Film Studies: Jump Cuts and Music Videos

Understanding Visual Arts Key Concepts

• Ernst Gombrich critiques the "innocent eye" theory for failing to explain delays in achieving realism in art.
• Gombrich's theory of "schemata" posits a historical process where artists developed techniques and forms for representing visual reality.
• Iconology, as defined by Richard Howells and Joachim Negreiros, is the study of visual images and their meanings, analyzed in three stages: primary level (what is shown), secondary level (deeper meanings), and intrinsic meaning (historical context).
• The Merode Altarpiece by Robert Campin is rich with iconographical symbols, such as Joseph's mouse trap representing God's capture of the devil and lilies symbolizing Mary's purity.
• Roger Fry believes art transcends mere representation of reality, focusing on artists’ actual life experiences.
• Howells and Negreiros draw parallels between abstract painting and music, emphasizing emotional expression through formal elements like lines and rhythm.
• Abstract art is not solely about personal emotion; it can express sensations or have objective meanings.
• Immanuel Kant's theory of the sublime involves a two-moment experience: feeling fear and then rising above that fear through understanding.
• Roland Barthes argues that the written text accompanying an image anchors its meaning, influencing interpretation dramatically.
• The three steps of Barthes' approach to 'myth' involve describing the overt image, interpreting its covert meanings, and unveiling deeper cultural significances.
• John Berger discusses the mystification of art, where expert discourses obscure inherent meanings in artworks.
• Berger asserts that we value the uniqueness of artworks due to their rarity, which is linked to perceived spiritual significance.
• Reproducing artwork alters its meaning by eroding its authority and allowing diverse reinterpretations.
• Tourists are drawn to famous artworks for status, authenticity, and the emotional connection to cultural symbols.
• Feminist critiques of art, like Rubens' Judgment of Paris, highlight representations through the male gaze.
• The distinction between "nakedness" and the "nude" lies in the objectification in the art genre versus a mere state of undress.
• Both Western painting and advertisements create desirability around objects and bodies, reflecting similar conceptual frameworks.
• Sexism in advertising is pervasive; ads target women’s desires for love and men’s sexual fantasies.
• Artemisia Gentileschi's portrayal of powerful women reflects a larger trope rather than solely personal revenge for her trauma.
• Linda Nochlin identifies barriers for women artists, including societal obligations and the traditional association of genius with male traits.
• Hilma af Klint is now recognized as the first abstract artist in Western art.
• The Western art tradition is patriarchal, reinforcing stereotypes about women's roles and downplaying female artists' contributions.
• Queer art celebrates diverse identities and challenges discrimination against non-normative experiences.
• Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs are considered queer due to their subversion of normative gender and race depictions.
• Michael Ray Charles uses irony in his work to challenge rather than reinforce racial stereotypes.
• Alison Saar's work critiques the notion that racial identity is solely based on appearance, instead advocating for cultural identification.
• Historic contributors to photography include Nicéphore Niépce, Louis Daguerre, and Henry Fox Talbot.
• Photography is a collective invention, lacking a singular inventor.
• Roger Scruton argues photography is not art as it remains bound to its subject, lacking transcendence.
• The camera obscura was not an early photography device as it could not fix images chemically.
• Narrative films explore the human condition due to their ability to convey experiences through visual and auditory storytelling.
• Elements like sound and editing are crucial to film grammar, while specific concepts may not align with mise-en-scene.
• Diegetic sound exists within the narrative; extradiegetic sound is external to the story world.
• The Kuleshov Effect creates emotional responses through the juxtaposition of images in film editing.
• The jump-cuts in Godard's Breathless produce a jarring effect due to abrupt transitions.
• Alfred Hitchcock's use of metric montage in Psycho’s shower scene emphasizes the relentlessness of violence through rhythmic editing.
• Cinematic realism does not necessitate the use of non-professional actors; professional actors can depict realism as well.
• Music videos and video games are seen as art forms for their emotive and meaningful expressions.
• Comparisons of music videos to haiku emphasize the depth of meaning conveyed through synthetic imagery.