Análise do excerto de 'How To See The World'

Boa tarde Professora e Colegas,

Deixo aqui a minha análise de texto. Resto de uma ótima semana.

Mirzoeff writes that the digital image is inherently different from the analogue photograph because, unlike its predecessor, the result is simply a product of computer programming that renders computer language into something that can be perceived to humans as an image that is faithful to what they attempted to capture. However, is this truly a sample of reality, or rather something “fake”, thus creating a bigger gap between the original referent and the end product? Indeed, all the colours and shapes we see in digital images are composed of pixels, which is the process used by computers to create digital images. This means that the digital photograph is but an “illusion” that deceives the human eye into believing that that image is real. If one individual zooms into one of them in a computer program, they will realize that these images are composed of almost two million seventy--‐ three thousand six hundred pixels (in the case of a 1920x1080 resolution). Despite this, many photographers in this new day and age choose the digital format simply because it is more accessible and easy to use. There is something extremely gratifying about taking a picture and immediately seeing how it has turned out, whereas other photographers tend to choose to use film due to it being more “authentic”. Even though it ultimately takes more time (and requires more skill) to create an image from negatives, it can also be an exhilarating practice that enables the photographer to see the birth of something the he created with his faithful camera. Light has an important role in this method because of the way the camera captures the refracted light that is similar to the way the human eye works (Mirzoeff talks about this in the book, mentioning Descartes and his efforts to explain optics and the role of light through the Diagram of Ocular Refraction, which laid the foundations for future scholars to understand human vision). Many interesting questions can be raised from this. Is the digital image inferior to the analogue because it is somewhat less “authentic” due to its conception?

Finally, the author also brings up in the book the advent of the Internet and how it came to be the «first truly collective medium». Although this communication medium was created during the Cold War for warlike purposes, it underwent a transformation into what it is today: a borderless network that connects each and every one of us that is able to access it by means of any gadget. You do not have to be tech savvy in order to extract information and communicate through it, be it in a social media, YouTube, or in a forum. To use the Internet as a solely individual activity would be a waste of its limitless potential. The vast majority of the “internauts” actually welcomes new experiences that range from performances that reveal artistic prowess (such as painting or music) to brainstorming, since the Internet can also be a great catalyst for new ideas. One of the great accomplishments of the 21st Century is the way it promoted globalisation. The world became a global village, one that is multicultural and in fact, encourages the sharing of opinions and cultural values, although some underrate the importance of technology and virtual networks. One such example is Gary Turk’s video titled “Look Up” which caused quite a stir in the social Medias as well as television programs.

Despite the fact that it is true that one should not become a hermit and live a purely virtual life while relinquishing the warmth of relationships, saying that we live in a «generation of idiots, smartphones and dumb people» seems too exaggerated. Although Turk considers the virtual world an «illusion», virtual does not equal to illusion. The fact that the Internet brings the people of the Earth together virtually should not lead us to undervalue its importance. This idea also applies to the debate between analogue and digital images. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and in the end, they are simply tools that show the human desire to capture a moment and save it “forever”. Even though life is fleeting and ephemeral, one such image represents our innate fascination for the idea of immortality. It is a way of saying to your ancestors, or to our friends who happen to be online, “I saw this, and now you can see it too”, whereas its description through words could lead to ambiguity. On the other hand, the Internet is a medium through which new bonds can be made, which can lead to “imagined community”, a term coined by Benedict Anderson, who sought to understand nationalism and the way a nation works and behaves: essentially, an imagined community is created by people who perceive themselves as part of that group. This phenomenon came to existence with the help of “print capitalism”, which in turn is related with the Industrial Revolution, another proof that technology was indispensable for the evolution of communities to imagined communities. Anderson mentions how images and language were (and still are) used by media to maintain stereotypes. Even nowadays, it’s rare to see media that aren’t biased or do not have an agenda to fulfil (through political visual images and their manipulation). As reflected by consumer behaviour, sensationalism sells, and that perpetuates its use by major media companies.

We live in a visual culture where images play a key part in our perception of our world and the universe around us, while also making us feel a range of emotions. Websites such as Flickr, Vine, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook are but a fraction of this visual universe. They can create new fashions and fandoms, running gags, or leave you disturbed (as was the case of the controversial case of Charlie Hebdo and the fear mongering created by the Islamic State). However, one of the most peculiar phenomena brought by the Internet and the freedom of speech is the concept of a new identity. These imagined communities are joined together as “visual activists”, as the author puts it, and we don’t need to go too deep into the Internet to find proof of that. Every day we see individuals who become walking billboards, wearing pieces of clothing that allude to their tastes in cinema or music, for instance. Not only that but we see more and more people transitioning from the television to the Internet, because they’ve had enough with the brainwash brought by the barrage of endless advertisements that tell the consumer his life won’t be complete until he buys their product Popular images such as Blue Marble put our lives into perspective, and make us realize how small we are in comparison to the universe. It shows how borders are meaningless, since we all inhabit the same planet. The same happens in Hoshide’s selfie in space, with the Earth being reflected from his visor. It shows the human race surpassing what was deemed impossible centuries before, as they face the darkness of space. Nothing about Hoshide’s appearance or personality is revealed because it isn’t needed. What is noteworthy about the picture is the humanoid figure: Humankind making its mark in History. In the end, Hoshide himself is a visual activist who engages with the viewer in a political, cultural and even philosophical way.

Ruben de Almeida Paiva P.

Nº50230