Sunday, February 13, 2011

Ways of Seeing


We were asked to watch a documentary style film called “ways of seeing” by John Berger who was a famous author and painter. “Ways of Seeing” was actually a book written also by John Berger. Generally it talks about the western Aesthetics. I also research about this before watching it and I read that it won award which made me interested in viewing it. Berger is an excellent speaker, he really delivers and believes in what he says which could be the factor that helped him won an award.
Before viewing this short film, I saw art and images just how they look. I they have meanings but I often misinterpret the meanings of the images. Sometimes for me they mean useless or nothing at all. Well, that is what we usually see things until you hear something from Berger or from an another artistic person.
The first episode was the most interesting episode for me because it talks about the meaning of paintings. It also talks about how the meaning of a painting changes when it is reproduced. He was saying that if you saw a picture of a painting in a newspaper the approach of it was different rather looking at the original painting. He said that when the image is reproduced then it’s meaning becomes many. He also talked about the different approaches and knowing the real meaning of the painting. For example you see a painting that is just still with no background sound you look at it with you own perspective. Then when you add sound another meaning adds to it.
I agree with Berger’s theory. He really constructed and defined on how to see an object.  Objects around us even ourselves should be given respect and we should show critical thinking in seeing.  He also has a point on how we should see Women. We should see them like what artist see them. I also agree with him that media is destroying the meaning of the original images but there is nothing really we can do about it. It’s like Berger is Plato who appreciates the original beauty of the object.
Watching this film made me realize a lot of things like how I should look at things in the past. It really changed my way of seeing things. We do not assume something quickly and we should always think deeply when seeing something. 
Example: Different contrast with different meaning

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