A Soviet Poster A Day

I stumbled across this wicked blog by Alexander Zakharov, it's called

"A Soviet Poster A Day".

Not only does he give english translations from the russian slogans but offers insightful analysis of each poster, and even gives some context about the artists who produced them.

Concordia Regalia

So, we have some pretty sweet bling here, such as The Chain of Office


"A Chain of Office is a concrete symbol of the authority and dignity of that office. They are traditional for many formal offices, and are very frequently used in university ceremonies. They can be used either with formal academic robes, or on appropriate occasions they can also substitute for the more formal academic robes... The Chain of Office is a silver medallion about three inches in diameter, embossed only with the official Coat of Arms of Concordia University; it hangs on a simple silver chain. Significant dates in the history of the University are engraved on the edge of the medallion..."

And we have a mace too:

"The University Mace traditionally symbolizes the authority of the institution. Concordia began using a mace at Convocation only a few years ago, and it will be used at the Installation of the President for the first time. It will be carried by the Installation Marshall, Dr. Jane Stewart." (keep in mind this was originally posted in 2005)

for more information, check out Concordia' Installation Traditions and Regalia info page

first time for everything

I was very pleased today to see the first participant in my "students manifesto" project!

For the past few months I've been conducting interviews and having students and graduates from across Canada fill out questionnaire concerning their experiences at the post secondary educational institutions. Most of my subjects switched schools or programs or have done multiple degrees in varying fields. I've been taking these comments and building The Students Manifesto, which is currently posted outside the FARR. Most of the statements posted I've chosen to fit within the Fine Arts at Concordia "experience".

But now, I want YOU to participate. Anyone and everyone is welcome to add their own two cents to the manifesto-in-progress. Write, draw and edit to your hearts content. Don't like something? change it! I posted it for the students to interact with, so don't be shy!

w-munro.rtf

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Appropriation of wartime propaganda imagery in contemporary advertising

Artist Shepard Fairy's work on Obama's election campaign and Sacs fifth avenue's 2009 Spring marketing campaign

some noteworthy definitions

"I may define propaganda as the educational efforts or information used by an organised group that is made available to a selected audience, for the specific purpose of making the audience take a particular course of action or conform to a certain attitude desired by the organised group.

The assumption basic to all propaganda is that it must be repeated to be effective. The style of the message may vary in order to attract the largest audience possible, but the main message remains constant throughout.

For the best results the propaganda must be aimed at a high population density, where there is a good chance of the interchange of opinion and experience… on the whole, propaganda must win masses, even if only by influencing the group composed of the most powerful members of the society. Ironically, the more educated a person, the more susceptible to propaganda."

- Jane de Rose Evans, (The Art of Persuasion)

"The word “propaganda” has a sinister ring, suggesting strategies of manipulative persuasion, intimidation and deception. In contrast, the idea of art implies to many people a special sphere of activity devoted to the pursuit of truth, beauty and freedom. For some “propaganda art” is a contradiction in terms. Yet the negative and emotive connotations of the word “propaganda” are relatively new and closely bound to the ideological struggles of the twentieth century."

-Toby Clark (Art and Propaganda)

"All art is to some extent propaganda"

-George Orwell

A Brief History of Propaganda

A commission of Cardinals was set up by Pope Gregory XIII (1572-85) charged with spreading Catholicism and regulating ecclesiastical affairs in heretic, schismatic or heathen lands. The president of the commission was the Cardinal Prefect of Propaganda, and the commission was later known as the College of Propaganda: it was used to educate young priests.

The word “propaganda” soon applied to any organisation set up to spread a doctrine, and was applied both to the doctrine and the methods used. As it was associated from the beginning with Catholicism, it tends to be seen as more sinister in Protestant countries.

***courtesy of The University of Edinburgh

colour palettes

PWIFd

Places.Where.I've.Fuck'd.

by

Vincent Chevalier