“The situation into which the product of mechanical reproduction can be brought may not touch the actual work of art, yet the quality of its presence is always depreciated.” (Walter Benjamin, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," Section II)
The Mona Lisa (Leonardo Da Vinci, circa 1503) (and its circulation in popular culture) is illustrative of Benjamin’s argument regarding the status of the artwork in the age of mechanical reproduction. I’ve posted an image of the original painting along with one of its more recent cultural manifestations.* Describe one way the meanings associated with the original painting effect the product being sold. Provide one example of how the ad’s use of digital technology changes the meaning of the original (for instance, in this ad, how do we interpret her famous smile?) Comparing this advertisement to the Mona Lisas made by modern artists of the Dada and Surrealist movements (Below Marcel Duchamp, L.H.O.O.Q., 1919), what does the ad suggest about our society’s ideas and beliefs about beauty?
*The text at the bottom of the ad reads: “Pantene Time Renewal. Restores age-damaged hair.”
Mitchell Stamm - Balsley - 40300 (Lab 801)
ReplyDeleteThe Meaning from the original painting help sell the product being used in the ad due to how the Mona Lisa was known for her beauty. The product being sold is used on the Mona Lisa to enhance the image of how the product will make your hair restored. This Ads use of digital technology changes the meaning of the original because it takes your focus away from the whole meaning of the art in its original state. Instead of looking at the painting and admiring the beauty captured through the painting. We are disrupted to focus more on the smile with a goatee this also damages the aura of the original painting taking away the true meaning from its original state of art. "The quality of its presence is always depreciated.” (Walter Benjamin, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," Section II) The Pantene ad gives society a new look for what beauty really is. It is using the painting in which was most widely known for its beauty of the Mona Lisa and alters the image to have more vibrant hair in the ad giving it a new meaning of beauty due to the help of Pantene. Thus diminishing the aura of what the original Mona Lisa painting was trying to represent.
The original paintings meaning helps sell the hair product because most people are very familiar with the Mona Lisa and remember the look of her original hair. Her hair was very thin and lifeless but as you look at the ad picture you see that the new Mona Lisa has soft, shinny, vibrant hair. It shows that if her hair can change that much then yours can too. Being able to use digital technology in the shampoo ad changes the meaning of the original because the focus is now on her new hairstyle and the product that changed it rather than Mona Lisa herself. For example, in the original, Mona Lisa is just smiling or smirking, which doesn’t have much meaning to it. While if you look at the ad, which is more of a connotative picture, you notice her smile even more because she looks like she’s happy to have restored hair. The ad suggests that our society’s ideas and beliefs about beauty are based mostly on physical appearances. We see that the Mona Lisa is now more beautiful than the original because she has better hair, which most people would judge her on. As a result we don’t recognize the beauty of the original painting any longer. This shows that the aura of the original is starting to slowly fade away.
ReplyDeleteCherie Pigeon -- Kate Balsley
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMorgan McPhearson--Balsley
ReplyDeleteThe original meaning of the Mona Lisa is beauty. This being true, the use of the Mona Lisa as an ad for a beauty product is a good way to persuade buyers. The way they changed the focus from the smile to the hair helps to create an image that is more relevant to the product being sold. It is taking the meaning of the original out of context, and therefore the aura decreases. The way it was changed for the ad is a huge indicator of the beauty myth in our society and how it is constantly changing. The beauty in the Mona Lisa was in her simplicity. Pantene glamorized her for this ad, completely taking it out of context. This ad is also blandly humorous, which, once again, takes away from the Aura of the original.
Ndiloma Musa- Basley-40300 Lab 801
ReplyDeleteIn the effect on the painting being made in comparison to the original, they are emphasizing on the fact that there product can reanimate some one. They are saying that there product will give new life to something old. In doing this there saying that the original has lost its edge in the modern world, and should be replaced by this newer, and fresher version. In the Newer picture the colors are all refreshed and more visible, Mona Lisa’s hair is changed; it has a bounce in its step. In changing this the age old question of why is Mona smiling then becomes really easy to answer, when this is not what the original artist had in mind, the answer then becomes she is smiling because of the new hair, or the fact that the product gave her a new meaning to life. Today our society take more influence on beauty being on the out side rather than on the eye of the beholder or that every one I beautiful on the inside. This intern gives power on the add to define what our society takes on face value rather than what Duchamp was trying to get at when he drew on that famous mustache and added that foul language. Duchamp had people question and had the public question everything about what he did to the Mona Lisa. Now people are used to the way adds change meaning to original pieces of art and don’t even think twice to question the motives of what was done.
Shee Lee- Balsley 40300 (Lab 801)
ReplyDeleteThe original painting of Mona Lisa is a famous painting known through history. A painting that gives the audiences and the viewers a sense of beauty. The effect of this painting is that it would helps promoted sales on the product being advertised. To use of Mona Lisa the famous painting for advertising of the product, it would helps to bring more customers to buy the product. The new effect of this painting, it would be more interesting to the people who want see the beauty of the painting. For instance, in this ad, by enhancing the original painting with some little details such as bring back faded colors and make the picture look more alive. It also gave the picture a greater sense of beauty. The ad on Mona Lisa gives a sense to the viewers that in our society, the idea and the belief about beauty is phenomenal impact to our lives. Everyone always aiming to look and feel good about oneself.
The Mona Lisa is regarded as one of the worlds best paintings ever created and businesses exploits that.The meaning behind the painting changes when the advertisers replicate and manipulate the painting to make their product look better or enhance it. They mass produce the painting and paste it all over tv, internet and billboards to show how "popular" their product is. Artists use the Mona Lisa to bring different meanings to the painting. The mustache shows that something serious can give have a comical outlook. Society takes these reproductions as a hoax. I believe that today's society doesn't take the products seriously and think of them as just something to grab their attention but most the ad will not have an effect.
ReplyDeleteLeonardo Da Vinci’s artwork, The Mona Lisa, appears to be one of the most popular reproduced artwork in art history. The Pantene shampoo company uses it as an advertisement scheme to sell their shampoo. The digital technology used in the painting darkens and heightens the contrasts of the colors, which makes her appear more seductive and desirable than the original. Another use of digital technology by the Pantene advertisers is displayed quite obviously by her new volumised hair. The reproducers enhanced Lisa’s hair for the benefit of the product. It’s common knowledge that The Mona Lisa was painted long ago and by giving her the new hair and placing the Pantene bottle at the bottom right with the quote, “Pantene Time Renewal. Restores age-damaged hair,” makes it easy for the target audience to infer that it was indeed the shampoo that fixed Lisa’s hair. Transitioning her once secretive smile into a smile speaking “It’s all in the shampoo.”
ReplyDeleteMarcel Duchamp’s reproduction of The Mona Lisa seems to contradict the Pantene reproduction in the idea of her beauty. The simple addition of the moustache-goatee combo makes her appear more masculine and in turn makes the original appear masculine. It seems that the view of beauty in the 1500s is more masculine than the modern taste.
Keil Mitchell- Basley 40300 Lab 801
Ben Gorder-Kate Balsley 40300 (Lab 801)
ReplyDeleteThe prestige that surrounds the Mona Lisa not only in art circles but in modern culture in general allows the image to be sold and manipulated. Ads associate their products with the painting in order to feign a sense of glamour or cultural importance. The ad also utilizes digital technology via the way of photo shopping a whole new hairdo on the Mona Lisa. If you look closely at her smile now it seems to be one full of smugness or self-indulgence. She seems to be satisfied with her new produce. You should be too.
The ad shares parallels with the countless lampoons and satires put on by artists such as Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp's piece is a strike on society and its views on femininity and objective views on females. Duchamp slaps on a simple moustache and beard. Before your eyes, the stunning Mona Lisa, whom we've all held as the perfect female, becomes strikingly masculine. Perhaps we've been told of her beauty so often that we often over look the actual image and forget to judge for ourselves.
Allison Mirek - Kate Balsley 40300 (Lab 801)
ReplyDeleteThe painting, the Mona Lisa is a well known piece of art all around the world that has been overused in every way possible by ad-agencies, cartoons, the internet, etc. In this ad for the hair product line, Pantene, the Mona Lisa's hair is luscious, silky, everything that a woman would want for her own hair. In the original Mona Lisa, her hair looks damaged and weathered, so it only makes sense that Pantene would use that painting for their ad, knowing that everyone would know what the point they were trying to make was. The digital editing on the Mona Lisa make it look more commercial and almost cartoonish, completely taking away the true beauty of the piece of art. I believe that in this ad, it suggests that our society's views are only based on the image of others. For example, Mona Lisa's hair is no longer stringy and damaged, therefore, she must be beautiful.
Jim Hagner - Balsley - Lab 801
ReplyDeleteThe Mona Lisa is one of the most recognizable paintings in the world. The Mona Lisa affects Pantene's product by saying that if women use the product they will be able to be more recognizable, even as much as the original painting.
The use of digital technology to enhance the saturation of the color, and especially her hair, changes the meaning of the original. In the original painting, her smile is mysterious and the reason for her smiling is not clear to the viewer: possibly something behind the painter was making her smile. With the new image, her smile is brought to her face because of her new head of hair, thanks to Pantene.
The ad suggests that our community's view of beauty is superficial and external. A women, typically, is thought to have long hair and no facial hair. Marcel Duchamp challenged this viewpoint by adding a mustache to the Mona Lisa. This gives the Mona Lisa a more masculine feel, especially a long time ago, when it was more common to see males with long hair. The Pantene ad puts Mona Lisa in the opposite end of the spectrum: making the Mona Lisa obviously femanine, with her large, silky hair.
Sarah Uhen - Section 801
ReplyDeleteThe Mona Lisa is most commonly known for beauty, and therefore it is logical that it was used in an advertisement for hair products. I think they also used the Mona Lisa because it is such a well-known icon that it seems to give their product more status. After the picture is edited with digital technology, however, the meaning of the image changes. While in the original painting, Mona Lisa's smile is seen as shy and mysterious, her smile in the advertisement makes her appear smug. It gives her an expression that seems to say "I am better because I use Pantene." This shows how high of beauty standards society puts on people today. To suggest that Mona Lisa, who was revered for beauty in her time, is not "pretty enough" and needs a certain product to make her better is absurd, but people follow that same train of thought. Because of advertisements like these, no one can ever feel like they are good enough; there is always something to improve with any given beauty product or clothing item, and it is relatively insulting to use fine art in such a scheming way.
Brian Jutrzonka - Balsley - Lab 801
ReplyDeleteThe Mona Lisa, one of the most known pieces of art in the world, has been known as a symbol of beauty. Through digital technology, they change the appearance of the Mona Lisa so she, not only has modern hair, but her skin has more color. This not only catches the readers eye because it is recognizable, but it shows through her hair and her skin that no matter the age, their product can catch up with the styles of today. Her face is more vibrant and it's almost as if she exudes more confidence when using the product. It’s as if to say that, “Only Pantene can make your lifeless, old hair turn more silky and modern. These changes in this painting take the original meaning of the painting and turn it into something more appealing to the people of today. The reproduction of the Mona Lisa by Marcel Duchamp takes the original meaning of the Mona Lisa, which I believe to be beauty, and puts a moustache over it. I believe he drew this to say that the modern beauty is completely different than that of the 1500’s. The moustache, in the literal sense, shows the Mona Lisa to be nearly man-like, and takes this beauty that was widely expressed in the 1500’s, and expresses what the artist thinks that the painting means to him.
Allison McMahon- Balsley 40300 (801)
ReplyDelete"Aura" is an invisible atmosphere arising from and surrounding a person or thing. The art work of the Mona Lisa has a huge aura around it. I think even with the multiples all around the world,coming face to face with this painting is spectacular. The digital photography ad with the Pantene shampoo really accentuates her hair and brightens the picture overall. As for the advertisement goes, it is following “ false advertising” showing buyers that if they use this product it will make them as famous as The Mona Lisa. When it comes to the smile of Mona Lisa everyone has their opinion on how or what her smile represents. In this picture the focus is not on her smile but on her hair and how if they use it, everyone’s going to be as famous as she is. It says at the bottom that Pantene “ restores aged damage hair.” Applying this to the ad, they’re saying that the old Mona Lisa looks better when restored just like a normal person would. Duchamp on the other hand is saying that society relies on looks and not what is behind the mustache he added. It is a huge awakening for society as a whole to change the historical Mona Lisa painting to something more modern and fitting into society.
Kelsey Rosencrance 801-
ReplyDeleteThe Mona Lisa is a painting that everyone around the world recognizes, people of all ages know this painting very well. Pantene uses the Mona Lisa as an advertising technique to promote their shampoo. They altered the original picture of the Mona Lisa with "flat lifeless hair" and gave her hair that every woman wishes they could have. Its a familiar picture, so that the alteration goes very well noticed, but that is the point. If they didn't use such a well known picture than there audience might not notice any difference. The Mona Lisa is a depiction of how woman looked back when it was painted, it is obviously not how woman today dress/look and this is why the digitally enhanced for the "modern day look". It shows that beauty has always been an important part of the world around us, and our society. Painters painted beautiful people, and it is something that we still notice day after day. The reproduction of Mona Lisa with a mustache challenges the idea of her beauty by making her look more masculine than feminine, even though she has been a symbol of femininity for ages.
The original Mona Lisa displays to me, a beauty that is eternal. When I look at it i see something that has been considered a marvel for hundreds of years. The fact that it is so old yet such a cherished piece of art makes it a great advertisement for Pantene Time Renewal. I expect that most people who look at this add will recognize the original and also see the meaning behind its use. It almost says that hair that is dry and split can be restored to a more shiny and healthy state. That is the reason behind the retouched photo for the add. By retouching the photo its meaning changes drastically. The newer retouched add seems less mysterious than the original because she seems less stern and in turn the painting loses a lot of its mystique. Technology has definitely destroyed the original and intended meaning of the Mona Lisa by removing the mystery and adding a hint of modern custom.
ReplyDeleteThe Mona Lisa in its original form can never be duplicated, because the essence and beauty can never be replicated. It is represented and recognized as possibly the most popular painting of all time. Because of this reason, many companies, such as Pantene Shampoo, use this photo in their adds. Although its overall beauty can never be duplicated, it draws attention to the product;therefore, adding to the sales. It represents mystery in meaning as well as a work of art. It was made so long ago, no one can actually determine the meaning Da Vinci wanted the viewers to understand. No person or machine can ever replicate or diminish the incredible work of art the painting is. It subtly can not be matched. The faded colors, and faint smile are unique and timeless. These are all reasons in which adds would use this painting. The smile in the Mona Lisa makes the woman with the shampoo look happy. It makes the viewer interpret that the reason she is smiling and happy is because her hair is nice because of the shampoo. everyone appreciates the painting; therefore, they will appreciate the shampoo in the add. The digital duplicates can never change the original; however, it does diminish the rarity of the painting. Although I believe the original can never be duplicated, the remakes can change the way the common viewer looks at the painting. it changes the persona and feeling the painting gives off. It use to be a honor and blessing to actually see the painting live, but now it feels like you see it everywhere. Technology can never duplicate actually seeing the Mona Lisa, but it can ruin the way everyone sees it.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteEllen Raines
ReplyDeleteThey say great art is difficult to understand but easy to enjoy. I have always been a fan of Marcel Duchamp, and he brings a different way of looking at beauty. He was a practicing art during the beat revolution, they believed in physically and mentally loving both sexes. This piece suggests that times are changing and the later generations are more accepting and more open to new and different ideas.
As for the digital advertisement, the creator made the hair more vibrant and shiny, suggesting that if one was to buy the product, one's hair will look just like the digital image. Or it could be suggesting that "beautiful" hair is a work of art. Another way of viewing this image would suggest that "you" the viewer has an ancient hair style and needs to be updated.
Both images are clever in their own way and even though they were changed differently and in different decades, both give the meaning of beauty.
Alexzandro Batts
ReplyDeleteFILM 114
Professor Greene
SEC. 801 w/ Professor Balsley
9-21-09
The avant-garde art world has made note of the undeniable fact of the Mona Lisa's popularity. Because of the painting's overwhelming stature, Dadaists and Surrealists often produce modifications and caricatures. Since 1883, a Mona Lisa smoking a pipe was shown at the "Incoherents" show in Paris. In 1919, Marcel Duchamp, one of the most influential Dadaists, created L.H.O.O.Q., a Mona Lisa parody made by adorning a cheap reproduction with a moustache and a goatee, as well as adding the rude inscription, when read out loud in translated from French, it says "she has a hot ass". According to Rhonda R. Shearer, the apparent reproduction is in fact a copy partly modelled on Duchamp's own face. Salvador Dalí, famous for his pioneering surrealist work, painted Self portrait as Mona Lisa in 1954. In 1963 Andy Warhol created serigraph prints of the Mona Lisa, in an effort to reduce her gravity to that of a disposable modern icon to a similar cultural stature of the modern celebrities Marilyn Monroe or Elvis Presley. To best answer what this ad suggest about our society’s ideas and beliefs about beauty, I believe Marilyn Manson says is best:
"Hey
There's no rules today.
You steal instead of borrow.
You take all the shapes that I make.
And you think
That you thought
All the thoughts
That I thought you,
Don't you?
Mutilation's the most
Sincere form of flattery.
If you want to be me,
Then stand in line like the rest.
Now, do you know what I mean?
The young get less bolder
The legends get older
But I stay the same
As long as you have less to say
Do you think that I wouldn't say this?
You know that I play this better than you."
Oh by the way, I happen to like long, beautiful hair. I do value my hair, as if it were an investment. I would rather by products that says if you use our stuff, you'll get this result:
http://www.funny-magazines.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/hot-sexy-mona-lisa.bmp
I wouldn't even spend as much as a nickle if another products says if you use our studd, you'll get this result:
http://www.worldart.com.au/userimages/user999_1148605477.bmp
Then again, commercials usually do the trick as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qq820ZQVxQ
Blog #1 (9/22)
ReplyDeleteJoseph Skow
Balsley
40300 (lab 801)
Regarded as one of the most famous paintings in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s, Mona Lisa, can be conceived as an early “sex symbol,” a woman of beauty and mystery. In my opinion, the world’s cultural awareness of Mona Lisa as a symbol of everlasting beauty transcends the product being advertised. The advertisement proclaims that even the most beautiful work of art, landscape, or person can show room for improvement, and their product can take you there. Contrary to a few other students opinion’s, I don’t believe the product picked the Mona Lisa as a symbol for something “old” being made “new.” Yes, I believe it shows that their product can make improvements, but improvements making something so timeless and enchanting that much MORE beautiful. In the way that today’s media portrays a demanding image of a woman’s figure, the Mona Lisa provides an example of these standards in their infancy. It is because of replicated images, in your monthly magazine subscription, or a timeless portrait, that cultures around the world are able to create these standards in the first place. This is essentially what Marcel Duchamp’s interpretation represents, the sexual potency of images we reproduce through our cultures. The use of digital technology changes the image in a number of ways, including physical and artistic transformations. Yes, the advertisement brightens the calm, mysterious, facial expression. Yes, her hair is brought to life with color and volume. Yes, it provides purpose for the product, but possibly most important is the technology to achieve this itself. In so many ways our current artistic form can be described as “remix culture,” taking something already created, in most cases widely known, and transforming it into something new for a collaborative meaning. That’s exactly what this product has done. The worldwide fame of her elegance and mystery is given meaning in yet another interpretation concerning beauty.
joe said...
ReplyDeleteThe original painting has authentic beauty and is known for its slight smile. The shampoo ad uses the Mona Lisa's fame to attract viewers. The original is a beautiful work of art with lifelike quality.The shampoo ad it is evident that they gave her tanner skin and added more of a smile.The hair is the most emphasized, with dark wavy hair.It makes it seem like she is someone of our time period.The newer may seem more comfortable for someone of this century because we are familiar with today's fashion,but it takes away all the beauty out of the work.The other painting takes the painting and simply puts a mustache and changes the background. I don't consider that art,it takes away all authentic quality.The background is cold and frigid and takes away the pleasant feeling you get when you look at it