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  • Essay / Understanding How John Berger Views Art as Represented in the Ways of Seeing Program

    In the 1970s, there was a four-part program hosted by John Berger called "Ways of Seeing." In this program, Berger conveyed a fascinating perspective on art. He questioned the value of art, why humans create it, its attitude toward gender, and the way it allows people to communicate. The weather, I agree with Berger, is irrelevant to the brilliance of his ideas. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayThe first aspect of art that Berger addresses is reproduction. Art has always been used as a way to represent a person's feelings and desires to others. But everything changed with the invention of cameras. Through the use of images, billions of people can focus on one thing at the same time. In a way, cameras give us more power than ever to manipulate others. The camera indicates where we focus and essentially instills its purpose in us. The photos themselves can be considered art. But with pictures, sacred relics can be displayed for all to see. But these relics may have, at some point, been hidden from the public eye. Interestingly, people are willing to pay fortunes for certain works of art, which can be easily viewed through a Google image search or on television. This concept evokes the idea of ​​authenticity. Authenticity is above all else in art. If a work of art has gone through a lot to survive, in addition to being authentic, it probably has value. Perhaps these values ​​are sentimental, as many cultural struggles and events have been expressed through art. Thus, certain paintings are a memory, an artifact, even a window of time. It's not always about the beauty of the art, but the story it tells. The goal of art was to make the viewer think. But this is only part of the artist's intention. An artist's true intention is to make you think what he wants. But it's easy to distort an opinion based on context. The entire message of an image can be changed when you change the background it is placed in or when you add music to the setting. Berger noticed this subtle quality of art and I believe it to be true. So what inspires people to decorate their homes with various painted scenes? Berger believes that people view the artwork they buy as a reflection of themselves. A man may have a painting of an angry bull in his home to represent a metaphor for his power. Or maybe an exuberant couple wants a regal stage with beautiful designs and elegant pillars to display their wealth. Many paintings of royalty show slaves and peasants who appear to be in a submissive position to their masters. This is no coincidence. These paintings located in an owner's home sent a message of wealth and supremacy to their guests. Why decorate your walls with colors when you can decorate them with stories? Women have been the center of attention in many works of art. But that's not necessarily a positive thing. Women are a spectacle, and so much so that they are themselves a spectacle. In all works depicting women, especially nude women, men are directed towards them. And the women? She looks towards where the cameraman would be if it were a.