On any given day of the week, people are shown various images. Static images are seen on television, billboards, magazines, etc. Certain types of images have the ability to convey various messages and can carry different purposes. One of the first things done when analyzing images, such as the one above is to determine what kind of image it is.
The drawing above provided by an artist's rendering illustrates the negative effects on the women's perception of body image. When looking at the picture from the viewer's perspective, one of the first things I noticed was the difference in body size between the women. The only items present in the drawing are the mirror and the women. Her lack of clothing draws the viewers to see difference in body size. The woman present in the image seems to have anorexia nervosa. It is an eating disorder characterized by immoderate food restriction and irrational fear of gaining weight along with a distorted self-perception. I was then drawn to the women's sad face presented in the mirror. She sees herself as being overweight, but from our perspective she as skinny as can be. Media has changed her mindset to see herself as being someone she is not.
The artist intends for his viewers to understand how a women alters the way she perceives herself based off of the media. He is trying to inform his viewers rather than just show them a picture.
What are your thoughts on this drawing? What do you think the intended purpose of this drawing is?
I agree that she seems to have anorexia nervosa, judging by the picture's details. However, I don't think that the picture clearly shows that media is the reason behind it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that the image itself makes a claim aside from depicting a situation that is clearly unhealthy. However, the image certainly piques the viewer's interest about the Palo Alto JCC event. Perhaps the purpose, then, is to arouse the reader's curiosity, thus encouraging them to attend the event?
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