The objective of this dissertation is to establish the notion that art can serve to create and communicate an awareness of the interconnectedness between people and nature. This study debates the theoretical similarities and differences in attitudes toward the planet as interpreted in the artworks of pre-history shamans and traditional societies, 20th century land and urban artists and contemporary environmentally concerned artists. The comparative findings suggest that attitudes of anthropocentricism, greed and power and a denial of Pantheism associated with agriculture, industrial and technological developments, have changed the human-nature symbiosis found in early societies. The creative component of this study has employed the processes of etching and embossing, digital image manipulations and the juxtaposition and layering of images to establish visual metaphors that communicate interconnectedness. Sculptures, billboards, prints and photographs as artworks of the conscience intend to shift socially and personally constructed perceptions from human-centeredness toward a symbiotic worldview. / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / M.A. (Visual Arts)

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University , 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is concerned with a study of the two basic elements of communication, namely image and text. How these basic communication tools function in the genre of the visual narrative with regard to their roles in the comic strip and the artist's book, will be examined. Both genres, the comic book and the artist's book, consist of complex structures regarding their workings in the framework of the visual narrative, and this work explores these complexities by analysing how image and text function in the visual narrative. The area of semiotics is used as a basis on which the arguments in this thesis are built. The principles contained in semiotics act as useful guidelines in the reading and understanding of communication in general, but in this study these principles give focus and structure to the research of especially the comic strip and the artist's book. Concepts that are discussed in depth include the interesting interactions which occur between image and text when they are used together. Signs, icons, symbols and how they function with (or without) text, are also examined. Text can also function as image, and this visualisation of text is explored. The role of concepts like interpretation, perception, the study of images and image-association, are all very important in the visual communicator's eventual success with his/her communication. How these concepts influence the creation and forming of one's visual intelligence and visual literacy, and the eventual effect it has on the process of communication, make up a very important part of this study. These arguments lead to a discussion of the dynamics contained in the visual narrative when looked at from a semiotic perspective. Central to the discussion on the visual narrative in this thesis, is the differentiation between two similar genres: 1) Firstly, a discussion of the functioning of the comic strip medium. Important aspects of this subject are the interactions of image and text, and how the comic medium consists of a unique set of symbols, which influence the specific communication in this genre. 2) Secondly, the genre of the artist's book, and how the medium of the book functions as a unique phenomenon in communication. The systems of meaning contained in the medium of the book are looked at against the light of a semiotic analysis of text and image. This research supports the importance of a semiotic approach as a helpful aid in the interpretation of any piece of communication, but especially that of the comic strip medium and the artist's book. The theories of Charles Peirce, Ferdinand de Saussure, Roman Jakobson, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Umberto Eco are used as basis of the arguments in this thesis and serve as valuable ground for a useful discourse. The implementation of above mentioned theories lead to an indication of the complexities involved in the special visual language of the comic strip and the artist's book. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gemoeid met 'n ondersoek na die twee basismiddele of "taal" van kommunikasie, naamlik beeld en teks. Hoe hierdie basiese kommunikasiegereedskap funksioneer in die visuele narratief, met verwysing na veral die komiekstrip en die kunstenaarsboek, word ondersoek. Beide van laasgenoemde genres beskik oor komplekse strukture in hul bestaan binne die raamwerk van die visuele narratief, en hierdie navorsing ondersoek hierdie kompleksiteite deur die funksionering van beeld en teks in die visuele narratief te ontleed. Die area van semiotiek word as basis gebruik waarop die argumente in die tesis gebaseer is. Die beginsels vervat in die rigting van semiotiek tree op as 'n handige hulpmiddel in die lees en verstaan van enige vorm van kommunikasie, maar in hierdie studie verleen dit veral fokus en struktuur aan die navorsing binne die raamwerk van die komiekstrip en kunstenaarsboek. Konsepte wat in diepte bespreek word met die oog op hul uiteindelike funksionering binne die visuele narratief, sluit die interessante interaksies wat ontstaan tussen beeld en teks wanneer hulle saam gebruik word, in. Konsepte soos tekens, ikone en simbole, asook hul werking saam met teks (en afsonderlik daarvan), word bespreek. Teks kan in werklikheid ook as visuele beeld funksioneer, en hierdie "ikonifisering" of "beeldwording" van teks word ondersoek. Die rol van konsepte soos interpretasie, persepsie, beeldherkenning en assosiasie, wat uit hierdie proses van visuele kommunikasie voortspruit, is baie belangrik in die visuele kommunikeerder se uiteindelike sukses met sy/haar poging tot kommunikasie. Hoe hierdie konsepte aanleiding gee tot die skep van 'n persoon se "visuele intelligensie" en "visuele geletterdheid", en die uiteindelike effek wat dit op die proses van kommunikasie het, maak 'n belangrike deel van hierdie navorsing uit. Hierdie konsepte lei tot 'n bespreking van die dinamika van die visuele narratief wanneer daar vanuit 'n semiotiese oogpunt daarna gekyk word. Sentraal tot die bespreking van die visuele narratief in hierdie tesis, kan daar tussen twee ooreenkomstige genres onderskei word: 1) Eerstens is daar 'n bespreking van die funksionering van die komiekstripmedium. Belangrike aspekte van hierdie onderwerp is die funksionering van en interaksies tussen beeld en teks binne die medium, en hoe die stripmedium bestaan uit 'n unieke stel simbole wat die kommunikasie van die werk beïnvloed. 2) Tweedens die genre van die kunstenaarsboek, en hoe die boek as unieke medium funksioneer, word bespreek en ontleed. Die sisteme van betekenis vervat in die visuele narratief betrokke in die boekmedium, word beskou teen die lig van 'n semiotiese ondersoek na die interaksies van die basismiddele beeld en teks. Hierdie navorsing steun die belangrikheid van semiotiek as hulpmiddel in die interpretasie van enige stuk kommunikasie, maar veral in die stripmedium en die kunstenaarsboek. Die studie maak veral gebruik van die teorieë van Charles Peirce, Ferdinand de Saussure, Roman Jakobson, Maurice Merleau-Ponty en Umberto Eco. Die toepassing van bogenoemde teorieë in hierdie studie, lei tot 'n aanduiding van die kompleksiteite vervat in die spesiale "visuele taal" van veral die komiekstrip en die kunstenaarsboek.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The importance of global and local change and transformation is emphasised through initiatives such as the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (2012) and the Earth Charter Initiatives (2011) for constructing a just, sustainable and peaceful global society. In South Africa, the need for transformation has been underlined by the South African Department of Education in the Education White Paper of 1997 (DOE 1997). At Stellenbosch University, the Pedagogy of Hope (US) project aims to find concrete ways to reflect on historical influences and current SA society. Tremendous progress has been made in transformation regarding legislative policies, but personal transformation within people is proving to be slow. As a response to these realities, a module called Critical Citizenship was introduced for first-­‐ to third-­‐year Visual Communication Design students at the Visual Arts Department at Stellenbosch University. The aim of this research project was to explore the perceptions and attitudes of students, learners and lecturers regarding personal transformation through teaching and learning in the Critical Citizenship module. As a framework for the study, I emphasised the importance of giving consideration to the emotional dimensions of learning (Illeris 2007), meaning considering the learning being (Barnett 2009) as a thinking, feeling and acting person (Jarvis 2006). The objectives of the study were to identify such emotional reactions to the Critical Citizenship module and to establish what the emotional reactions revealed about the immediate and broader context of the teaching and learning context in which students, learners and lecturers learn and teach. I followed an interpretative approach and a case study research design that aimed at exploring and providing an in-­‐depth investigation of the Critical Citizenship module was used. The themes that surfaced from reflections written by students and learners and from group interviews, comprised feeling unprepared for this type of project; feelings of guilt and shame; resistance to this type of project; asymmetry and assimilation, but also feelings of hope. Other responses, suggesting feelings of empathy, privilege, humility, re-­‐ evaluation of priorities and values, sameness and difference, feeling out of a comfort zone and reflecting on blackness and whiteness were also interweaved with the main themes. The results of the research included that taking into consideration the emotional aspects in critical citizenship education is important because we are thinking, feeling and acting beings, but moving beyond emotional reactions toward rational actions is crucial. Critical citizenship cannot be taught in isolation because the context in which it exists plays a vital role and an inclusive critical citizenship curriculum within community interactions for the wider society is suggested. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die belangrikheid van globale en plaaslike verandering en transformasie word beklemtoon deur inisiatiewe soos die Verenigde Nasies se Millennium-­‐ ontwikkelingsdoelwitte (2012) en die Aardemanifes Inisiatiewe (2011) vir die daarstelling van ‘n regverdige, onderhoubare en vreedsame globale gemeenskap. In Suid-­‐Afrika is die behoefte aan transformasie deur die Suid-­‐Afrikaanse Departement van Onderwys deur die Onderwys Witskrif van 1997 (DvO 1997) onderstreep. By die Stellenbosch Universiteit beoog die Pedagogie van Hoop (US) projek om konkrete maniere te verkry om historiese invloede en die huidige SA gemeenskap te oordink. Geweldige vooruitgang in transformasie is reeds ten opsigte van wetgewende beleid bewerkstellig, maar dit blyk dat persoonlike transformasie binne-­‐in mense traag gebeur. ‘n Module genaamd Kritiese Burgerskap is as reaksie tot hierdie realiteit by die Visuele Kunste Departement te Stellenbosch Universiteit ingestel vir eerste-­‐ tot derdejaarstudente in Visuele Kommunikasie Ontwerp. Die doel van die huidige navorsingsprojek was om die persepsies en houdings van studente, leerders en dosente ten opsigte van persoonlike transformasie deur die onderrig en leer van die Kritiese Burgerskap module te ondersoek. As ‘n raamwerk vir die studie het ek beklemtoon dat dit belangrik is om die emotiewe dimensies van leer (Illeris 2007) in ag te neem, wat inagname van die lerende wese (Barnett 2009) as ‘n denkende, voelende en handelende persoon (Jarvis 2006) behels. Die doelwitte van die studie was om emotiewe reaksies op die Kritiese Burgerskap module te identifiseer en vas te stel wat deur sulke emotiewe reaksies ontbloot word ten opsigte van die onmiddellike en breër konteks van die onderrig en leer konteks waarbinne die studente, leerders en dosente leer en onderrig gee. Ek het met ‘n interpretatiewe benadering en lens te werk gegaan en ’n gevallestudie navorsingsontwerp is gebruik. Temas wat na vore gekom het uit refleksies wat deur studente en leerders geskryf is en uit groep onderhoude het die volgende behels: ‘n gevoel van onvoorbereidheid vir dié soort projek; gevoelens van skuld en skaamte; weerstand teen hierdie soort projek; asimmetrie en assimilasie, maar ook gevoelens van hoop. Ander reaksies wat ook met die hooftemas deurvleg was, was verteenwoordigend van gevoelens van empatie, bevoorregting, nederigheid, herevaluering van prioriteite en waardes, eendersheid en verskil, die gevoel van buite die gemaksone te wees en nadenke oor swartheid en witheid. Die resultate van die navorsing het behels dat dit belangrik is om die emotiewe aspekte by die onderrig van kritiese burgerskap in ag te neem omdat ons denkende, voelende en handelende wesens is, maar dat dit van kritieke belang is om verby emosionele reaksies na rasionele handeling te beweeg. Kritiese burgerskap kan nie geïsoleerd onderrig word nie omdat die konteks waarbinne dit bestaan ‘n deurslaggewende rol speel; ‘n inklusiewe kritiese burgerskap kurrikulum binne gemeenskapsinteraksies word vir die breër gemeenskap voorgestel.

This thesis investigates the figure of the cyborg as conceptualised by Donna Haraway in The Cyborg Manifesto (1991). The figure of the cyborg, as a transgressive figure in the late twentieth century within socialist feminist discourse, is problematized with regard to its efficacy as a creature that challenges the constructed nature of gender and contests the boundary between human and machine through its ambiguous nature. Haraway’s notions of the cyborg, which she bases partly on cyborg characters from Science Fiction literature, deny the ocularcentric traditions that have structured gender and the body. Similarly, Haraway does not engage adequately with the figure of the cyborg with regard to situating it historically. This thesis unpacks both the visual and the historical aspects that have structured the cyborg body. By engaging with these concepts, the cyborg emerges as a figure that is identified through visual signifiers of female deviance and pathology. By reading female deviance and pathology on the body of the nineteenth-century hysteric, similarities can be drawn between the hysteric and the cyborg. Through a reading of Alien (1979); Blade Runner (1982); and Star Trek: First Contact (1996) key cyborg texts of the late twentieth century, the figure of the cyborg, and its relation to the deviant pathologised female can be understood when read against the body of the hysteric and how it was visually coded and communicated

This thesis investigates the factors that influence whether visitors to art exhibitions experience accessible introductory art labels or not. From the need of making art exhibitions and their communication available to more people of society the aim with this study is to increase awareness about the factors that influence accessibility and generate ideas about useful theory concerning accessible labels. By connecting theory concerning the purpose of art exhibitions, the social context of art exhibitions, orientation and disorientation and different views related to exhibition labels the author, by influence from the swedish Special pedagogy educational authority (Specialpedagogiska skolmyndigheten) accessibility model ”tillgänglighetsmodellen”, creates a accessibility model concerning the context of introductory art labels. The study gathered material from visitor interviews and observations from two different art exhibition institutions in Stockholm: Bonniers Konsthall and Spritmuseum, one art gallery and one cultural museum with an art exhibition feature. The analysis from the field work then formed the content of the accessibility model concerning the context of introductory art labels. As a background to the ideas behind the labels interviews where also performed with personnel in command of the communication concerning the labels. The results show that the visitors experience of accessible introductory art labels can be related to physical, social and pedagogical factors. Where the physical factors included reading situation, placing, lighting and soundscape. The social factors included other visitors, the willingness to ”do things right” and disorientation, confusion and uncertainty. The pedagogical factors included legibility, readability and well worth reading. The study also shows that the visitors pre-knowledge of art and habit of visiting art exhibitions could influence the visitors experience of accessibility. Where visitors without pre-knowledge about art history in the art gallery Bonniers Konsthall all found the texts non-accessible depending on a mix of physical, social and pedagogical factors. At the cultural museum Spritmuseum however visitors without pre-knowledge of art could find the text accessible. There a positive experience of the reading situation, including lightning and few other visitors, made visitors feel that the text where more accessible even when they experienced some difficulty with the accessibility related to pedagogical factors like text length. The study shows that the different factors of accessibility related to introductory art labels interacted and influenced the overall experience of text accessibility. This is a two years master's thesis in Museum and cultural heritage studies.

This thesis is a profoundly personal one. It examines the role of context in creation (authorship) and perception (reading an image) of representation. Born in Sri Lanka during the emergence of one the world's longest lasting civil wars, I never recognized my love and concern for the Island and its ancient history and culture until I traveled to America to pursue a higher education. Ever since, I have constantly found myself in situations where I am regarded as the 'other' or the 'outsider' ; I seem to not fit in completely in this country as well as in my own. In the US I am considered 'eastern' or 'exotic', whereas in my own country, I am considered 'westernized', no longer looked at as a typical Sri Lankan woman. This thesis examines and explores marginalization, orientalism, deconstruction theories, semiotic studies, dialect as well as attire, in the specific context of Graphic Design. / by Fathima Asma Nazim. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Unmasking the heroes: sources of power in Afrikaner mythologising is a personal, visual and theoretical exploration of the underlying sources of power which governed the development of Afrikaner nationalism, particularly the years spanning the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The practical work, a series of drawings and relief cut-outs, sets out to unmask the beliefs, customs, traditions and attitudes particular to Afrikaner culture. It does so through the processes of deconstruction and reconstruction of selected mass mediated images whereby different symbolic paradigms are juxtaposed through the devices of collage and allegory to uncover layers of meaning. This art-making approach was informed by theoretical and visual research into the tradition of Western mythology, including related topics such as linguistics, psychology and sociology, Afrikaner history and historiography, and the mechanisms of contemporary cultural reproduction, particularly the South African mass media and fine arts. / History of Art and Fine Arts / M.A. (History of Art and Fine Arts)

Unmasking the heroes: sources of power in Afrikaner mythologising is a personal, visual and theoretical exploration of the underlying sources of power which governed the development of Afrikaner nationalism, particularly the years spanning the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The practical work, a series of drawings and relief cut-outs, sets out to unmask the beliefs, customs, traditions and attitudes particular to Afrikaner culture. It does so through the processes of deconstruction and reconstruction of selected mass mediated images whereby different symbolic paradigms are juxtaposed through the devices of collage and allegory to uncover layers of meaning. This art-making approach was informed by theoretical and visual research into the tradition of Western mythology, including related topics such as linguistics, psychology and sociology, Afrikaner history and historiography, and the mechanisms of contemporary cultural reproduction, particularly the South African mass media and fine arts. / History of Art and Fine Arts / M.A. (History of Art and Fine Arts)