"How Do We Think About Culture and Representation" (Lecture Notes)
Culture
Culture can mean many different things to different people. Some may see an example of culture in the arts through the music or film that is known for originating in a particular location, such as the development of Blues music in the "Deep South" of the US. Others may view culture as more of a physical idea, for example in the architecture or history or a particular area.
"It is fashionable to admire these extraordinarily numerous houses: the extended manors, the neoclassical mansions, that lie so close in rural Britain."
- Raymond Williams, The Country and The City, 1973
In Britain it is relatively easy to see examples of physical culture. In West Yorkshire alone there are many manor museums and manor houses, such as the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Bradford which draws on ties with the infamous Bronte sister authors; another example of the 'culture' of the area. The West Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an excellent example of artistic and physical culture being brought together.
Representation
'Culture is about shared meanings and representation is the way we make sense of and share meanings.'
The two ideas can be thought of together, as culture is what comes from the representation that has made by a group of people. For example, while Blues music originated in the South of the US and is synonymous with the area, it was created through the merging of African-American work songs and the European lyrical ballad style as a representation of them.
To bring this to a design relevance, the Pop Art wave occurred in the mid 1950's and early 1960's. This was a break away from the traditional "fine art" of generations before and became merged with the huge rise in aggressive advertising and became the representation of that period.
This has then over time become immersed in 1950's Britain and US culture.
Culture can mean many different things to different people. Some may see an example of culture in the arts through the music or film that is known for originating in a particular location, such as the development of Blues music in the "Deep South" of the US. Others may view culture as more of a physical idea, for example in the architecture or history or a particular area.
"It is fashionable to admire these extraordinarily numerous houses: the extended manors, the neoclassical mansions, that lie so close in rural Britain."
- Raymond Williams, The Country and The City, 1973
In Britain it is relatively easy to see examples of physical culture. In West Yorkshire alone there are many manor museums and manor houses, such as the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Bradford which draws on ties with the infamous Bronte sister authors; another example of the 'culture' of the area. The West Yorkshire Sculpture Park is an excellent example of artistic and physical culture being brought together.
Representation
'Culture is about shared meanings and representation is the way we make sense of and share meanings.'
The two ideas can be thought of together, as culture is what comes from the representation that has made by a group of people. For example, while Blues music originated in the South of the US and is synonymous with the area, it was created through the merging of African-American work songs and the European lyrical ballad style as a representation of them.
To bring this to a design relevance, the Pop Art wave occurred in the mid 1950's and early 1960's. This was a break away from the traditional "fine art" of generations before and became merged with the huge rise in aggressive advertising and became the representation of that period.
This has then over time become immersed in 1950's Britain and US culture.
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