Reviewing the Arts – Summer 07

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• 1    Cheryl // Jun 11, 2007 at 10:59 am

  http://reviewingarts.edublogs.org/files/2007/06/lifes-short-get-a-divorce.jpg

  This ad, previously viewed by many Chicagoans in the Rush Street neighborhood, was taken down one week after it went up. The ad is not traditional “culture jamming” in that it did not take a previously constructed ad and alter it to portray a message other than the one viewers associated with the original. However, culture can also be the introduction of an extreme idea that causes damage the blind belief viewers have in/for a subject. Culture jamming is advertising that is surprising, shocking, and unexpected. This ad completely fits that definition. The ad appears as an advocacy of divorce with the scantily clad women in black lingerie and the chest of a physically sculpted male. The ad represents the “there’s something better out there” theory, or for those who are possibly unhappy it plays on their doubts and presents the ‘don’t waste your time when you could be with this’ ideal. The message of this billboard sets up a plethora of issues on infidelity, the sanctity of marriage, and trivializes divorce and makes it seem like a casual, almost daily activity. It also, married couples aside, plays on the psyche of singles, especially those ages 11-23. It glamorizes the single life subliminally feeding the idea that marriage is ‘stealing you life’. The billboard demonstrates that if you do get married and you see someone who you think is more attractive, it’s not a big deal, just get a divorce. The irony in of the piece in the public’s eye was that the billboard’s creator is an all women law firm. The stand they took was that they felt they needed to get the public’s attention and fight for clients who could ‘hire any lawyer’. However, those who are counselors and psychotherapists whose career it is to work with couples to save marriages and work on changing the public’s perception of marriage/divorce, found it offensive. They believe it was affective in getting people’s attention, but believe the attention it gave the law firm was not positive. However, with today’s perverse society, it may generate more business because of the negative attention. Ultimately, one week after the ad was put up, it was taken down. The reason for the removal was cited as a zoning and permit conflict. So, the ultimate question is this example of culture jamming powerful or powerless.

• 2    John // Jun 12, 2007 at 10:52 am

  http://www.kottke.org/plus/photos/bush_puppet.jpg

  This photo was taken in San Francisco after the 2000 presidential election. The night after Bush was declared president, a group of people went down Bush St. posing as painters, utility workers, etc and covered every “Bush” street sign with stickers they had made to look like street signs that said “puppet”. When the city woke up the next day, Bush St had turned into Puppet St. and I think everyone got the joke…

  This is an example of culture jamming because the activists/artists who did this altered an already existing public symbol for the purpose of social and political commentary. What was once simply the name of a street had overnight taken on new meaning. Anyone that crossed Bush St. was confronted with this message and had to think about its meaning if they weren’t thinking about it already.

• 3    Kevin // Jun 12, 2007 at 4:47 pm

  http://www.backspace.com/notes/2003/10/01/x.html

  Uncle Sam I want out presented by the Committee to Unsell the War, in 1971 embodies early ideas of culture jamming satirizing uncle Sam in the exact opposite role turning away from recruitment bring light to the ideas of war. Like modern day culture jamming this was made for the public could see and recognize.

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