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September 29, 2005
Semiotic Analysis of Alfred Leslie Painting
This picture seems very simple at first glance, but after it is studied a bit,it seems more complex. The denotative aspects of this painting are, first off, the big brown box in the middle of the picture. This box is a television, and it shows, on the screen, a nightime scene. The person viewing the picture knows this because we use our previous knowledge to help us view the painting. We know that a small sliver of yellow against a dark background is the moon, and we know that the background with streaks of gray, blue, and purple is the sky. We also know that the yellow, orange, and red slice at the bottom of the painting is the sun rising. We recognize this based on our prior knowledge. The scene around the television is even more intriguing. On top of the television rests a plate, an old pair of sneakers, and an old-fashioned telephone. Next to the television is a yellow chair, and on the other side a pair of blue sandals and a broom. All of these objects we are able to identify because we match their shape, color, and other attributes to those we know to be true of certain objects.
The connotative part of the painting is much more interesting. It asks us to study more than the simple identity of these objects, but to decipher what they mean. For me, this picutre connotes a family, always busy, always on the move. The placement of objects act as a metaphor in this photo, for their random placement and use in this photo signifies that the same is true of the family. The apparent dishelvement of the objects is also a testament to the same thing. The sneakers appear less vibrant than they probably did orginally, while the chair has a grayish covering, meaning that it has been used again and again. The chair does not seem like one that would be found in this type of room, we would probably expect to see a big, comfy armchair, yet the existence of this chair attests to the frantic nature of the family's life. The metonymy in this photo is the scene on the TV, which in my mind stands for things that are always changing, never static. Just like the life of the family, where a new day begins practically before the previous one ends. I think that this picture could have been interepreted many ways, yet this is the one that was most prominent for me.
--Brenna DeCotis
Posted by lciscotis at September 29, 2005 02:12 PM
Comments
I love how you noted the colors and shapes that were in the painting. This was really important to the overall affect of the message behind the painting. I thought that the colors and shapes were very prominent as well, and were what helped me to identify each seperate object.
Loved your post!
--Yasmin
Posted by: Yasmin at September 29, 2005 06:51 PM
So are you saying that you feel like the painter is commenting on the disheveled quality of this family's life?
Posted by: Ellen Grabiner at September 29, 2005 09:13 PM
Ellen,
I would not use the word "disheveled". My reasoning for this is that I do not think he is condemning the family's life or saying it is a bad way to live. He is simply describing it, and ultimately leaves it up to us to make our own judgements about the value (or lack of value) of this life.
Brenna D.
Posted by: Brenna at October 1, 2005 05:44 PM