Text and Image Investigation

Text & Image Investigation

Banksy Investigation

Banksy has a lot of text and image art that are each very powerful, but the one that I would like to focus on, is the man who is washing off the quote, "What we do in life echoes in Eternity". I think one is particularly powerful because of the quote and what is happening to the quote. When watching the movie, I saw this and thought that it was almost ironic. I see this ironic in the way of a man who is washing something that is speaking of actions. By washing this off, it's almost like he is contradicting the fulfilling the meaning of the quote, and completing the meaning of the quote. I think that text and image has to combined in a way that will work together. Banksy easily completes this, by the combination of the man who is washing off a quote that is about the actions of a person. He is able to make the viewer not just read the quote but then start to go into the meaning of it, by showing the image of the man washing it off. I think that if Banksy was to draw a man who was writing the quote, it would not have such a powerful meaning and depth to it, because you would just see it as someone simply writing it. Thus losing the meaning of the quote.

What have I Learned About Text & Image?

I have learned that through the combination of the text and image, a words may have a greater impact on someone. If the image is lacking, then you lose meaning in the words of the art. If your word lack meaning, then the image feels empty and seems to have no meaning as well. When one of the pieces are lacking in some way, then it is as if the whole piece crumbles in a way. You need not only the pieces to have depth of meaning, but to work well with each other. If they do not work well with each other, then the art will start to lose emphasis on the text and image. When you find something that works together, then you can create a piece that makes the viewer start to think and wonder what the art is trying to communicate. I think that this is the main goal of text & image.

How Do Contemporary Artists Use The Concept Of Text & Image In Their Artwork?

Looking at Banksy, he uses Text & Image to get across a message to the people that see his art. I think that this is relative to other artists as well, when they use text & image, they want to get their message across. Artist usually try to get a message across in all their art, in any shape or form. However, I see text & image as a effective way to make a clear-cut emphasis on, "I am sending a message". So that everyone who sees this understands that the artist's main focus is that they want to send a message to the public and they must find it.

How Might You Be Able To Use Text & Image In Your Own Art?

I want to use this in my art to show the capability behind that art that I create. I want it to be something that tell the user or viewer, what they can do with my art and understand the potential that it has for them. My art is something that the user will get involved with, and have some sort of ability to create change in someone's life. Through text & image, the art will have a better meaning and more defined message that comes with it. Then the user will be able to find it, and see the complexity of my art and then I will in the future, more art will come out. Then the whole process will start all over again.

Is There Something That You Found In Your Investigation That Specifically Interested You or Inspired You?

Something interesting that I found when investigating the art was that the art that I was looking at, involved the image having direct contact with the text in the art. I want to do the same, in the way that my art will have a connection or bridge that connects the text with the image part of the art. This way, it will make the art feel more intertwined, making a better message to the user.