How Text and Images Signify Meaning - Victim of Beauty
Essay on Victim of Beauty
«Victim of Beauty» is the title of a series of photographs published in the Bulgarian fashion magazine «12» and it can be depicted as a powerful source of meaning from the content of it's text and image. The title and image both have distinctive denotative meanings sujested by their literal characterization, however their merger creates a polysemy of connotative meanings that can be associated to the ideology of beauty, the evolution of its significance and its harm to society. Nonetheless, when separated, each element also has its own denotation and connotation that give additional essence of the eventual message established by the creator of the editorial. Whilst causing an international controversy, a tide of discussions emerged about the editorial, raising questions such as the propriety of abuse used as an art form and the use of sexism for discrimination of gender, however these seem to be based on a superficial perspective of the prevailing image, therefore I intend to reveal the deeper meaning associated with this specific text and image.
The image of beautiful women with black eyes, viciously torn out piercings and sickening burns instantly puts the thought of domestic violence into the readers mind, however the natural expressions of the models suggest they aren’t necessarily being objectified but in fact “humanized”. Although the images are controversial, they appear to have a deeper connotative meaning that can be perceived as the psychological abuse caused by beauty alternatively to the physical abuse portrayed literally in the images. In today’s society, beauty brings an enormous amount of pressure to the lifestyle of each individual whether a woman, men or even a child. Whether they realize or not, people from all cultures and backgrounds are victims of beauty within the perspective of ideology created by the society that surrounds them. Appearance currently plays a role in much more than the ceaseless quest for
«Victim of Beauty» is the title of a series of photographs published in the Bulgarian fashion magazine «12» and it can be depicted as a powerful source of meaning from the content of it's text and image. The title and image both have distinctive denotative meanings sujested by their literal characterization, however their merger creates a polysemy of connotative meanings that can be associated to the ideology of beauty, the evolution of its significance and its harm to society. Nonetheless, when separated, each element also has its own denotation and connotation that give additional essence of the eventual message established by the creator of the editorial. Whilst causing an international controversy, a tide of discussions emerged about the editorial, raising questions such as the propriety of abuse used as an art form and the use of sexism for discrimination of gender, however these seem to be based on a superficial perspective of the prevailing image, therefore I intend to reveal the deeper meaning associated with this specific text and image.
The image of beautiful women with black eyes, viciously torn out piercings and sickening burns instantly puts the thought of domestic violence into the readers mind, however the natural expressions of the models suggest they aren’t necessarily being objectified but in fact “humanized”. Although the images are controversial, they appear to have a deeper connotative meaning that can be perceived as the psychological abuse caused by beauty alternatively to the physical abuse portrayed literally in the images. In today’s society, beauty brings an enormous amount of pressure to the lifestyle of each individual whether a woman, men or even a child. Whether they realize or not, people from all cultures and backgrounds are victims of beauty within the perspective of ideology created by the society that surrounds them. Appearance currently plays a role in much more than the ceaseless quest for
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