Visual literacy: looking is not seeing
Further readings on questioning and understanding the images that shape reality
Welcome to the first installment of this monthly segment titled Further Readings, where each month I will be sharing a list of resources through which we can go down a rabbit hole together. The main goal here is not just to provide a media guide, but to provide a starting point for the process of questioning. You will notice the topics we will be diving into are incredibly broad and conceptual because I believe that these characteristics are the ones that have the most room for personal expansion and development.
Have you ever walked into a museum and just mindlessly scanned through the pieces, not even taking the time to read descriptions, moving quickly from room to room in hopes of maybe finding somewhere to sit as your itinerary has completely drained you? Me too. I often find myself in front of a piece with so much to say, all of these thoughts and feelings trapped in the tip of my tongue as I do not have enough knowledge to articulate them.
As of late, I have made it a point to critically engage with not only art but also the images that surround me because I noticed that I was not slowing down enough to acknowledge the impact that these had on the fabric of reality. There is a lot of discourse surrounding literacy; however, I have noticed that perhaps the sub-category of visual literacy has been slightly neglected.
Without a doubt, we exist in the most visual era of humanity, images plague every single aspect of our lives and quite literally transform the way in which we make the choices that allow us to navigate the world. By understanding the way in which visual communication is directly tied to personal, subconscious, and historical context, we get the opportunity to take back the power that these images hold over us.
Below, I provide a list of books, essays, videos, and documentaries that have allowed me to dive deeper into this topic, however, I highly encourage you to use this as a base for your own research. Make sure to check out the references of each piece and actively look into concepts you are not familiar with and further investigate the ones that catch your eye. We have a lifetime to keep learning so I hope this carries on throughout your life :)
