Visual Analysis: On String Quartets and Saturn's Moon

This is the former album cover of Nonesuch Records' recording of Steve Reich's 2010 composition WTC 9/11, a work for string quartet and tape about the 2001 terrorist attacks. According to a Washington Post article, it resulted in some serious controversy. Many objected to the album's use of the photo for commercial purposes; Reich ended up changing the album cover, to keep it from drawing attention away from the music. But how insensitive is it to use an image of a tragedy to market a work in memory of that tragedy? Minus the context of monetization, the image is respectful. It has been digitally faded and given grainy stripes to signify the age of the event, but the image is still very clear -- its presentation implies that 9/11 is a thing of the past, and a thing of the past that will not be forgotten. The text is written in a direct and solemn font face, stating the bare minimum needed to convey it meaning so as to avoid poisoning the image with distractions. In the same way that the album cover centers around an image of 9/11, the music itself is based on (and includes) recorded samples of air traffic controllers speaking in the heat of the attacks, and heartbreaking interviews about the event years after. So why the adverse reaction to the cover?

Is it because the image is for commercial reasons? Back in 2001, newspapers and TV channels certainly profited from 9/11's existence and employed images of the attacks, but there is nothing wrong with this as long as the event is given the treatment it deserves. Steve Reich's work is just as respectful, if not more so, and he is making money off the music because he is an artist who needs to support himself. It is illogical and rather demeaning to say that monetary gain makes his statement less genuine.

(For the interested, there is a video of the composition being performed on YouTube. It is 17 minutes long.)

Pictured is an artist's impression of Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons. which was very recently confirmed to have liquid water under its surface. This discovery gives me hope in that we're gaining more and more knowledge of our wonderful and mysterious solar system. But what does this have to do with the American Dream?

...nothing, really. The American Dream is about the individual pursuing happiness, and not so much about the greater good or specifically knowledge of the world around us. The Dream is about what we can gain for ourselves right here, right now, and the discovery of liquid water in Enceladus isn't really contributing to that. This I perceive as an incompleteness in the Dream.

With Hope and Despair

Despair

This image for me represents all that is wrong with America. The working class of America is taken advantage of daily by wealthy men and woman who wish to "guide America" as they see fit. As portrayed, the poor work the longest hours, do the worst jobs, are among the least healthy, and are the least paid. But without them America would cease to function and our country would be in utter chaos. Religion says that it wants to help people morally, ethically, and spiritually but constantly tells certain groups like the LGTB that what they do is immoral and wrong. The American Dream is a myth that is used to give people hope that one day they might be the ones holding the reigns.  

Hope

Technology is the hope of America. Technology has opened the door to communicating with others on a global scale. People who have similar view points can now locate each other with relative ease. New innovations have erupted in almost all fields of study. Americans can be more informed about what our government is doing and what our politicians are saying . Protests can be organized quickly and can draw greater numbers than ever possible. People are becoming more connected and more conscious of world events. The American society is changing and becoming more about a global community that is informed and connected. 

Visual Image Analysis

This picture represents despair in the United States because of the fast food industry. Unhealthy food is now much cheaper than healthy food such as vegetables and fruits. Food production companies such as McDonalds are making billions of dollars by selling foods that could potentially make us sick or even kill us in the long run. People are not being cautious about what they put into their bodies, which makes them develop health issues. The worst part is that it is affecting children who will have to bare the consequences throughout their whole lives. These health problems require very expensive medical care. This results in people not being able to afford better foods. This then becomes a continuing cycle feeding into our rising obesity rates. This pulls away from the American Dream because it signifies failure to remain healthy, which therefore will affect a person’s happiness in the long run.

This picture represents hope because it demonstrates a part of the American Dream. For students, finally graduating is a huge step into becoming their own independent individuals. This makes us hopeful that our education will help us be able to find a job in the real world. This then makes us think about our future in a positive light because we know we should be able to have a stable income and comfortably support a family, which is the basics of the American Dream.

Image post

Homeless people are trying to get together to find a shelter, Providing housing for the homeless is a far more effective solution than policing them or leaving them without options. For instance, in Colorado, housing the homeless in a converted shelter cost taxpayers just under $17,000 per homeless person, compared to the much more expensive alternative of leaving them on the street, which costs taxpayers well over double the amount.
 




For me, homelessness and hunger are two of the most serious issues we have in the world. I feel like people should have a roof over their heads for protection, warmth and happiness. We should always make sure our families in the community are fed and not experiencing hunger. We pass by people daily, knowing they’re hungry or knowing they’re not warm, but what do we do about it? We do nothing. We put our heads down, pretending we did not see them. I hope one day this issue of ignoring the homeless and hungry will end. I hope one day that all people will have a place to call home and food on their plates for every meal.

Visual Analysis of Despair and Hope

I believe that a single picture could speak thousands of words. Below are two pictures of despair and hope that surround the American Dream of equality and justice.

Despair

Attendees of the 2012 New York Fashion Week posed for an extremely poorly located picture outside of Moynihan Station.

This picture above represents "inequality" in society which does not fit the definition of American Dream. It seems as if there was a thin invisible barricade that separate the two parties here; on the right we can see the models from 2012 New York Fashion Week posing with glamor, as well as several people behind them. They looked like they were following these public figure, admiring the luxury lives they're living in fame. and  On the left, a homeless man was sitting on the bottom of the stairs. He looked like a "mess," compared to the beautiful young ladies fancy clothes, all very neat-looking. They might be unaware that there was a pathetic looking man behind them when this picture was taken, but in this portrait, people with seemingly higher social status were being ignorant to the people below them, which does not reflect the American Dream.

Hope

NYPD officer Larry DePrimo bought boots for a homeless man on a 35-degree night.

Source: Huffington Post

I was moved by this picture taken from Huffington Post, and it restores my faith in humanity. The police officer gave the man a pair of boots and thermal socks as soon as he saw blisters on the man's feet. He went to nearby shop to buy special insulated winter boots for the man. According to the article, the man had never had a pair of shoes and some tourists who witnessed the scene saw the man smiling from ear to ear after he received the gift from the officer. Not only that, but also this documented picture gets a lot of positive feedback from people in the internet and officials in police department. His action proves that one does not need special deeds for doing good to others. 

Visual Image Analysis

 
Despair:
In this image we see an older man living in a shack, which is made out of pieces of scrap lumber. He appears to live behind an old dumpster with his two dogs. What makes this an example of despair is fairly obvious, the fact that he lives behind a dumpster in a shack is evidence enough. It is even worse when you realize that the reason why he is there, is because he has nobody to turn to. This is what happens when the American Dream fails, and when our obsession with money and wealth in the economy leaves people left in the dust.



Hope:
This is what should really give people hope, voting. Voting is one of the great American traditions that allows its citizens to make changes in their community. This is the best way to make changes, be it offering for funding for education of tax reforms this is the way to do it. The right to vote can be seen as also part of the American Dream because in many other countries the citizens cannot have power over what changes are made in their country or community.

Visual Analysis

Despair

As a nation, we have come together in disasters and challenges to aid other. These moments show our compassion and patriotism towards our countries well being. However this image doesn't seem to be the case. In this image, you see a mother comforting her son in a natural disaster. They stand in the rubble of what they have come to know and love; The environment shows signs that this community is of lower class.

This photo impacts our image of the American Dream. We dream to be prosperous and together, however this shows the opposite. It gives us a grim reality of how separate lower and middle classes are. These two are alone and sit in the ruins of their attempts of their better life. We come to think that we are all equal in this country and will attempt to help others. But we see no aid for these people. They seem abandoned from their country. It almost appears that they will not recover and persevere.  

Hope

I think this image really promotes hope within us. During the Occupy protest, thousands and thousands of people from many walks of life filled the streets to spread awareness of the growing inequality. What astounds me the most is that this is the last person I would think of to be involved and prosecuted. A retired police officer, instead of arresting the protesters, is in fact a protester. He is against the groups and law that he is suppose to enforce, which I think is amazing. The officer clearly believes in another dream for America.