer-based applications have made it possible for individuals to create designs without having to create a physical structure.
This has reduced the number of sculptors in Kuwait and since there are fewer incentives to encourage new sculptors, sculpture making has been slowly fading away. In Australia however, the government has ensured that sculptors and artists are promoted by creating funds for galleries and other exhibitions, an initiative that has encouraged more artists to demonstrate their talent (Lumley 1990).
The establishment of art schools has helped in encouraging young and talented individuals to participate in sculpture making. Because of the government’s direct participation in promotion of art, there has been development of contemporary sculptures, with many being erected in public places across the country.
Artists are also trained in Australian art schools and other accredited art schools in the world. Self taught artists are given incentives in term of awards and exhibition opportunities in the Australian galleries and other exhibition areas. The difference between the Kuwait sculptures and those in Australia helps in the identification of ways that will assist in promotion of sculptures in Kuwait.
Most of the sculptures that are found in Kuwait and especially those erected in public places are old and worn out. This shows that there has been reduced concern in the government with respect to caring for artworks and this has reduced the morale of the artists. The sculptures also illustrate past events and there are few that demonstrate contemporary issues.
In Australia however, more sculptures and statues have been created with reference to contemporary issues. The sculptures in Australia have also been created using contemporary means, with some being designed and generated using automated means (Sturgeon 1991).
The focus and promotion of arts in Australia has encouraged many sculptors to try out new and amazing designs that are then displayed in strategic locations for locals and visitors to see (Sturgeon 1991). The funds, which are granted to the artists as incentives to help promote their talent, has assisted the individuals in realizing their dream careers, with most individuals taking sculpture making as a profession (Drury 1993).
However, the sculptors in Kuwait combine sculpture making with other jobs, making sculpture making a hobby or a part-time event. The creativity and designs between the sculptures in Kuwait and those in Australia are also different with those in Kuwait being more into religion and past events.
The sculptures in Australia are centered on contemporary issues, with modern designs being incorporated in most sculptures. The nature of the available sculptures in Kuwait illustrates that there is no notable involvement in sculpture making in this country.
The unavailability of new sculptures shows that there is a reduction in the number of interested sculptors, with funds and incentives being the main inhibitions (Art Kuwait 2011). Galleries in Kuwait have in excess, paintings and other artworks, and very few sculptures are available.
Significance of the Study
The research is very important since it will help in the establishment of sculptor-centered approaches that will improve sculpture making and encourage development of contemporary sculptures.
In addition, the research will assist in creating an awareness campaign that will push the government to participate in the promotion of art, especially sculpture making. The study will also help the sculptors to be more involved in sculpture making and help in making it a fully-fledged profession.
Methodology
To conduct the study, the research will analyze the available galleries for the qualifications of sculptures in an exhibition center. This will be done by use of questionnaires, with gallery workers being the main interviewees. They will be asked about the frequency of sculptures in the galleries as compared to paintings and other artworks.
In addition, government literature will be evaluated to determine whether the government has allocated any fund to promote art. Art schools in the country will also be visited to collect information about the available sculptors, evaluate the teaching contents and compare them to those in Australia.
Due to the time limit, physical study will not be conducted in Australia, but rather, literature review will be done. The review will help in realization of the differences between Kuwait sculptures and those in Australia.
The strategies used by Australia to promote sculpture making and other artworks will be analyzed and the same compared to those in Kuwait. Renowned sculptors will be contacted for interviews on why sculpture making is on the decline in Kuwait and the same done for those in Australia.
Social media and emails will be used to contact renowned artists in Australia, as physical contacts may not be possible. After conducting interviews and researches, the data will then be analyzed accordingly, with the main focus being to generate differences that would help in development of counter plan.
Work Plan
The research will commence in November this year with the galleries being the first target. Evaluation of galleries is expected to take seven days, after which literature review will commence.
This will take another seven days after which the renowned artists and sculptors will be contacted. Depending on their schedules, the study will give each individual an allowance of ten days, and since the artists will be three, one month will be used to conduct the interviews.
References
Art Kuwait 2011, Spatial sound sculpture – new generation of art. Web.
Drury, N 1993, New sculpture: Profiles in contemporary Australian sculpture, Craftsman House, Sydney.
Lumley, A 1990, Sydney’s sculpture, Longman Cheshire, Sydney.
Modeen, T 2009, Public sculpture in Kuwait – Rumaithiya. Web.
Sturgeon, G 1991, Contemporary Australian sculpture, Craftsman House, Sydney.
The focal point of Housman’s illustration to the lines 123-127 of Christina Rossetti’s poem ‘Goblin Market’ is the main character, whose name is Laura. From all the secondary details the picture contains one sees that Laura is surrounded by goblins, who watch her very closely. The first thing to catch a viewer’s eye is the girl’s hand, reaching for her hair. Laura’s stretched neck and facial expressions indicate that she is not fond of what will happen next. At this point, one understands she is about to tear a strand of hair and this gesture is going to bring her severe pain.
The directional force leads a viewer from the character’s tortured face and bent figure to all the silhouettes on top of the picture and at its right corner. The accretion of details, which evidences the Tractarian and Pre-Raphaelite influence of visual abundance on Housman’s manner of drawing, represents here a complex symbolism, meant to demonstrate the degree of desperation. It is clear, the girl has no choice, and she is forced to do what she finds wrong and unacceptable. She is driven to blank despair, and it seems to make goblins very pleased.
One of the key details, found in the picture’s center, is the basket filled with fruits. It is rather symbolic to place it in front of the girl’s face as a reminder of why she suffers all these tortures and what kind of reward is waiting for her. Forbidden fruit had been the symbol of seduction long before the poem was written. Thus, Housman touches this religious topic for a reason – to draw an analogy with the consequences those actions led to.
Theater can be called a mirror of life. It is fascinating how events from the real world that are rarely pronounced can be so vividly surfaced in on the stage. It is the contemplation, satire, humor, and deep thought that make theater one of the most appreciated leisures across the globe. In Asian culture of the 20th century, there seemed to be an established trend for spoken plays. The modern Asian dramaturgy evolved under the banner of huaju (spoken drama), which was imbued with political, social and cultural perturbations in China, Japan, Taiwan and other Asian nations happening during that period (Wetmore 78). As traditions play a major part in the lives of many Asian peoples, so does theater, incorporating features of the previous epochs and mixing them into the entirely new concepts. To illustrate that phenomenon, the current study will focus on analyzing the dramaturgy and performance in the spoken play written by Lai Shengchuan in 1986 called Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land driving parallels with traditional chuanqi (marvel tales) genre in China.
Background
The play under analysis was originally written in 1986 by a Taiwanese playwright, Lai Shengchuan or Stan Lai. Lai is considered one of the greatest modern writer and director in Taiwan and China. Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land exists in several versions. The original was a true revelation and set a whole new level for Taiwanese theater, which, without the permission of the writer, was staged in China and had tremendous success to the point that it became classical. In 1991 it was reviewed and adapted for the screens. This version also seems to have found success and traveled around the world attracting positive reviews from critics and viewers.
The play includes two stories Secret Love and Peach Blossom Land. The first is a melodrama, and the second is a farcical play. According to the plot, the Theater director scheduled the two theatrical performances for rehearsing on the same time, which forced the two theater groups to use the stage simultaneously. Secret Love tells the story of the young couple in love who got separated and met during the perturbations of the communist revolution in China in 1946-1949. The play setting covers the last two years. Both lovers after ten years of separation have a family of their own, and the male character still longs for the romantic period of their relationships that are long gone.
Peach Blossom Land is a farcical adaptation of an old Chinese tale Peach Blossom Spring that narrates a story of a fisherman who found himself in an unrealistic dream world filled with blossoming peach trees. There he meets the two characters who look exactly like his wife, who is openly cheating on him and her new lover. Except in this world, they invite him to spend his life there, but he refuses, being unable to forget his reality. When he returns, he finds out that his wife married her lover, and in desperation, the fisherman returns to peach blossom land.
In the Secret Love and Peach Blossom Land play there is also a young Taiwanese woman that is not engaged in any of the two plays and looks for her lover the whole time. The two plays are miraculously juxtaposed though humor and mockery and represent that time’s problems of younger and older generations of people in China and Taiwan. Characters from both plays often make fun of the other party’s roles and plot but in the end unite in a single action, combining their plays and finishing their lines for each other, which indicates the similarities between the two plays and their characters.
Indigenous Chinese Theatrical Traditions Relevant to the Play
Different sources have various views on Chinese theatrical tradition. Some researchers are inclined to argue that Chinese traditional theater evolved from being an exclusive entertainment for the high-born and royal dynasty into a more miscellaneous and multifaceted people art, which enriched the variety of topics and genres (Fei 10). Others tend to believe that the art of drama rose from the common people engagement with shadowplay, puppetry, and farcical performances (Fei 10). Either way, in the period from early 17th to the beginning of the 20th century, Chinese theater developed more than 300 various regional variations (Liu 32).
Chuanqi formed in the sixteenth century as fantastic short stories or drama stories that featured biographical and often romantical narratives (Liu 33). The versions of plays for staging featured frequent change of sceneries, bright and elaborated costumes, plot themes originating from real life. The use of bright costumes was especially typical for traditional Chinese theater. The music was also changing fast but incorporated sentimental and melodic tunes matching the often-romantic setting.
The spoken plays are mostly the invention of the 20th century (Liu 23). However, in China, they were still influenced by Beijing opera. The theatrical stages also started to change from open to closed ones with traditional Chinese class division of the seats. Under the western influence, the on-stage scenery developed to become more complex. In the Lai’s play, however, the decorations featured a single background painting of a peach tree. This could indicate a tendency to resort to a simplistic design of the traditional Beijing theater. Lai also left an area of a background unpainted to show the disconnection between China and Taiwan in contrast to the original Peach Blossom Spring that was a representation of a paradise that the older generation sees in China (Kang 42).
Chuanqi Drama in Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land
The word ‘classical’ seems to represent items, values, and topics that never get old and remain timely even several hundred years from now. The classical meaning, which is imbued with Peach Blossom Land through the costumes, seems to contrast with the modern setting of the Secret Love. The traditional clothing of a fisherman seems to send the viewer back to the setting of the original Chinese story by Tao Qian (Kang 36). However, Lai made a farce out of it, making the fishermen a cuckolded husband.
The theme of dreaming and juxtaposition of reality and unreality that are emphasized in the two plays correlate with the famous work the peony pavilion written in 1598 by Tang Xianzu who is considered a ‘Chinese Shakespeare’ (34). In Tang Xianzu’s work, a young girl meets a young man in her dream and falls in love with him which ultimately leads her to premature death from lovesickness. In Peach Blossom Land the fisherman also ends up in a dream world where he meets the almost ideal version of reality. However, unlike the girl from the peony pavilion, he finds the power to come back from the dream, but it does not bring him consolation.
In Secret Love, the male character is often distracted from reality daydreaming about his first love fencing himself off his present wife and child. In the combination of the plays, the director seems to have experienced similar love story, which becomes his obsession (Jifang 44). He frequently criticizes the actors during the rehearsal for not being able to act the standards he apparently imagined for himself (Kang 36). Yun Zhifan tells Jiang Binliu that it is the people like him are to blame for the stagnation of the New China (Kang 35). Here she apparently underlines his lack of will to accept the truth and become living in a present day.
The in-between character, the Mysterious woman who seeks a man named Liu Ziji also seems to be obsessed with fantasy (Jing 1). It is through the key characters of both plays Lai mocks the lack of self-respect and inability to take the matters in control acknowledging that living in dreams cannot change the reality. That is where the juxtaposition of dream and reality, and romantic relationship, which were the most popular topics of chuanqi drama reveal themselves in the Stan Lai’s play.
The structure of the play by Lai also indicates a connection with chuanqi. It is separated into several scenes that despite presenting a narrative (or two narratives), constitute logically concluded parts. In the end, the two plays are combined and played on a single stage simultaneously. This again resembles the peony pavilion which was divided into individual scenes that were played independently from the main drama.
Chuanqi dramas often featured love stories that developed against the background of social and political turmoil. Thus, in Peach Blossom Fan written by Kong Shangren in 1699 the love of Hou Fangyu for courtesan Li Xiangjun is developing parallel to hostilities between the Ming Dynasty and the reformist movement. Similarly, the Secret Love events happen during the wartime. Even the name of the play by Shangren features peach blossom. Peachtree in Tao mythology is a symbol of eternal life. Choosing it as a name for one of his play Lai simultaneously referenced the Shangren’s play, the original ancient Chinese story, and the Tao beliefs, which indicates a deep connection to traditions of chuanqi genre that is full of mythology, love stories, and symbolism.
Similarly to the Peach Blossom Fan, the loyalty theme is one of the central in Peach Blossom Land. However, the loyalty of a woman to a man is depicted in reference to society in the first case, where as in the second one it represents only the personal drama. Despite that fact, Lai staged two plays at once adding topics of social and generational problems connected with war, separation of lovers and disconnection from the society.
Conclusion
All in all, there is no doubt that Lai’s work is highly modern and revolutionizing for Taiwanese drama. However, it also transpierced by the chuanqi dramatic traditions and topics typical of that genre, which may be a part of the reason why it has become so topical and influential in China. The topics, costumes of the actors in Peach Blossom Land, and themes vividly underline the connection to this traditional Chinese theatrical genre.
Works Cited
Fei, Faye Chunfang. Chinese Theories of Theater and Performance from Confucius to the Present. University of Michigan Press, 2002.
Jifang, Zan. Lasting Love for “Peach Blossom Land”. Beijing Review, 2007.
Jing, Zhang. Fantasy and Reality: Conflicts in Secret Love in “Peach Blossom Land.” China Academic Journal Publishing Journal, 2017.
Kang, Bindi. The Crisis of Identity in Taiwan in Stan Lai’s Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land. 2011.
Liu, Siyuan. Routledge Handbook of Asian Theatre. Routledge, 2016.
Wetmore Jr, Kevin J., Siyuan Liu, and Erin B. Mee. Modern Asian Theatre and Performance 1900-2000. A&C Black, 2014.
Blue Velvet by David Lynch is full of scenes which make the viewer feel uncomfortable and even disoriented. The film can be regarded as “the interpretation of the benign surface and malignant depth of an over-controlling rationality” (Nochimson 101). One of the scenes which disorient is the one in the car.
The director uses a very closed space, a car, as a mise-an-scene. Even when the men get out of the car, the space is still closed as Jeffrey is in a tight circle of men holding him (Lynch). This kind of mise-en-scene makes people uncomfortable as people need space. People empathize Jeffrey and want him to be saved and let go.
Notably, the light also contributes greatly to the creation of a closed atmosphere. Darkness surrounds the characters. There are only two spots of light: the lighted car and the lighted faces of the main characters. Frank uses torch to light up his face which is distorted with anger and some kind of madness.
Lynch also enhances the atmosphere of a closed space by placing the characters in a special place. Thus, Jeffrey, Frank and Dorothy are in the closed space with Frank’s henchmen and the girl dancing on the roof of the car around them. The dancing girl and the henchmen are indifferent about the events in the circle.
The girl (as well as the henchmen) is absolutely drunk. They are in their own reality. At the same time, the three people in the circle are involved in a really ‘heavy’ scene. Lynch makes people feel uncomfortable as the viewer is anticipating a horrible murder which is postponed by a strange play Frank is playing.
Finally, Frank’s madness is another tool which creates the closed atmosphere, which, in its turn, makes the viewer feel uncomfortable and disoriented. The viewer is ‘enclosed’ in Frank’s reality which is quite unperceivable. It is difficult or rather impossible to understand what is going on, but Lynch does not explain anything as he simply makes a movie “the way he felt was right” (Atkinson 11). Notably, reality is not clearer than Lynch’s depiction.
Works Cited
Atkinson, Michael. Blue Velvet. London: British Film Institute, 1997. Print.
Lynch, David, dir. Blue Velvet. De Laurentiis and Entertainment Group, 1986. Film.
Nochimson, Martha. The Passion of David Lynch: Wild at Heart in Hollywood. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1997. Print.
Spike Lee is famous for his attention to the problems of African-American people in the US. He expressed his deep concern through thorough and scrupulous work on his films, which were praised by critics and audience and honored with most prestigious awards. One of the first and most recognizable movies was Do the Right Thing, where Lee played the role of one of the main characters. This film is highly recognized for its unique style that is formed by the peculiar use of mise-en-scene, editing, cinematography, and sound. Therefore, there is a need to examine the techniques that form a pattern developing a narrative and helping better present the characters.
As for the cinematographic techniques and camera operation, there is a certain preference for close-up, extreme close-up, low-angle shots, camera panning, and zooming. Close-ups let the viewer concentrate on particular details of the face in order to better show the play style and emotions of the characters. Extreme close ups are oriented more on the perception of the detail that is being under focus. In the beginning of the film, Lee focuses the camera on the mouth of Mister Señor Love Daddy to concentrate the viewer on listening to what he speaks. Low-angle shots make the subject of the shot look stronger. Panning in the film distracts the viewers making them feel the tension and uneasiness, which are the feelings that the characters are experiencing in the moment and at the same time gives them a picture of the broader scene. For instance, this technique is used in the scene where Buggin’ Out and Radio Raheem intensely argue with Sal demanding African-Americans are put on Sal’s Wall of Fame. The scene illustrates the use of close up and panning that contribute to the full delivery of emotions to the viewer. The frequent use of those techniques creates a pattern that, judging from the choice of tools, suggests that characters and their emotions are the central focus through which the narration unravels.
The positioning of the characters in the frame also plays a crucial role in the film (Martin 76). Friends almost always stand side by side while conflicting parties are facing each other, which is also highlighted by the camera taking a panoramic shot. As far as editing is concerned, jump cuts are frequently used there to build up tension and show the anger and negativity between characters in action scenes. The technique speeds up the pace with which the plot unfolds especially in the last part full of emotions and events. It is also used to juxtapose love and hate in the scene where Da Mayor in his own manner proclaims his love to Mother Sister. Music is central to the narration and helps the viewer dive into the world of racial tension and inequality through the soundtracks by Public Enemy that are highly topical in that setting. The ending, however is accompanied by slow-paced jazz to contrast the recent stress and set the viewer in the reflective mood.
In combination, those techniques create a style that grips the viewer and puts them in the setting of racial problems, love, hate, respect, and other topics. Moreover, it complements the plot and lets people live the lives of the heroes, share grief, rage, and confusion with them. The final drama is concluded with two citations that are contradictory in their nature, which leaves the question of love for ‘yours’ and hate for the ‘others’ open. Having presented his vision of the conflict, Spike Lee lets the viewer contemplate on the question of whether the defense of rights should be violent or not.
Works Cited
“Do the Right Thing (1989) Movie.” YouTube, uploaded by Susan Ida Adinda. Web.