Select an image from the mass media and discuss (in between 200-400 words) its relationship to the hyperreal.
The image I have chosen is a Time Magazine cover from
Spring 2015. The cover is of Kanye West. Aside from the image of West
there is only text. At the top of the page is the heading The
100 Most Influential People. This instantly creates a lens of belief
for the reader, as they are informed not persuaded, and no alternative
ideologies are discussed.
The single image of West creates a distinct
disassociation with nature. There is no image setting/background that can
be linked back to nature; only a plain grey backdrop that disallows any
distractions, once more blindsiding the reader from any outside influence. The
inconspicuous background is also arguably being used to conceal the making
of things. It may suggest that reality is a ready-made platform for pride and conceit,
what the magazine is primarily discussing, oppose to a man-made one.
The
magazine’s relationship with the hyperreal is what one may expect from a mass
media publication. It creates a reality that sells to their audience,
regardless of its likeness to real life.
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