There is no one definition of culture, but any definition should take into account that culture isn’t fixed, that it is something we do, something we make, something we negotiate with. In short, that it is a process, a fluid, interactive, negotiated, ongoing process.
With that in mind, I’d like us all to wrestle with the terms “culture” and “visual culture”. What are they? What are they to you. Importantly, what are they NOT?
Post your response to these questions by 9am, Friday, August 26.
“Culture” is something that binds a people group together – it is the lens through which they view the world around them. It affects every aspect of a person’s life, from the advertisements they see on TV to what gift they choose for their dad on Father’s Day. It is a set of customs and/or ideals shared by a people group.
“Visual culture,” on the other hand, is just one aspect of the broader concept of “culture.” Visual culture is what affects our ocular senses – that is, of course, our vision. In our society, everything we see is affected by our culture, or the worldview most people in America tend to have. The colors on an ad, the ruffles on a dress – everything has a meaning, albeit sometimes subconscious, even to its originator. The physique we prefer the sex to which we are attracted to have is often a result of visual culture: we see people in films and on magazine covers, and that’s what we think a person ought to look like. The colors we paint babies’ rooms are an undeniable result of visual culture: most of us have been almost “trained” to associate blue with boys and pink with girls.
I would even argue that, as far as culture’s influence on us is concerned, our vision is probably our most dominant and imposing sense.
Good terms here, Bonny — customs, social glue, a lens.
The word “culture” means anything that makes a place or person unique. It is typically shared by more than one person and sets them apart. Culture is everywhere and determines how we act and feel towards certain things. Culture determines what we watch, wear, attend, and pay attention to. It influences the way we behave in different places and it also has a great influence over how we think. There is honestly nothing that I can say culture is not because everything you encounter has some sort of culture linked to it.
“Visual culture” is the culture that we encounter through various different forms of media and the different things that influences media. When I think visual culture I think of all the different ads I have seen be it in a magazine or on television. I also think of pieces of artwork that you might see in a museum because all of them have some sort of influence from culture. I feel like this really encompasses everything visually perceived. Emotions and feelings really are not part of visual culture however I feel like visual culture has a great effect on both.
Culture is what defines a particular people group. Their customs, beliefs and values are all part of it. Visual culture however, is the way that we perceive the expression of culture around us. No two people can define visual culture the same way because the concept is subjective and susceptible to bias and prejudices from our own cultural background. Visual culture is a constantly changing concept because culture itself is constantly changing. The phenomenon of globalization is narrowing the gap between different cultures but people from different backgrounds will still have radically different experiences when viewing the same thing such as a building, piece of artwork, photograph or film. For example, if I were to visit a mosque I would be able to appreciate the aesthetics of the building and admire the unique architecture that I am rarely exposed to. However, if a devout Muslim were to look at the same mosque, their experience would be quite different than mine. The architecture would be familiar to them and they might compare it to other mosques they have visited. They also might experience a much more personal connection to the building because of their Islamic faith that I would be unable to experience.
Visual culture is the extension of culture into what we can see with the naked eye. Almost everything around us holds some kind of cultural significance. Much of the time we take in the cultural messages around us subconsciously but they are always
Abigail wrote: “The word “culture” means anything that makes a place or person unique. It is typically shared by more than one person and sets them apart.”
Hmmm….. If it is what makes a person unique, how could it then be shared by others? I don’t understand.
Culture is the interwoven ideas, beliefs, and traditions that color how a group of people experience the world. It is a fluid process of adaptation that evolves with humans; even the most static part of culture, tradition, often finds itself changing in subtle or not so subtle ways to fit into the dynamics of society.
Visual Culture, by extension, is the visualizations and images that define the culture. For example, the eagle. In many parts of the world, it is a majestic bird of prey that is often respected for its grace and power. In American visual culture however, we ‘see’ the bird as a representation of America and everything it stands for. It is not simply an eagle; it is Freedom, Pride, and Justice manifest. It is a uniquely American perspective of the animal that is defined by society and shaped by our culture. A different example can be reduced to the simplicity of colors: every nation has its own colors that define who they are. Going back to America for an example, the colors red, white, and blue by themselves do not mean anything significant. But when represented together, it is suddenly America that they are viewing and the feeling the undercurrents of ‘patriotism’ that is so often associated with those colors.
The term “culture” brings to my mind the concept of different people groups. I think of different ethnicities and traditions that belong to various parts of the world. For example, one might say that in the Indian culture the event of a wedding looks drastically different than it does in the American culture. The ceremonies consist of different traditions, the colors and style most commonly used differ dramatically in each, etc. This example demonstrates how these differences are determined by what each people group deems is normal and acceptable, and how the people in a group identify themselves. I would say that this is loosely what culture is. But then, as a human race we are constantly gaining new experiences, making new advances, and undergoing self-discovery. The sense of how we perceive ourselves is therefore changing along with these things, which translates into our ever-changing culture.
A possible definition of visual culture would then be the expression of ourselves through our values, ideas, interests, daily activities, etc, in the form of images, symbols, designs, and colors. It seems to be what largely makes up culture in general, and is an integral part of cultural identity.
Culture: Simply put I see it as a way of life. Certain practices and ideas that bring people together whether it is language, religion, or certain beliefs. I believe that visual culture is more of something that by looking at it, it can represent the ideas of a culture. So an idea from culture that is physically made for the eye to see.
We’re focusing on various cultures, peoples, people groups, which is good (I hope we do this all semester). Let’s also think about forms and types of culture. Most of us would agree opera is culture, right? And paintings? What about The Simpsons and The Daily Show? So in terms of visual expressions and visual media, is there anything that wouldn’t qualify as culture?
Culture – The traditions, biases, expectations and norms of a certain sect of people. Culture determines the underlying and often unspoken rules of a society. Unconsciously, people’s behavior is controlled by culture, as they act in the ways that the culture determines acceptable, or commit certain actions simply because they are opposite the culture. This creates a oxymoron where the culture shapes the people and the people influence their culture.
Visual Culture – The visual representation of that culture, including their beliefs, biases, etc. This could be in the form of advertisement directed at a certain sect, their films or photography, and even television. Visual culture is anything that expresses (as opposed to something determined to be “artistic” or “educational”). We are all influenced by culture, and the way we chose to express ourselves often (consciously or unconsciously) mirrors the culture itself.
Culture is, in its most basic or simple sense, what makes one group of people unique when compared to another group. This includes everything that pertains to said group, from fashions to ideology to eating habits. These will obviously change from culture to culture and even within a culture, thus creating subcultures.
Visual Culture, I would say, is the media of a given group of people. This can range from the commercials that air during the Super Bowl to what said group considers art to the color palette of a village in a third world country. Visual Culture is then also the ways in which a group chooses (consciously or unconsciously) to represent themselves.
Culture is the spoken and unspoken understanding of norms in a group of connected people. Culture is both beautiful in its intricacies and monstrous in its limitations on the lives and choices of individuals. There is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” culture; every culture has positive and negative practices. For instance, the Chinese cultural practice of having older parents live with their grown children’s family is a wonderful tradition that allows grandparents to be closely cared for and more involved in their families’ everyday life. However, another equally accepted cultural norm in China that is not so wonderful is for male children to be more highly valued than female children. Female babies are often abandoned because their parents wanted a male child instead. China should not be singled out though for this atrocity though; many other cultures around the world also value boys over girls and often commit infanticide when a baby is born the “wrong” gender, and those that do not do so have their own negative cultural practices.
Visual culture is how a group of connected people perceive certain images and associate specific messages to them. For instance, a rectangular plaque on a door showing a vaguely humanoid figure with the English word “Men” underneath it is a truly cryptic sign when taken out of cultural context and understanding. A member of an Amazonian tribe who has lived in a village in the rainforest their entire life would not have the slightest clue what this strange cipher could mean. However, with the exception of young children, anyone in the United States could tell you that the sign indicates that a restroom containing sinks and toilets lies beyond that door.
To me, culture is something that should be acknowledged but not too directly. Culture is most certainly a major driving force in the actions and lives of individuals, but if you try to view people based on their culture, you run the risk of stereotyping them and not seeing them for who they really are. In my opinion, culture is not something that one can acquire as some would say by reading certain literature, attending certain performances, or behaving in specific ways. Culture is something you slowly find yourself enveloped in, and you cannot be part of a culture until you hardly recognize that you are a part of it.
Culture is what defines a specific group of people. It is a way of life which differs from other groups of people. Culture is a ‘regional’ phenomena, meaning people in the same area share the same culture. For example, the culture of Peru is different than the culture of the French. Different people in different areas have different culture. Culture can be anything, from music to food to how you say hello and goodbye. Culture is not just countries, culture can be groups like rock groups. These are sometimes known as cult followings, a group of people which do the same things and like the same things.
Visual culture is the objects we can see in a culture. They are the objects which people look at and associate with that particular culture. Example for the American culture include the American flag, McDonalds, movie stars, etc. These are objects that people envision when they think of America. Visual culture is what people think of when they think of a certain culture.
Culture encompasses the entire lifestyle of a group of people. Culture is the traditions, outlook, style, and overall identity that defines a persons life. Much of culture is inherited through a persons upbringing and the community in which they live in, such as religion, moral values, eating habits, and many times political standpoint. However, much culture is gained and altered through a persons experiences and interactions with other people and the things they learn from these encounters. For instance, a person may grow up extremely conservative, but later in life they may be exposed to liberal values and like them better. Culture is what defines the complexity of a human being, and I think everyday a persons culture is growing and changing through their experiences in life and the things they learn just by living.
I think visual culture is very closely tied with culture, however, it is set apart because it is entirely ocular. Visual culture is everything that hits our eyes and causes any sort of reaction, thought, or emotions that are specific to our culture. For instance, in the U.S. we are constantly hit with advertisements telling us that we are not good enough and that we need certain products to make us better individuals. We see people on television with “perfect” physical qualities and this visual image becomes a defining aspect in our culture because people then constantly strive to attain that “perfect” appearance. Also, visual culture tells a lot about our perspectives and visualizations of certain things. For instance, in Christian culture, Jesus is made to look almost like a rock star. He is illustrated as a tall, fair skinned, man with blue eyes, flowing brown hair, and a lean muscular body. Considering the time and place that Jesus supposedly lived, he probably was a short, dark skinned man, with scraggly hair. However, our the modern day illustration of him is much more visually pleasing because it better depicts what we associate with power and divinity in our visual culture. Visual culture is everywhere and it illustrates our different tastes, expectations, and cultural biases.
“Culture” to me is whatever surrounds the individual. I do not think culture is the exact same for anyone. I think culture can include where the person lives, what kind of friends, family, and much more that the individual is in contact with daily; therefore, each person is unique and different. Culture can have a major influence over the individual, if they allow it to. Many people say that they are the way they are because of where they grew up and who was around them. I do believe that culture has a strong influence over the person that they become. However, people do not always have to become a product of a culture. As an individual grows up, they go through and experience many different cultures. As adults, I think it is easier for an adult to choose what culture they want to be apart of.
I believe that “visual culture” is very similar to culture; however, I believe that it can have a much wider radius. Some years back there was no television, so the only “culture” people could see was what they were surrounded by. Visual culture has now widened the access for people to see other cultures. For example, a person living in New York can turn on the television and see how people in Africa live. It is easier to see cultures worldwide, and so visual culture has expanded the ability for others to see more and different cultures.
The word “culture” is an abstract concept because it is different for the various societies and people groups around the world. Our Western culture is certainly different that the culture in the East. Culture is a conglomeration of things; it can be the way we talk, the way we dress, the food we eat, beliefs, the activities we partake in, and attitudes. Culture is unique to different parts of the world because the way we live life is different due to ancient history, geography, and climates. Essentially, culture is the process by which we live our lives and interact with the people in a set community. Culture can be as big or as small as we perceive it to be it. At Berry College there is a unique culture; our students have common bonds when we participate in activities like Mountain Day, and we have our own unique jokes and sayings, such as “the Chicken Bus.” As we venture outside of Berry we realize that we are part of an overall American culture too; culture can have many different parts to it, and it can include a few thousand to millions of people.
The term “visual culture” acts like a subset in the overall meaning of culture. Visual culture is what we see: television, advertisements, what we view on the Internet, and even the clothes that people wear. There is a plethora of options in which we visually engage. Our culture defines our visual culture. In America, the commercials and advertisements are targeting the public by using our very own culture. Some would say that the Western world is obsessed with staying young, looking beautiful, and being thin. There are thousands of commercials targeted at selling their beauty secrets and diet specials. However, the commercials that are aired in America would not be culture in a different part of the world like the Middle East. Advertisements that promote clothes, which show a lot of skin, would be offensive to some living in the Middle East because it is not in their beliefs. Symbols and signs are also integrated in visual culture. Traffic signs might be different in various countries. Symbols like the Pentagon and the White House would not mean much to Russia. Culture and, therefore, visual culture can be very subjective; visual culture is different according to the society that we are bound.
I think of “a culture” as a unique blend that encompasses one’s upbringing, religiosity, local trends, and personal as well as local ancestry. While there are some big blocks of differing culture, like American versus Middle Eastern or yankees versus deep south, I think that “culture” is an ineffable term with ineffable boundaries and infinite possibilities. I sense a kind of culture when I’m in Rome than I do when I’m at home in Marietta. Culture at once defines people as a united group or nation as well as defines a person as an individual. What about people who grew up on military bases? Or people who travel frequently? Or maybe even just someone who moved a few states over? I don’t think that each of those people have just one culture. I think they have a blend of cultures or their influences that make up a culture that is unique to them. (I’m ending this paragraph because if I say “culture” one more time, I’m going to sound as derailed as Miss South Carolina.)
Visual culture is a subcategory, albeit an important one, of culture. Pop culture is a term for a reason; the trends and popular tv shows, movies, music, etc. are a crucial part in defining an area’s culture. There’s a reason that Amish people have their own separate culture-bubble. And don’t get our jokes.
On a less superficial note (because sadly, most of our world probably cares more about Madonna’s new haircut than children starving in Africa), visual culture encompasses historical and meaningful things. The Underground Railroad? Supported and survived on the kindness of people and the signals left at participating houses. The American flag? Immediate salute for soldiers, immediate mental recitation of the first line of the Pledge of Allegiance before we can stop ourselves for the rest of us. Religious symbols, political bumper stickers, controversial propaganda, and those awkward black and white motivation short films they made in the 70′s have all contributed hugely to what America is today. They have started riots, promoted coexistence, urged us to fight for our country, and advised teenagers in a creepy baritone voice that sounds way too understanding. Visual culture is maybe the most important part of culture as a whole, because change and tragedy and triumph and strife are all more striking when we can see it. (I’m not going to say a picture’s worth a thousand words. We’re all thinking it; that’s not original at all.)
Culture is often the glue that lumps a group of people together. It is often regional because location can play a huge factor in what people are exposed to; however, it can also cross borders if it pertains to a particular religion or type of music. Culture is how a group of people express themselves. Often, people are considered “cultured” if they enjoy a specific type of music (i.e. classical or international) or have read the classics of literature. There is also the understood idea that if a person is well traveled they are cultured, which to me is an interesting concept. This is because just because you are exposed to more cultures and traditions it does not mean you retain any of the information or culture you are exposed to. However, people who travel often are more likely to have an open-mind or they would probably not be traveling in the first place, for fun anyways. Culture can sometimes be something between races or even genders. It is often a series of traditions that pertain to a single people group. Cultural understanding is something that not only affects us, but oftentimes we affect it. Culture usually is not something that only relates to a single person. Most times it requires multiple individuals. Culture can affect dialects and phrases. It can also encourage certain social stigmas. Basically, culture is a vessel for understanding a particular people group and how they operate.
Visual culture is an example of images, whether they are stills or videos, which we encounter on a daily basis. It often impacts the thinking of a person or group of people. Usually, its purpose is to persuade or sway general, or specific, opinion on a particular topic from one notion to another. It can range from advertisements for a new television show that is plastered on a billboard as you are driving down the interstate to a documentary film produced by teenagers in a different country trying to convey a message to a broad audience. Culture can be Mozart or Britney Spears or even Ke$ha (or maybe I just included her because her name is fun to type). In any case, visual culture pertains to a large variety of media. One of the most prominent forms of visual culture is art. Especially in the centuries preceding our own. Art could convey a message, either subliminally or in a straightforward manner. It could serve as a medium for illuminating social injustice or it could be merely for personal expression. I believe another, less noticeable, form of visual culture is architecture. The Apple Store, for example, is symbolic of our culture because it is futuristic in design and always looking forward for new innovative ideas and technologies. Clothing can also act as an example of visual culture. It is very subjective and a form of self-expression. I think it is hard to define what exactly isn’t visual culture. Culture is such an expansive concept within itself that limiting what influences a specific group people is hard to do. Visual culture, as well as general culture, is always changing; therefore, what may be considered relevant to one generation or race or religion today may be completely irrelevant tomorrow.
The culture of a society is its ideas, concepts, values and habits along with the images, words and actions that represent them. Visual culture is then mostly symbolic–what shapes, colors and textures hold meaning for a society because of what they represent? These are symbols of the people, of the products they consume en mass, of the things that are most important to them. Visual culture is architecture, painting, photography, fashion, and even makeup. All of these things symbolize our deepest values, even if only on a subconscious level. A society in which women wear the most makeup probably indicates a culture of self-image insecurity. Photography has many ways of placing the focus (literal and figurative) on different objects within view.
What is not culture? If culture is basically everything that makes mankind in one group distinct from mankind in other groups, then the only things that are not culture are the things which are according to nature. Nature itself is not culture, nor is our genetic coding, although both of these things can easily shape a culture.
Anything leaving an impression on an individual could be described as culture. Customs, practices, ideas and habits of people themselves all impact the population. Culture changes with trends and no one has an identical “culture.” Visual culture includes (but not limited to) media (digital and print), fashion, architecture, and landscape. The things we encounter regularly that impact our opinions and judgment are considered to be culture.
Culture is not steady or permanent. It changes just as people change and is not restricted to parameters.
Culture is what people, as a civilized group, all decided to be normal or acceptable. However, these things are never set in stone, and are always shifting, and cultures are constantly coexisting, even in the same location, despite them being severely different.
Visual culture is an extension of culture, with a focus on art and an emphasis on image. At its core, it is what is decided to be beautiful, it is elegance. While people can have their own individual opinions, as a group we decide what beauty is in a general sense. We have our constructs and assumptions about these things and though they sometimes change, the shifts are rarely drastic.
Its also what people decide to be acceptable. An example of evolving visual culture is the development of advertisements over the years. Until recently (the past two decades or so) nudity in advertisements was unheard of, and any attempt to show anything close to a nude woman would have been frowned upon. However, now it is hard to go through a day without seeing some manner of sexualized ad.
To make a really corny analogy….I would compare culture to a giant waterfall. We live along the river of life where culture is the powerful waterfall. It isn’t crucial to survival because it isn’t the source of the water, but it is there, influencing the path of river all the time. One can avoid the waterfall, go around the waterfall, or stand under the waterfall. It can wash over us and change us if we let it. It can be positive or negative. I think in general, culture often changes how we perceive messages around us and alters the perspective with which we view the world. Every community is also going to have a slightly different waterfall with different rocks, speed, and force. Continuing the waterfall example, one can either stand downstream of the waterfall and wait for the water to flow over it, upon which time it gets to us, or we could rush upstream to get it before it reaches the waterfall. Does that make sense? We can allow culture to affect the “water” or flow of information flowing towards us. It can define our conversation, social customs, habits and attitudes. Ultimately, I think culture is an integral part of our lives, but it is also a choice. You do not have to accept the culture if you don’t agree with it. It takes on the attitude of the general public. Yet, many would argue that pop culture isn’t an accurate reflection of the American people. But we do buy into it by not standing against it. I don’t think that all our culture is negative, but I fear that other countries think of McDonalds, Starbucks, Justin Bieber and materialism when they ponder American culture.
As for visual culture, we are assaulted with it constantly. While clearly the eyes are the focus because they are the sense that takes images in, I also believe that visual culture has a direct tie to emotional entreaties. We recall images that are powerful because they unleash some emotion in us. Outrage. Joy. Sadness. Frustration. Wonder. I don’t think you can have a visual culture without recognizing its relationship with emotion. Everything from radio ads to a clothing tag to the color of paint in a doctor’s office represents our visual culture.
Culture is one of those broad terms that includes a group’s religious tendencies, social norms, modes of dress, daily habits, and even less tangible group identities, like emotional intelligence, or how “moral compass” is defined, for that particular group. More specifically, visual culture deals with the images important to a group of people– images that are linked to emotions, ideals, and concepts that are of cultural importance. This does not just need to include specific images or words, but can also include color palettes, and organic vs. geometric shapes, etc. With a good knowledge of the culture being dealt with, their visual culture and preferences can be used in media to manipulate their consumer choices and opinions. Culture is not a stagnant term; it is always growing and redefining itself. Each culture experiences change as time passes, and the way they respond to other cultures changes as well.