Verbalising the Visual: Translating Art and Design Into Words (Required Reading Range)

Is every picture worth a thousand words? And what words should they be? "Verbalising the Visual" explores the ever-changing relationship between language, objects, and meanings, and considers how we translate the experience of visual culture into written and spoken words. World-renowned author and cultural commentator Michael Clarke looks at a range of language--formal and informal, academic and colloquial, global and local--and reveals how this language characterizes current art and design discourse. More than 300 pictures illustrate the intriguing examples. Ideal for visual arts students and helpful for anyone interested in writing and talking about art, including everyone in marketing, advertising, and communications, "Verbalising the Visual" is a refreshing, insightful look at words and pictures and the place where they intersect. Title page......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Contents......Page 6 How to get the most out of this book......Page 7 Introduction......Page 9 01 Language and meaning......Page 12 Language, object and meaning......Page 14 Language and visual artefacts......Page 22 Linguistic devices......Page 30 Activity one: the relationship between language and artefacts......Page 35 Summary......Page 37 02 Formal language: the academic disciplines of art and design......Page 40 Academic language......Page 42 Language across the disciplines......Page 50 Language and art and design history......Page 54 Language and art and design theory......Page 66 Language and ideology......Page 74 Activity two: how well does formal academic language communicate?......Page 81 Summary......Page 83 03 Informal language: beyond the academic disciplines......Page 86 Colloquial language......Page 88 Language and difference......Page 94 Language and popular print......Page 104 Activity three: how well do reviews communicate?......Page 113 Summary......Page 115 04 Studio talk......Page 118 Language and oral communication......Page 120 Oral presentations......Page 132 Choosing the appropriate language......Page 138 Sampling one......Page 141 Summary......Page 143 05 The essay......Page 146 Expectations......Page 148 Interpreting the assignment......Page 152 Writing the essay......Page 158 Sampling two......Page 165 Summary......Page 167 06 Other written texts......Page 170 Self-reflective texts......Page 172 Written reports......Page 184 Critical reviews......Page 190 Sampling three......Page 195 Summary......Page 197 Conclusion......Page 200 Glossary......Page 202 Picture Credits......Page 204 Index......Page 205 Acknowledgement......Page 209 Back Cover......Page 210 Verbalising the Visual: Translating Art and Design into Words by Michael Clarke introduces readers to a broad range of language and terminology: formal and informal, academic and colloquial, global and local, all of which can be found in current art and design discourse.Exploring the complex relationship between language, objects and meaning, Verbalising the Visual shows students how to select and effectively employ language to present oral and written critical assessments of visual culture.It includes a variety of examples and case studies that explore the many ways in which language is used to discuss, describe, analyze and critically evaluate art and design. Verbalising the Visual acknowledges the unstable relationship between language, objects and meanings and explores how we translate the experience of visual culture into written and spoken words. Its primary aim is to examine and clarify a representative range of language; formal and informal, academic and colloquial, global and local, which characterises current art and design discourse. The book includes theory, practice of formal and informal language be it written or spoken presentations, and other written documents, along with international case studies and student exercises Verbalising the Visual: Translating Art and Design into Words investigates how we can best communicate our experiences of visual culture into written and spoken words. The book introduces students to a broad range of language and terminology: formal and informal, academic and colloquial, global and local, all of which can be found in current art and design discourse. It includes a variety of examples and case studies that explore the many ways in which language is used to discuss, describe, analyze and critically evaluate art and design