Project Proposal:
In this project the main themes I am going to explore are
stereotyping and specifically how people
of political influence are stereotyped through other forms of media and how the
media and editorial illustration enchases stereotypical ideals. The theories and questions that I am going to
try and explore within this project are, do illustrator’s stereotype in their
work? Gerald Scalfs work uses cartoons stereotypes of political figures to
portray public opinion, for example the illustration of Margaret Thatcher with
her evil witch like features and ripping the heads off and devouring her male counterparts. This image could be said to
be agreeing with the masses opinion of her in that time. She was hated by the working class communities
and some of her fellow politicians. However it could be said that this is a far
winged opinion and is biased depiction of a leader, that the illustrator has
taken the acts of the political figure to extremes and emphases on these to
portray Thatcher in a curlew but powerful light.
Scalf,2016.
And another example of stereotyping at
arguable it’s most extreme is Charlie Hebdo when they depicted the prophet
Mohammed on their front cover and resulted in terror extremist killings. ‘bomb-throwing,
terrorist villain, with his dark bushy beard and big nose, developed as an
easily recognized reference.’ Edwards,
2008),p2. How dose media both formal and social, play a
significant role in the Middle Eastern conflict. From propaganda videos to
people are claiming that they are being brain washed by members of IS over
social media. They are trying to create this utopia where everyone will abide
by their rules and belief. But are we as well?
How truthful are we being about these events? Are there accounts in
which the media covers up facts about evens, influencing our opinions? ,are we
ourselves being controlled by the ‘invisible government’…’ who understand the
mental processes and social patterns of the masses.’ Bernays,(1928),
p9.
In order to develop this research further I am going to
investigate specificity cases of propaganda too significant facts . How the internet and technology is being used to
produce propaganda and a utopian world. And forms of propaganda, do different
forms have different functions. I hope to widely use print and other form of
repetitive media in investigating and developing this research. Print is a very
strong, bold and repetitive medium and allows you to mass produce work. And if the
function/ intention is the spreading a mass message it functions well as a
process enabling the message to be made quickly, repetitively and presented to
a mass audience.
It’s Nice That.com, 2016.
From this research I hope to build a better understanding of
how we are influenced by mass stereotyping and propaganda the different forms
in which we given and give this. And by using a repetitive medium I can hope to
mass produce several answers to these questions through my visual
investigation.
