Media and the Human condition

                                

When thinking about what the biggest influence people’s life is, most would respond that is the type of entertainment they consume daily. These can be the tv shows we watch, the food we eat, and the clothes we buy. Video games are another type of media that people consume daily and that greatly influences their life, and sometimes even more than the ones listed above.

What would if we used these daily forms of consumption to bring up social and global issues? Well, Mel Chin and Michael Ray Charles, two artists featured on the PBS show called Art21 made pieces based on this idea of critical consumption. Chin created a video game and installation called the “KNOWMAD” (2000). Chin’s artist website, melchin.org, described the work as, “… a game to play while paying homage to the tribal world and the forces of popular culture.”. The purpose of the installation was to promote the message of trying to save several tribal groups in Central Asia, Middle east, and Anatolia from political and civil persecution. He felt that video ga­­mes were the best way to send his message because of the way people interact with them. Where they’re able to fully immerse themselves in the tribal patterns that are textured throughout the game. This installation shows the potential that video games have in delivering messages that can change the world for the better.

(Knowmad(2000) Source: http://melchin.org/oeuvre/knowmad/)

(Here a sketch of the installation

Source: http://melchin.org/oeuvre/knowmad/)

 

Then the artwork of Michael Ray Charles is based on racist portrayals of African Americans found on products made in the early 1900’s.  These range from box designs found in cleaning products to candy wrappings, among other types of products. He is interested in knowing what the inspiration for these racial depictions were and why their creators chose the images in the first place. What Michael discovered was those said depiction were inspired by Greek statues of Africans. In addition, the designers added some negative racial elements to get southerners to buy their products. believes that this type of advertising is still being used but, with a different coat of paint. Where said designers of 80’s toys made the villain a person from a minority group and made the white guy the hero. Another example being where media companies change the skin color of already established characters instead of making new characters.

( High-Handled Drinking Cup (Kantharos) in the Form of Two Heads (about 510–480 B.C)

Source: https://brewminate.com/an-investigation-of-black-figures-in-classical-greek-art/ )

     

(Michael Ray Charles,(Forever Free) Twenty-Four-Seven, 1995)

Instead of doing this we can do something much more positive within the media we consume daily. One being creating new characters that represent people of color in a respectful and organic way. This meaning of them having more of a personality than just being a token character to be used for brownie points. Another way is introducing types of concepts and cultures that people don’t witness in their normal lives. This would result in these concepts becoming normalized within society for how, people have already experienced it through the media they consume. Plus, we can make movies, tv shows, or artworks promoting the importance of keeping the environment healthy and clean. Especially creating very powerful public service announcements to really hit home the situation we currently in with the environment. Media like video games, movies, and even television have major influence on our daily lives whether we like to admit it or not. So, the best course of action is to try to make media that will leave a positive impression than a mostly negative one. To encourage people to be willing to accept new ideas and be excellent to each other without prejudice.