Lab: Landscape Literacy
Two options for the Landscape Lab
This lab is intended to increase your ability to 'read' the landscape. Learning to 'read' landscapes and visual reproductions of landscapes is an important skill for geographers, especially those focused on cultural, economic and political issues. This skill is important for everyone because each of us is constantly subjected to manipulation by the built environment around us. You build landscapes yourself and probably actively engage in the creation of meaning as well...even though you may not be aware of it.
To give you a chance to demonstrate your ability to interpret the landscape "as text", you may pick among the two assignments below. There are brief descriptions below and links that will take you to more robust descriptions of what is expected of you.
Have fun with this!
Reading Between the Lines of Signs
Pick 5 signs and write one or two paragraphs about each sign in which you explain how the non-text portions of the sign communicates to those who see the sign. Make sure that you DO NOT focus your attention on the meanings conveyed by the words on the sign. You should try to include a photo of the sign (or at least a sketch) and with each sign, your paragraphs. Try to follow the example set by Drucker. Feel free to use some of her ideas, being sure to mention her when you do.
Click this link to see full details of assignment 1.
Deconstructing Landscapes in Advertising
Your job is to write a short essay (2 to 3 pages) in which you briefly describe, interpret and analyze the way in which the landscape is used to sell the product being advertised.
In order to be successful you have to look beyond the obvious and explore the psychological and cultural reasons that make landscapes powerful backdrops for the advertisers .....or perhaps why the landscape is not so powerful; why perhaps the landscape used by the advertiser undermines the seller's message. Think about the fantasy advertisers are selling and why those fantasies are powerful. What do we as consumers really want...especially since we have almost everything we truly need? For example, we need transportation, but we want much more than transportation from our car ...speed, style, comfort, bling...
Make sure you focus your efforts on explaining how the landscape works to evoke emotions, needs and wants among consumers. If you think carefully about the landscape, you'll be able to discuss how it is used to make a psychological connection between the product (generally something we don't NEED) and some something we want (e.g., love, friendship, status, power, etc.) but may not have enough of in our lives.
If it is feasible, cut and paste the advertisement in question into the document, or place a web link in your document so I can see what you are trying to describe and analyze.
