The Language of Images in Art and Comics

Do visual artists transfer private mentalimages to the public space?

Foundations of an alternative view based onphilosophy of language and mind.

Visual Mental Images, Content,and Narrative Schemata

PPhilosophical Overview: Problems for mentalimages

PObservations on aesthetic perception andmental images

PThe Imagosphere

PExamples from comics

Visual Mental Images, Content,and Narrative Schemata

PPrivate Language Argument

PThe Pure Presentation problem

PHigher-order Thought problem

I. Problems for mental images

PCould a “Robinson Crusoe” develop alanguage?

PAnswer: No. Doubts about:< The possibility of self-defined concepts< Understanding nature of interior perceptions< Reliability of memory/uniformity of association

Private Language Argument

Private Language Argument

“I am going to the bank by the river.”

Pure Presentation Problem

PNo images for logical concepts

PNo images tied to abstactions

PNo images present in complex thoughts

Higher-order Thought Problem

PPrivate Language Argument: an invented,private personal language is impossible

PThe pure presentation problem: not evenGod could tell the meaning of an image

PHigher thought (meaning) requires logicaland linguistic coding – or narrative socialcontext

Problems for mental images

PProblem: A private language is impossible< Solution: Language meaning generation is a

social phenomenon

PProblem: A private imagery symbology isimpossible - images have no inherentmeaning< Solution: Imagery meaning generation is a social

phenomenon

Problems for mental images

A solution by analogy to language

PLook at how images are used in context

PPursue analogy to social construction oflanguage

PMap natural imagery types to artistic activity

II. Observations on aestheticperception and mental images

Balance

Repetition

Proximity & Unity

Public Aesthetic Principles

Public Aesthetic Principles

Alignment - Contrast - Golden Mean - Symmetry Viewer Perspective - Light/Dark - Perspective

Symbols - Sharp/Blurred - Color Association

Gesture - Optical Illusion - Depth Perception

Types of Mental Images

After-images

Memory

Imagination

Thought

Physical, hardwired responses and mechanisms -----> “Free” mechanisms

Automatic Mechanisms - Poons

Memory - Seurat

Imagination - Chagall

Thought - Michelangelo

PArtist conceives “private meaning” – animage/narration complex rooted in theimagosphere

PComplex is produced, enters imagosphere

PArt Appreciator supplies narrative context toconstructively create meanings

PNew memes released into imagosphere

III. The Imagosphere

A model of the public space of imagery creation,interpretaion, and exchange

Public Imagosphere mimics structure of mind

Physical images can be mixed with narrative content in multitude of ways

Raw Stimulus ----------> Memory -------------> Imagination --------------> Thought ---------->

Minimal narrativecontent: Imageallows appreciator tocreate manymeanings that do notcoincide with artist’s“private” meaning

Image comes “preloaded”with public narrativecontent: Appreciator’smeaning more closelyapproximates artist’s

New interpretations,new meanings

New elements in theimagosphere

Imagosphere simultaneously feeds on and builds itself

PUse of automatic psychological responsemechanisms - good/bad characters

PUse of lack of detail - subjective identificaton

PUse of visual language “rules”

PUse of political/metaphysical interpretivenarratives

IV. Examples from Comics

Shared cognitive and narrative structures

Artist in Thought Art Appreciator

Meaning