CCA1102 Representation and Interpretation ECU 2007
Susanne Harford
Student Number 10043898
Assessment Three 2075
Lecturer:
David PRESCOTT-STEED
Tutor
Sue Starcken
http://www.hotelrentalgroup.com/images/UAE-BaA1.jpg
An interesting exercise is to compare cultural texts of different types, particularly if from the viewpoint of “cultural evolution” (Balkin, preface, p.11) and the subjects are of differing cultural groups and eras. For example, to consider a current book about the rise and endurance of Palladianism and compare it with the recent movie “Factory Girl” about the tragic muse Edie Sedgwick, and also with the superb modern building ‘Burj Al Arab’ presents us with a fascinating set of stories. Although each within their own cultural context is totally different to the others, all are premier products of zenith periods of a ‘high’ or ‘fine’ culture. It is particularly interesting to consider the impact metonym, metaphor and connotation have had on the messages, information and meanings that each of these unique cultural icons conveys to the world. The semiotic devices have provided essential “cultural software” (Balkin, preface, p. 11) that assists each of these strategically-designed commodities to “exist historically” and thus enjoy continuing international relevance.
Geeraerts tells us metonym is one major device serving to anchor the form of cultural commodities to their content, placing them firmly within their own cultural context whilst encouraging the modern individual consumer, whether belonging to that culture or not, to construct “metonymical paths …to arrive at… [a] derived reading’” This device then allows the individual, and today’s society, to consider whether that cultural artefact is relevant and important today (p. 16). Reading “Palladio and Palladianism” the book by Robert Taverner, show this certainly is the case for the book and Palladianism.
Taverner’s book demonstrates and reinforces the myth of Palladianism, a metonym for “classical beauty in architecture”. The book is about the life and work of the 15thC architect Palladio “probably the most famous architect of the Western world”, (p. 8) a humanist whose work and writings are based on those of Vetruvius (p. 11).
Having access to and understanding Vetruvius’ ancient manuscript “De Architectura” (p. 11) was the key cultural text enabling Palladio to develop the enduring metaphor of his work – that of the “rebirth” of classical art and architecture, via the strict implementation of “rigorous laws learned from Nature” (p. 12).
Palladio was an ideal example of praxis in the Italian Renaissance-acme of an action-oriented culture. A humanist architect, a man of action (p. 18) he embraced the “ferment of ideas” (p. 11) existing in that era. In today’s society that initial Palladian positioning endures, carrying strong connotations of “well-rounded individual as a vital member of society” (p.20).
By discussing the many “conscious revival[s]” and the “production of excellent buildings … mirror[ing] the perfection of Nature” Taverner brings back to life today connotations Palladian of “other countries and other times”, transport to us today the work of Inigo Jones, Colen Campbell and Lord Burlington, Thomas Jefferson - all viewed through the metonym and metaphor of Palladianism. Taverner shows us that these unique individuals, in many ways key cultural style-setters in their own era, the adoption of Palladianism was “more than a matter of style, [it was] a way of life” (p. 124).
Wikipedia tells us it is useful to compare metonymy with metaphor and says both “involve the substitution of one term for another”. Metaphor relies upon similarity, metonymy on contiguity. When Taverner talks about discovery of an original Palladio villa he does not feel “sheer joy”, he tells us discovery of the villa “is sheer joy’” (p. 11).
http://www.arcspace.com/books/palladio/1.Palladio.jpg
Chandler says the way language is used is always growing, changing. Certainly the following excerpt from the website of the Free Library demonstrates just how metonymy, metaphor and connotation all play their parts in developing and promoting the mystique surrounding Palladianism:
Indeed, the whole scene was like a classical
landscape with a touch of Watteau; the Palladian
facade of the house pale in the moon, and the same
silver touching the very pagan and naked marble
nymph in the middle of the pond. (The Free Library)
Wikipedia’s definition tells us “metonymy is the evocation of the whole by a connection. It consists in using for the name of a thing a relationship, an attribute”. A further definition from the Princeton site states metonymy is a word that denotes one thing but refers to a related thing. These definitions are again relevant when we consider the ‘Burj’ or even a photograph of the ‘Burj’ (below). To most people the connotations this cultural text carries are not immediately those of a building. Regardless of whether this structure is being physically viewed in situ or not, people describe this cultural construct as “some type of huge, modern vessel” (Private conversation, Dubai, 2007). Generally thought of in metaphoric terms, metonymy and connotation also play key parts.
http://keetsa.com/blog/wpcontent/uploads/2007/06/dubai.jpg
They ‘see’ a sail ship, standing at anchor on the calm shores of the Gulf, lying off the vibrant city of Dubai – of its’ time yet directly linked to the aesthetic stylisation of the European ‘Orientalist’ period. This romantic craft waits there, glittering in the desert sunlight, ready to sail to exotic, exciting, unknown destinations. Exquisite positioning and marketing convey a message within the buildings’ own cultural context and into the wider international community a message which exists, as Kress says:
in the area where culture can and does
set its own rules…and this is how
…meaning is made (Kress, 1998. p. 7).
These are reasons the building and images of this building have “caught the imagination” worldwide. This is the way “shared understandings arise, how cultures grow and spread, and how people of different cultures…understand and critique each other's views” (Balkin).
Balkin says that ours is an age that always “absorb[s] the tools that lie to hand”. He uses “metaphors because they are useful and he hopes they will create a spark of recognition and excitement in others”. The movie “Factory Girl” is constructed to send messages that the life of Edie Sedgwick did just that; she used the “tool … [at] … hand’”, her own life, to create a “spark” of revolution against mainstream culture. In doing so she developed her own unique and enduring counter-culture iconographic value.
Our culture is one which places enormously
high value on the individual and actions
of the individual (Kress, 1998. p. 17).
Because our culture values the individual and the works of certain individuals so highly it is possible for Edie and her production, like Kurt Cobain, to “exist historically”. “Factory Girl” clearly carries the message that killing herself by drug overdose was making best use of the “tools” Edie had available, a horrifying, yet real event, a highly relevant message within the great tapestry she created - with her life as fibre. Today’s movie confirms again a message that was clear in the 60s; Edie lived her life as art, as metaphor: by putting herself so much at risk she effectively communicated the personal pain in her conflict with and against mainstream society. Her message resonated strongly and in lasting fashion.
The question of why superb ideological Palladian structures continue to “exist historically”- as does Edie, becomes clearer if we to refer to definitions by Encarta. We find connotation carries implied additional meaning, additional sense or senses associated with or suggested by a word or phrase. Sometimes, but not always, the meaning is fixed, and often subjective. By telling us Palladian buildings adhere strictly to “Nature[‘s]… rigorous laws” Taverner’s book reinforces the “additional sense” in Palladianism: that then and today the foundation of “rational principles” in Palladian buildings guarantee “classical beauty in architecture” “all’antica” and embodiment of the highest classical ideals of “utilitas, firmitas, and venustas” (Taverner, p. 11 & 12).
Encarta also states connotation implies or suggests additional meaning for a word or phrase apart from the literal or main meaning and goes onto say in logic, the characteristic or set of characteristics that makes up the meaning of a term defines the objects to which a term can be applied. The additional meanings, the “recognition and excitement” attached to Edie’s cultural production defy logic. She was then, and is still today, perceived as highly relevant, (or relevantly irrelevant, depending upon the viewpoint). As Chandler tells us, connotation is related to myth, the transforming of history into nature and as such is above the processes of demystifying, decipherment and interpretation. Edie is a myth.
Edie as art was established while she still lived; Edie was an early superstar, a high preistess shining in the “youthquake” popular cult/high culture morph of American 1960s. Chandler tells us “meaning is always permeated with value judgement”. (Boloshinov, V. as quoted by Chandler. p. 2). Edie’s commitment to her personal narrative ensures many perceived meanings to and connotations are attached to her life,
established in a major cultural watershed during a landmark period in the development of Western ‘Pop’ contemporary art.
http://www.math.temple.edu/~jmaj/edie.jpg
Certainly the ‘Burj’ is superbly placed; an item of propaganda unique and yet of all cultures and all times. Mastering dichotomy was something Islamic architecture achieved many eras ago. With the Islamic invasion of the then-known world came the advent of the “history of globalised culture”.
To ensure their continuing success – over very long periods of time – and within the diverse cultures and communities they invaded and dominated Muslim high cultures adopted and adapted, perfecting the reflexive art of entrenching additional meaning within their production
of important cultural artefacts; with metonymy and metaphor and other ways that resonated, carried “additional meaning”, which Encarta tells us is one of the most important attributes of connotation.
Because of their impact, their continuing “historic existence” certain culturally-entrenched objects, such as the three described here, endure and grow in status and have different values at different times in different societies. Palladio’s fame depends upon the wealth of buildings still existing and available for interrogation and the production of descriptive tools like Taverner’s book. Developments in film, movie and digital technology have assisted Palladianism and Edie to have lasting impact. Film and photography are the vehicles that carry the metonymy, metaphor and connotation that make Edie this important cult figure. Images of the ‘Burj’ are inculcating it’s “meanings” deep within our modern-day psyche because the ‘Burj’ is already “disembedded” (Crouch, 1999) from it’s historic context. Metonymy, metaphor and connotation are the semiotic tools that have excavated the “meanings” of the ‘Buj’.
The book, the movie, their subjects and the building are all products of our highly reflexive world. This highly selective process recognises important cultural values embedded within certain historic cultural icons. Currently this is reflected in strong desires to revive classic ideals. The corresponding response as desire to “live” those ideals is growing without pause. The man Palladio of 15thC Italy ‘lives’ today, Palladianism has worldwide relevance and application. His international reputation has grown enormously, his buildings, known throughout the modern world embody the aims and ideals of ancient civilisations, are the embodiment of myth. Edie became the ultimate “disposable” Pop Art arform. Overshadowed for decades by the huge impact Warhol achieved so effortlessly Edie is now firmly established as ‘America 60s’ icon. Her struggle is a very modern-day myth and continues to be relived and replayed endlessly, discussed and analysed. Metonym, metaphor and connotation have all played key parts in a manner Chandler says “contains the evaluative element, and [because these elements are made so accessible by these semiotic devices she is endlessly] aligned with [more] symbolic expressive values and attributes”. Pallaidio’s own life manuscript and Edie’s horrifying counter-contribution profoundly guarantee, through the devices of metonymy, metaphor and connotation, enduring inclusion within mainstream Western culture. It remains to be seen whether the ‘Burj’, situated in “Today’s’ City” Dubai will still “exist historically” and its international social influence over future decades. It appears as if it may.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Film
Factory Girl (2006). Weinstein Company
Books
Crouch, C. ((1999). Modernism in art, design & architecture.
Hampshire and London: Macmillan Press.
Inglis, D. (2007). Culture and everyday life. London: Routledge.
Kress, G. (1998). Communication and Culture. Sydney: UNSW Press.
Taverner, R. (1991). Palladio and Palladianism. Thames & Hudson World
of Art: London.
Internet
Balkin, J. M. (1998). Cultural Software: A Theory of Ideology. Online
version under a Creative Commons Noncommercial Sharealike license. Published by Yale University Press
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/jbalkin/cs.htm
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/jher /cs.htm
Bartelby.com. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Third Edition
(2002). 7. Conventions of Written English.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/connotative
Chandler, D. Semiotics for Beginners. Daniel Chandler. Denotation,
Connotation and Myth. Last modified: 03/28/2002 14:21:20
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem06.html
Geeraerts, Dirk. (2002). "The interaction of metaphor and metonymy in
composite expressions". Metaphor and metonymy in comparison and contrast 435-465. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
http://wwwling.arts.kuleuven.ac.be/qlvl/PDFPublications/02Theinteraction.pdf
Google Online Search: Definition: Metonym
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:Metonym&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary > Palladianism
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/Palladianism
Movie Trailers. Factory Girl.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/factorygirl/
Msn Encarta Dictionary > connotation
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861599676\
The Free Library by Farlex > Palladian
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Palladian
The Free Library > Literature > Gilbert Chesterton > The Man Who
Knew Too Much > Chapter VI. The Hole In The Wall
http://chesterton.thefreelibrary.com/The-Man-Who-Knew-Too-Much/6-1#Palladian
Palladian: of or relating to a revived classical style in architecture based
on the works of Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio; "the much imitated arch and column compositions known as the Palladian motif
classics.wlu.edu/literaryterms.html
Princeton Online Dictionary: Metonym
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Wikepedia the Free Encyclopaedia > Metonyomy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metonym
Illustrations
Cover: Google Images: In search of Myself. Image of Dubai Burj Al
Arab. Weblog. Permalink
http://insearchofmyself.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!DFF727B67232D644!683.entry
Page 1. Google Images: Faking it in the fake city. Dubai. Burj Al Arab.
http://keetsa.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/dubai.jpg
Page. 5. Google Images: Arcspace. Books. Palladio.
http://www.arcspace.com/books/palladio/1.Palladio.jpg
Page Google Images. Math.temple Edu. Edie Sedgwick.
http://www.math.temple.edu/~jmaj/edie.jpg
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Susanne Harford 10043898
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