Visual culture encompasses how we perceive and interpret visual images, from art and media to everyday objects. When you see something, it triggers a complex, unique response shaped by your experiences and memories. However, this personal reaction is also influenced by collective memory—shared memories, beliefs, and values of a society.
Collective memory acts as a backdrop, guiding and shaping our interpretation of visual stimuli. For instance, a historical photograph might evoke a strong emotional response due to both personal connections and its societal significance. This interplay is fundamental to visual culture.
We play with this visual culture by mixing references that seem to converse with each other. We blend form and substance, good & bad ideas, "cliché" & singularity, actuality and legendary. The emotions that emerge are unique to each individual yet universally relatable.
The danger arises when collective memory and cultural references overshadow personal experiences, leading to cognitive and emotional manipulation. When societal narratives dominate, individual perceptions can be suppressed, resulting in biased views, loss of individuality, and emotional manipulation. Recognizing this influence is crucial to preserving personal perspectives while engaging with visual culture.
film credits by appearance
[ 1 ] Miley Cyrus (2019) Mother’s Daughter (Official Video) RCA Records >|< Omg! Yellow suitcase (2016) youtube.com [ 2 ] Mask collective + Festima - Zaouli de la Côte d’Ivoire (2012) www.youtube.com >|< Angela Merkel shaking for third time in as many weeks (2019) CNEWS [ 3 ] Dubsmash (2014) @dubsmash >|< Dire Straits (1995) Money For Nothing (Official Music Video) Vertigo Records [ 4 ] USA For Africa (1985) We Are The World Columbia Records >|< Kanye West & Jay-Z ft. Otis Redding (2011) “Otis” from Watch the Throne Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, Def Jam Recordings [ 5 ] Björk All is Full Of Love from Homogenic (1997)Directed by Chris Cunningham Universal Music >|< Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Welcome Their Royal Baby, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (2019)TODAY.COM [ 6 ] 60 SECONDS Experiment - HYDRAULIC PRESS VS Kiwi (2019) Youtube.com >|< The Nampan Market. Nampan, Shan State (2016) @tobyharriman [ 7 ] Synchronised walking (2011) Youtube.com >|< Dior Menswear Spring/Summer 2020 show in Parisfashionnetwork.com [ 8 ] Back to the future (1985) Directed by Robert Zemeckis Universal Pictures >|< Spacex & Mission Reusability (2020) Spacex.com [ 9 ] Nosedive / Black Mirror / S03E01 (2016) Netflix >|< Avec le “crédit social”, la Chine classe les “bons” et les “mauvais” citoyens (2019) France 24 [ 10 ] This Girl Can Dance! She Has Gone Viral Over Her Dance Moves (2019) @thefamousnaija >|< The Matrix (1999) Directed by The Wachowskis Warner Bros. [ 11 ] Matteo Romano @MattRomanolV >|< Joint Air-to-Ground Missile Destroys Moving Target in Slow Motion (2011) Military.com [ 12 ] Akira (1988) Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co., Ltd. >|< Kendall Jenner nails bottle top challenge while riding a jet ski in a bikini (2019) Mirror.co.uk [ 13 ] Boston Dynamics unveil backflipping robots (2021) Reuters >|< Cadbury Gorilla Drummer Drums To Phil Collins (2007) Fallon London [ 14 ] Andy Warhol eating a Hamburger from the film 66 Scenes from America (1982) Jørgen Leth >|< Jamie xx – Gosh (2016) Directed by Romain Gavras [ 15 ] The Man Who Wasn’t There (Car Crash) (2001) Joel & Ethan Coen >|< The Epic Splits (2013) Jean-Claude Van Damme & VOLVO TRUCKS [ 16 ] President Obama Drops the Mic at White House Correspondents’ Dinner (2016) ABC News >|< Drone footage of Afghan suicide attack released by Taliban (2016) Global News [ 17 ] Wax – California Music video (2019) Spike Jonze >|< Greta Thunberg collapsed in tears on the podium of the European Parliament(2019) Reuters [ 18 ] Marina Abramovic & Ulay performance art “Rest Energy” (1980) >|< Trump urges Kim to ‘make a deal’ US-North Korea (2019) Reuters [ 19 ] The Shape of Water (2017) Directed by Guillermo del Toro >|< Donatella Versace accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (2014) Facebook Versace [ 20 ] Kanye West Freestyle with a MAGA Cap (2018) Everyday Hip Hop >|< Forest gump (1994) Directed by Robert Zemeckis Paramount Pictures [ 21 ] This Is America (Official Video) (2018) Childish Gambino >|< America’s Tragedy: Remembering the JFK Assassination (1963) WSJ [ 22 ] WIX.com Ad (2019) >|< Fargo (1996) Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen [ 23 ] Drake - Hotline Bling (2015) >|< The Shining (1980) Directed by Stanley Kubrick [ 24 ] M.I.A. - Bad Girls (2012) Directed by Romain Gavras >|< Princess Diana working with the red cross (2010) @iconic [ 25 ] Octopus using camouflage in wild freaks out netizens (2019)Timesnownews.com >|< Sunset cruise @fihts (2019) [ 26 ] Billie Eilish - you should see me in a crown (Vertical Video) (2018) >|< Madonna kissing Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
Research & Selection
