Session 1 - The image of Passion
Lecture Notes
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Terminology
Semiotic: The study of signs and sign systems.
Sign: A word that conveys meaning.
Sign System: A grouping of codes.
Langue: A language system.
Parole: Partial example of speech/writing.
Syntagm: An ordered sequence of signs.
Paradigm: An exchange of signs in a syntagm.
Myth: Things that reflect dominant ways of thinking (cultural norms) and can propagate stereotypes.
Passive Vs Constructivism: Knowledge is passed down from teacher to student vs we build our knowledge based on experience, interaction and reflection because we are able to be introspective of life's different aspects.
Structuralism Vs Essentialism: Structuralism is societal systems like that of dress or speak that are commonly understood and this relationship is what determines a code. Essentialism are codes passed down via our ancestors so are unchangeable; this has been used to propagate racial discrimination.
Marx & Ideology: Ruling material force is also the ruling intellectual force; access to media can denote a priveledged or poor class position.
A sign = a signifier (physical representation, verbal & textual) + a signified (mental concept, cognitive reading).
Sign: A word that conveys meaning.
Sign System: A grouping of codes.
Langue: A language system.
Parole: Partial example of speech/writing.
Syntagm: An ordered sequence of signs.
Paradigm: An exchange of signs in a syntagm.
Myth: Things that reflect dominant ways of thinking (cultural norms) and can propagate stereotypes.
Passive Vs Constructivism: Knowledge is passed down from teacher to student vs we build our knowledge based on experience, interaction and reflection because we are able to be introspective of life's different aspects.
Structuralism Vs Essentialism: Structuralism is societal systems like that of dress or speak that are commonly understood and this relationship is what determines a code. Essentialism are codes passed down via our ancestors so are unchangeable; this has been used to propagate racial discrimination.
Marx & Ideology: Ruling material force is also the ruling intellectual force; access to media can denote a priveledged or poor class position.
A sign = a signifier (physical representation, verbal & textual) + a signified (mental concept, cognitive reading).
Key Reading
Roland Barthes "Mythologies" 1957: He speaks of how society has formed certain signs that are generally understood to those who know them, whilst need to be decoded by others, thereby becoming myths within the collective conscious.
Jonathan Bignell "Media Semiotics" 2002: How different signs are understood within different groups and how language codes these signs.
Deborah Cameron "Feminist Linguist Theory" 1985: Analyses how language has coded the signs and how this affects women, such as how gendered language affects the societal outlook of men and women and what each gender must conform to because of the understood signs.
Allain De Botton "Status Anxiety" 2004: Focuses on material wealth and how the signs which relate to it can affect one's status within society, which can lead to attempts to climb the social ladder.
Jonathan Bignell "Media Semiotics" 2002: How different signs are understood within different groups and how language codes these signs.
Deborah Cameron "Feminist Linguist Theory" 1985: Analyses how language has coded the signs and how this affects women, such as how gendered language affects the societal outlook of men and women and what each gender must conform to because of the understood signs.
Allain De Botton "Status Anxiety" 2004: Focuses on material wealth and how the signs which relate to it can affect one's status within society, which can lead to attempts to climb the social ladder.
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The way in which signs are transmitted and perpetuated. Conversing is also how cultural myths are perpetuated and stereotypes propagated.
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Blog Task
Roland Barthes - "The World of Wrestling" from "Mythologies"
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My review
Wrestling is a spectacle of excess similar to ancient theatres where performers told stories of myths or hero stories, so carries the same weight - both are an honourable form of theatre as they both focus on their story. Henceforth, the audience watches wrestling for the spectacle rather than the actual sport element. "False wrestling" refers to making it a fair fight which would be uninteresting to the viewer as they wish to see the passion of the wrestler.
Fans of boxing are able to determine the outcome of the fight due to the understanding who is the most competent fighter so it is a process of logic to know the loser whereas such a concept holds little weight in wrestling. Fans of the latter expect a performance, for the wrestler is to go through "the motions that are expected of him". Judo is of the same juxtaposition, being precise and accurate. Wrestlers accentuate the performance by exploiting the gestures to show their character and passion.
Roles are heavily important in wrestling, because characterisation aids the story and so are incredibly clear to the viewer. Unlike Judo, a downed wrestler is not a show of defeat but rather that of powerlessness as it allows the opposing wrestler to revel in this short moment of victory. Henceforth the idea of Good Vs Evil or morality is such a large part of the wrestling world - it allows the characters to grow into certain tropes like villain or hero which furthers the story and so engages the audience. This characterisation allows fans to understand what role each wrestler may play and so there is an understanding to how the fight may unfold.
The performance is that of "suffering, defeat and justice" is a key part of the story and characters of wrestling. This cycle plays into the morality aspect that intrigues fans as when the hero is downed, the villain can relish in their victory and exude their evilness to the fullest before revenge is dealt. This is why defeat is not permanent as it is part of the villain's victory so they can show just how powerful and powerless the two are. Defeat is also a display of suffering which yet again plays into the ego of the villain.
Wrestling does have rules that are followed, however they can be broken if for the purpose of justice. If the foe is that of a coward and hides out of the ring to avoid their punishment they can be pursued until capture because it is seen as just.
Barthes' semiotic analysis appears in the form of comparing the form of wrestling against Judo. He states that the main aspect of wrestling is the passion which enthrals the audience whereas in judo the audience expect a fair fight in which they can predict the outcome of the fight based on the fighters' expertise. Another is the excessive gestures of wrestlers as this is part of the performance whereas in judo the fighters aim for precise strikes focusing on accuracy since in judo the aim is to down the opposing fighter.
Session 2 -Reading Words & Images
Lecture Notes
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Terminology
Intertextuality: Links between texts.
Arbitrary: Does not resemble the description.
Codified: Requires knowledge of the definition.
Mental Stimuli: Requires cognition or visualisation.
Subject to flux: Meanings can shift over time.
Plane of Expression: How something is said, written, drawn to affect meaning.
Plane of Abstraction: How an image is captured or rendered to affect meaning.
Iconic: Resembles representation, the most important is experienced before it is framed by language.
Anchorage: The relay between words and visuals, henceforth are a complementary relationship - words, images, dual message (film posters, ads)
Convergent/independent: Contribute info independently.
Parallel/divergent: Communicate ideas that don't intersect.
Multi-Model Narratives: Storytelling which integrates different forms of communication like images, music, text, etc.
Denotation: Primary meaning, non-coded.
Connotation: Secondary meaning, viewer may pick up on certain signs, myth is relayed at this level.
Polysemous: The ability for a sign to have multiple related meanings.
Presentation -> Representation -> Re-Representation (reframing with context) -> Re-Re-Representation (reframing without context).
Signifier + Signified = Denotative Sign + Conative Sign
Arbitrary: Does not resemble the description.
Codified: Requires knowledge of the definition.
Mental Stimuli: Requires cognition or visualisation.
Subject to flux: Meanings can shift over time.
Plane of Expression: How something is said, written, drawn to affect meaning.
Plane of Abstraction: How an image is captured or rendered to affect meaning.
Iconic: Resembles representation, the most important is experienced before it is framed by language.
Anchorage: The relay between words and visuals, henceforth are a complementary relationship - words, images, dual message (film posters, ads)
Convergent/independent: Contribute info independently.
Parallel/divergent: Communicate ideas that don't intersect.
Multi-Model Narratives: Storytelling which integrates different forms of communication like images, music, text, etc.
Denotation: Primary meaning, non-coded.
Connotation: Secondary meaning, viewer may pick up on certain signs, myth is relayed at this level.
Polysemous: The ability for a sign to have multiple related meanings.
Presentation -> Representation -> Re-Representation (reframing with context) -> Re-Re-Representation (reframing without context).
Signifier + Signified = Denotative Sign + Conative Sign
Key Reading/ Images
Rene Magritte - "Treachery of Images" 1929: Dry and satirical, if not a pipe then what? Looking deeper can give way to what or who we may link a pipe too (well to do, man, upper class, status, authority)
Roland Barthes - "Image - Music - Text" 1977: Analyses different media via narrative and linguistic theory, focusing on connotation and denotation. A key part on how text and images intertwine to communicate the same sign in two unique ways. Sometimes one will be more important in conveying the sign, relying on secondary meaning to deliver the message.
Scott McCloud - "Making Comics" 2006: The method to creating a comic and how its visual information conveys the message first before the text. It builds on how understanding key signs that are inbuilt within society can help for better believable storytelling.
Roland Barthes - "Image - Music - Text" 1977: Analyses different media via narrative and linguistic theory, focusing on connotation and denotation. A key part on how text and images intertwine to communicate the same sign in two unique ways. Sometimes one will be more important in conveying the sign, relying on secondary meaning to deliver the message.
Scott McCloud - "Making Comics" 2006: The method to creating a comic and how its visual information conveys the message first before the text. It builds on how understanding key signs that are inbuilt within society can help for better believable storytelling.
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Magritte's "Treachery of Images"
Anchorage focusing on the juxtaposition between images and text - a pipe and "this is not a pipe." |
Blog Task
Comic on Anchorage
This week's task was to either create a comic strip that explores different types of anchorage or subvert/ create a new slogan/ design for "I shop therefore I am."
I chose to create a comic exploring types of anchorage whilst focusing on parallel and divergent coding rather than convergent and independent.
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My idea was to focus on something that could be easily recognisable and the connotation well understood.
I thought about well known phrases and how I could potentially play on them. Some I thought of were: speak of the devil, easy as pie, cat out of the bag.
I settled on "speak of the devil." |
I wanted to play on the phrase in a way which I could easily subvert expectation then return to what one may have originally expected.
Session 3 - Decoding Advertisements
Lecture Notes
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Terminology
Currency: Particular to a time of place, follows cultural norms/ideologies and reinforce cultural myths.
Aspirational Selling: Appeals to the target customer's wants.
Concealment: Hide certain structures or production so that the product is seen as higher quality.
Aspirational Selling: Appeals to the target customer's wants.
Concealment: Hide certain structures or production so that the product is seen as higher quality.
Ads focus on target customers and appealing to their sense of need and want to sell products, which could be in the form of showing an idealised dream that the customer desires. Some ads, like luxury brands, may focus on this appeal whereas food products or other necessities may focus on the brand being affordable or appearing high end as an appeal to status.
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Advertisements focus on psychological needs rather than basic needs, as esteem and the need of belonging are appealing to customers. By focusing on this segment, products can become a way of achieving self actualisation.
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Key Reading
Judith Williamson: Decoding Advertisement 1978
Maslow: Hierarchy of Human Needs
Maslow: Hierarchy of Human Needs
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Panzani Ad 1970s
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Dior Ad Feb 2019
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Blog Task
Decoding our own Advertisements
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Key NotesThe ad focuses on its's slogan, putting it central with lighter tones than what the background uses. This is so that the meaning of it becomes the main appeal, as if the customer can understand that they will have a choice in how they get to chose the more likely they will want to buy from the company. The serif and sans-serif font is also very important as the serif is to make the slogan feel fancy and high end whilst the sans-serif is sleek and elegant - both unite to aid the message that what the service provides is high quality and aesthetic.
The image depicts that of a living room making it seem homely although since there are tiles in the background it becomes more clinical. The focus of the image is not to lie about what the product may look like but rather show what it could look like in the customer's home. |
summary bit
Session 4 - The Graphic Code of Comics
Lecture Notes
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Terminology
Moment to Moment: Small elapses of time.
Action to Action: Different actions but same scene, some closure is needed.
Subject to Subject: Different subjects but same scene, reader involvement needed.
Scene to Scene: Significant movement of time and place.
Aspect to Aspect: Scene setting, no time shift.
Non Sequitur: No logical relationship between panels.
Closure: Use of gutters as a transition tool between panels.
Plurivectorial Flow: Past and future shown together and occupy the same time and place.
Control tactics aids stability - multi-frame, strip ellipses, page breaks & cliff hangers, negative space, transition types.
Action to Action: Different actions but same scene, some closure is needed.
Subject to Subject: Different subjects but same scene, reader involvement needed.
Scene to Scene: Significant movement of time and place.
Aspect to Aspect: Scene setting, no time shift.
Non Sequitur: No logical relationship between panels.
Closure: Use of gutters as a transition tool between panels.
Plurivectorial Flow: Past and future shown together and occupy the same time and place.
Control tactics aids stability - multi-frame, strip ellipses, page breaks & cliff hangers, negative space, transition types.
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Identifying transition types on a comic based on Scott McCloud's panel analysis.
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Key Thoughts
Comics have a series of strategies within them to make them more appealing to the reader and to convey the story in a clearer way. Seasoned artists deploy a variety of strategies in how the panels look across the page (aiding legibility between each panel but also using panel shape to become part of the action) and what each panel shows (the less reader involvement needed the easier it is to read although no involvement at all makes the story quite boring). For an artist to create a good story these two things must be deployed side by side so that the reader can read the story but still understanding each intricacy.
Blog Task
"After God (Book 2)" by Sumi Eno
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This week's task is either to research an artist and analyse a page of their work using transition types or find examples of comic artists that have innovative approaches to page layout.
I chose the former of the two since I recently bought a new book in the series I'm reading. The book is part of the manga series "After God" by Sumi Eno where gods (known as IPOs) have invaded the world, Japan being a particular hotspot, and have an incredibly destructive nature. The main question of the earlier books is how does one kill a god?
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Manga is read from the right side of the book to the left, this is why the pictures seem like they're in an incorrect order even if they're not.
This part of the book occurs quite early. It is a fight between the protagonist Waka and Nayu where her fighting abilities where being tested. That is why there are short cuts of time and between the fight and those watching them fight.
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The splicing of different transitions allows us to understand the character's perspectives so early so we can get an understanding of the power that Waka posses and whether it would be seen as normal (its not). Not only does this keep the drama interesting but introduces the personalities of the characters.
Session 5 - Narratives
Lecture Notes
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Our understanding of narratives is built upon codes that has been part of storytelling for centuries so has developed distinct characters that can be identified. More often that not, especially in older works that followed traditional gender roles, we can predict the character tropes which is why it effective when the roles are reversed.
Even the way in which characters and the scene is presented heavily influences the style of story - if it has dramatic cinematography we can guess that it will likely be a mystery or action. The lack of it, thereby blandness, strips us of our ability to read the narrative and so would be read as either boring or bad (depending on personal preferences of course).
Even the way in which characters and the scene is presented heavily influences the style of story - if it has dramatic cinematography we can guess that it will likely be a mystery or action. The lack of it, thereby blandness, strips us of our ability to read the narrative and so would be read as either boring or bad (depending on personal preferences of course).
Terminology
Casual Transformation (Tzvetan Todorov) - Equilibrium/Disruption/Resolution
Character Tropes (Propp) - Hero; Villain; Dispatcher; Donor; Princess/Prize; Father; Helper; False Hero.
Narrative setting: Provides context.
Narration/Narrator: How the plot is relayed and in what way.
Narratology: Study of narratives; taking a formalist approach.
Character Tropes (Propp) - Hero; Villain; Dispatcher; Donor; Princess/Prize; Father; Helper; False Hero.
Narrative setting: Provides context.
Narration/Narrator: How the plot is relayed and in what way.
Narratology: Study of narratives; taking a formalist approach.
Key Reading
Ellen Lupton "Design is Storytelling."
Edward Forster "Aspects of the Novel" 1927.
"Wizard of Oz" 1939 - Casual transformation.
Vladimir Propp "Morphology of the Folktale" 1928 - Explores different structures within stories by breaking it down to its most basic forms; 8 character types, 4 acts, 31 narratemes.
Martin Scorsese "Taxi Driver" - Travis Bickle is an unreliable narrator.
Franz Kafka "Metamorphosis" - Gregor Samsa is a restricted narrator.
Edward Forster "Aspects of the Novel" 1927.
"Wizard of Oz" 1939 - Casual transformation.
Vladimir Propp "Morphology of the Folktale" 1928 - Explores different structures within stories by breaking it down to its most basic forms; 8 character types, 4 acts, 31 narratemes.
Martin Scorsese "Taxi Driver" - Travis Bickle is an unreliable narrator.
Franz Kafka "Metamorphosis" - Gregor Samsa is a restricted narrator.
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An analysis of the characters from the Wizard of Oz and how each of them fit into one of Propp's character tropes.
It is important to note that the adoption of roles, not just for Oz, can very much follow gender roles seen best with the dispatcher and donor being the beautiful woman and the villain and false hero either being the man or a witch (distorted femininity makes one villainous). |
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We analysed this within the lecture, focusing on the narration and plot.
The key idea of the story is foremost a lesson in treating misbehaving children (to the adults at least) but for the child reading it it teaches about the importance of family and forgiveness. This is all done while focusing on Max via 3rd person with as little bias as possible as, although his adventure is meant to appeal to young audiences, the focus is meant to be upon the lesson he leant whilst "away" from his family in his imagination. |
To summarise, stories can be found in almost everything if one looks hard enough - however the question is what defines a story? Is it sequence and structure or is it plot and characters? this, of course, rests on the technically of what a story actually is but the real truth is that what is a story rests with what society perceives a story to be. For example, a telling of events via the news or in a journal or even the documentation of someone's life on social media could amount to a story but because it does not contain the classic markers of a story, or even presented in a way that most stories may be, we do not see these things as stories. Another key reason is the lack of narrative and all the technicalities associated with it. The news or someone sharing their life lacks plot (and its cause and effect upon characters) across a span of time.
Blog Task
For this week's task, we are to either apply Todorov's five point formula or Propp's character types to a narrative piece.
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I chose Devil May Cry 5 - the fifth installation of the game series which released in 2019.
As a bit of background on the series, the franchise begin chronology wise with the third game as within it we meet twins Dante and Vergil, sons of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda, on their birthday a decade after the fire which tore their lives apart. Here Dante fights Vergil from merging the demon and human world as Vergil believes that true power comes from his demonic half so the only place he is welcome is hell. The two fight and it ends with Vergil falling into Hell.
The fifth game takes place decades later when Dante is in his 40s and is fighting alongside his nephew Nero. V is introduced, the human side of Vergil, alongside Urizen, his demon half, as he had split himself in two not only to save himself but also believing his human side was weaker. Dante has to fight his brother yet again, but does not want Nero to fight him as he does not know Vergil is his father even if he ripped his arm off (Vergil did so to regain his sword (Yamato) so he could split himself in twain). |
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Dante is the main hero of the franchise and of DMC5. He protects not just because its the right things but because of his deep empathy towards humanity - it is something his father Sparda fought for, literally betraying the Demon King. This legacy is not the only reason he choses to protect humanity. At a young age the Demon King's army attacked his family home in retaliation for his father's betrayal. The attack killed his human mother Eva. She was his humanity. He protects so that others do not face a similar trauma. He is a deeply flawed character. Such trauma has led him to isolate himself because he thought his power, his demon side, made him dangerous which alongside the death of his family only furthered his depression - something he hardly talks about even to his friends Lady and Trish. When he does talk about it on the off-hand, it is more of a retelling with his friends being there as comfort. He is unable to overcome that trauma because his support system needs as much help as he does so none of them can escape their past. Whatever demons they have, they are kept to themselves.
Nero, on the other hand, is a more functional, stable hero. He carries burdens in the same way Dante does but in contrast actually has a good support system. He has his partner Kyrie and adopted children as well as Nico. Although he has his burdens, he has support for that. Without that support, he would have taken a similar path to his father Vergil. He overcomes what is thrown at him because he refuses to hide, for example he was the outcast in a highly conservative society due to his stark white hair but the love that Kyrie's family showed him gave him stability. He choses to use his power to save those he cares about. "Without strength, you can't protect anything" is something Dante and Vergil have said, but Nero takes this to a new level. Unlike being blinded by pain or by duty, he finds purpose in those words - to protect his friends.
Vergil is the antagonist. Not willingly evil or a traditional villain - his actions stem from his childhood trauma when he and Dante's mother were killed. He wasn't in the house when it happened but was instead the first attacked. He thought his mother abandoned him and that Dante had died (Dante too had believed Vergil dead). Vergil seeks his father's demonic power to protect himself from such brutality instead of protecting others. He is brash and closed off, not much is known about his life beyond the fact he is Dante's brother and Nero's father. This lack of support in childhood only further cemented his fear and need to be protected. Something exploited by the Demon King when he was tortured and turned into a puppet. At the end of DMC5, he realises his misdoings due to his time as V yet cannot shake his hatred for his brother until Nero stops them from killing his brother. The last we see of the twins is the two of them cutting down the Qliphoth (the demonic tree Vergil sprouted which allowed him, as Urizen, to assume utmost power).
V is the human half of Vergil, cleaved into existence thanks to Yamato, Vergil's sword. During his fleeting existence, V realises that in order to gain more power his past actions were reprehensible so tries to aid those caught in Urizen's destruction by aiding the evacuation of the city but also helping Nero fight demons. His humanity shines through as V, since he realises that being human is not a weakness and is in fact a key part of him - his demonic and human sides are as important as the other; he literally cannot live without the other since as the story progresses V's body begins to break down. However, he is a false hero since although V does try to help he ultimately is still Vergil. He still harbours that hate for his brother who he is still willing to fight to the death with.
Urizen is Vergil's demonic half - the true villain of DMC5. Urizen, like his namesake in Blake's poetry, is that of reason. In this case, Urizen sees the shedding of humanity the most reasonable as it removes him his weakness and lets him cheat death whilst also granting him ultimate power. Although deeply powerful, he is still brash and impulsive severing the blood that was feeding him simply because Dante interrupted his fight with Nero. Even the other major demons are plotting to take his place. He earned his place through power and bloodshed, not through respect.
Lady is Dante's long time friend and since her role is not as big as her debut game DMC3, she serves as a helper. She fights side by side Dante alongside Trish. After being released from Artemis (demon construct), she mainly gives advice but later in the story her bazooka Kalina-Ann (and the new one she had made after losing the original) are given to Dante in his quest to defeat Vergil.
Nico is a new character introduced in the game and the accompanying manga "Before the Nightmare." She acts as a weapon smith, making Nero's devil breakers (prosthetic arms that have a range of abilities). She also has a van from which she allows the player to purchase upgrades or new devil breakers (they break). She also makes a brand new weapon for Dante because of her admiration for him - her grandma Nell Goldstein made Dante's legendary guns Ebony and Ivory. From the main menu, her van is the centre hub allowing players to listen to the game music, check stats or look are character profiles - these being from her perspective.
Morrison debuts in this game but was originally created for the 2007 anime. In this game he gives Dante his job to defeat Urizen and is the one who introduces Dante to V. Outside of the game, he is one of Dante's most trusted friends acting as his broker finding jobs for him.
Nero, on the other hand, is a more functional, stable hero. He carries burdens in the same way Dante does but in contrast actually has a good support system. He has his partner Kyrie and adopted children as well as Nico. Although he has his burdens, he has support for that. Without that support, he would have taken a similar path to his father Vergil. He overcomes what is thrown at him because he refuses to hide, for example he was the outcast in a highly conservative society due to his stark white hair but the love that Kyrie's family showed him gave him stability. He choses to use his power to save those he cares about. "Without strength, you can't protect anything" is something Dante and Vergil have said, but Nero takes this to a new level. Unlike being blinded by pain or by duty, he finds purpose in those words - to protect his friends.
Vergil is the antagonist. Not willingly evil or a traditional villain - his actions stem from his childhood trauma when he and Dante's mother were killed. He wasn't in the house when it happened but was instead the first attacked. He thought his mother abandoned him and that Dante had died (Dante too had believed Vergil dead). Vergil seeks his father's demonic power to protect himself from such brutality instead of protecting others. He is brash and closed off, not much is known about his life beyond the fact he is Dante's brother and Nero's father. This lack of support in childhood only further cemented his fear and need to be protected. Something exploited by the Demon King when he was tortured and turned into a puppet. At the end of DMC5, he realises his misdoings due to his time as V yet cannot shake his hatred for his brother until Nero stops them from killing his brother. The last we see of the twins is the two of them cutting down the Qliphoth (the demonic tree Vergil sprouted which allowed him, as Urizen, to assume utmost power).
V is the human half of Vergil, cleaved into existence thanks to Yamato, Vergil's sword. During his fleeting existence, V realises that in order to gain more power his past actions were reprehensible so tries to aid those caught in Urizen's destruction by aiding the evacuation of the city but also helping Nero fight demons. His humanity shines through as V, since he realises that being human is not a weakness and is in fact a key part of him - his demonic and human sides are as important as the other; he literally cannot live without the other since as the story progresses V's body begins to break down. However, he is a false hero since although V does try to help he ultimately is still Vergil. He still harbours that hate for his brother who he is still willing to fight to the death with.
Urizen is Vergil's demonic half - the true villain of DMC5. Urizen, like his namesake in Blake's poetry, is that of reason. In this case, Urizen sees the shedding of humanity the most reasonable as it removes him his weakness and lets him cheat death whilst also granting him ultimate power. Although deeply powerful, he is still brash and impulsive severing the blood that was feeding him simply because Dante interrupted his fight with Nero. Even the other major demons are plotting to take his place. He earned his place through power and bloodshed, not through respect.
Lady is Dante's long time friend and since her role is not as big as her debut game DMC3, she serves as a helper. She fights side by side Dante alongside Trish. After being released from Artemis (demon construct), she mainly gives advice but later in the story her bazooka Kalina-Ann (and the new one she had made after losing the original) are given to Dante in his quest to defeat Vergil.
Nico is a new character introduced in the game and the accompanying manga "Before the Nightmare." She acts as a weapon smith, making Nero's devil breakers (prosthetic arms that have a range of abilities). She also has a van from which she allows the player to purchase upgrades or new devil breakers (they break). She also makes a brand new weapon for Dante because of her admiration for him - her grandma Nell Goldstein made Dante's legendary guns Ebony and Ivory. From the main menu, her van is the centre hub allowing players to listen to the game music, check stats or look are character profiles - these being from her perspective.
Morrison debuts in this game but was originally created for the 2007 anime. In this game he gives Dante his job to defeat Urizen and is the one who introduces Dante to V. Outside of the game, he is one of Dante's most trusted friends acting as his broker finding jobs for him.
Session 6 - Subcultures
Lecture Notes
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On Cultures
Subculture stands apart from mainstream culture so tends to be seen as rebellious - often the younger generation who have been disenfranchised or disillusioned. Depending on the group, like Beats or Punks, they can have strong anti-capitalist feelings. the emergence of new subcultures can reflect the current socio-economic and political landscape.
Since these cultures stand apart most of their clothing is hand made so easily understood by those within the community but need to be deciphered by those outside of it.
This separation from mainstream can distort the key idea of subcultures. For example, Beats and Beatniks were seen as having little care in the way they dressed and were morally dubious because they believed in freer relationships whereas punks were seen as violent and dangerous due to their attire and misconstruing of their beliefs.
Subcultures will eventually grow into mainstream knowledge to the point that they will be absorbed and sold as an aesthetic to appeal to the masses. The entire culture is tripped of its beliefs by the group the rebelled against.
Since these cultures stand apart most of their clothing is hand made so easily understood by those within the community but need to be deciphered by those outside of it.
This separation from mainstream can distort the key idea of subcultures. For example, Beats and Beatniks were seen as having little care in the way they dressed and were morally dubious because they believed in freer relationships whereas punks were seen as violent and dangerous due to their attire and misconstruing of their beliefs.
Subcultures will eventually grow into mainstream knowledge to the point that they will be absorbed and sold as an aesthetic to appeal to the masses. The entire culture is tripped of its beliefs by the group the rebelled against.
Detournement - Taking from the parent culture and appropriating it.
Visual Lexicon - Reflects the subcultures style and beliefs.
Cultural Capital - The skills and knowledge of a group ass well as cultural tastes that is passed within the group, for Punks its is the DIY culture and rejection of the ruling elite.
Visual Lexicon - Reflects the subcultures style and beliefs.
Cultural Capital - The skills and knowledge of a group ass well as cultural tastes that is passed within the group, for Punks its is the DIY culture and rejection of the ruling elite.
Key Reading
On The Road - Jack Kerouac 1957
The Happy Birthday of Death - Gregory Corso 1960
The Naked Lunch - William Burroughs 1960
Howl - Allen Ginsburg 1956
The Holy Barbarians - Lawrence Lipton 1959
The Subterranean - Jack Kerouac 1950s
Sniffing Glue - Mark Perry 1976-78
Individuals or groups who were part of the subculture
The Slits
Linda Sterling
King Mob
The Happy Birthday of Death - Gregory Corso 1960
The Naked Lunch - William Burroughs 1960
Howl - Allen Ginsburg 1956
The Holy Barbarians - Lawrence Lipton 1959
The Subterranean - Jack Kerouac 1950s
Sniffing Glue - Mark Perry 1976-78
Individuals or groups who were part of the subculture
The Slits
Linda Sterling
King Mob
Blog Task
Defining a Subculture
A subculture borrows from its parents culture, like Beatnik coming from Beat, but depending on the subculture instead of exemplifying certain aspects from the parents culture it is a rebellion from it - like punk rejecting capitalism or consumerism, something that acts as a symbol of status within the mainstream. Dick Hebdige in The Meaning of Style states that subcultures are "interference in the orderly sequence" so should not be looked done upon as this departure from the mainstream could signify a wider communal issue in which a group of people feel like they are lacking representation so they find that amongst like minded individuals. Many of these subcultures can be looked down upon by the larger public because of their ideologies which are seen as disruptive since they go against the established social order. As Hebdige says violations of this social order have "considerable power to provoke and disturb" because if a disenfranchised group has the ability to unite they can overcome these hardships and force change that betters their social standing which could go against the want of those in authority because it diverts their power - in other words, it could cause a breakdown of the established power structure to favour the disillusioned. However the distinct difference between mainstream and subcultures is that a moral panic can arise which may make these groups appear extreme in their actions simply because they are breaking down the social order.
The Beginnings of Goth
Goth primarily focuses on music and clothing, having grown from nightclubs in the 1980s in the UK. It bases it fashion on Victorian and Edwardian attire but is entirely black. It also drew from Gothic literature like Edgar Allen Poe and vampire films like Dracula or Nosferatu.
Gothic films are best recognised by their use of mythical creatures like vampires or werewolves but also having a romantic subplot. Furthermore, since gothic films draw from German Expressionism, the films tend to be quite dramatic.
Gothic films are best recognised by their use of mythical creatures like vampires or werewolves but also having a romantic subplot. Furthermore, since gothic films draw from German Expressionism, the films tend to be quite dramatic.
Clothing
Edwardian and Victorian attire form the main silhouette, although are black, complemented by religious elements. However there can be dramatic flair in make-up and hair as it does borrow from punk culture. Most goths appear quite eerie or romantic, something that helps to elevate that mystery and drama.
Traditional
The classic that was grew out of the post punk scene.
The classic that was grew out of the post punk scene.
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Romantic
This style prefers a softer appearance focusing on tragic beauty and passion. |
Vampire
Can overlap with romantic, but focuses mostly on vampiric aspects. |
Gothic Lolita & Cyber Goth
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Gothic Lolita arose in Japan in the 1990s and focuses on Rococo and Victorian clothing whilst the "Lolita" dictates elegance and cuteness rather than its Western connotation.
Cyber goth comes from rave culture so is much brighter than what goth is usually associated with. Some outfits have gas masks or cybernetics to add to the aesthetic. |
Art
Dave McKean
A mixed media artist who has a wide portfolio ranging from working with Marvel & DC to also album covers and even producing three films.
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Albums for My Dying Bride's "As the Flower Withers" and Fear Factory's "Hatefiles."
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Coraline.
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Dave Almond's "The Savage"
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Jonathan Carroll's "The Heidelberg Cylinder"
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Gerald Brom
An American artist who focuses on gothic fantasy, usually working with franchises like Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons to design playing cards. He has also worked as a concept artist on films like Sleepy Hollow and Van Helsing.
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"The Child Thief" and "The Plucker" both written and illustrated by Brom.
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Game cover art.
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Music
Gothic rock developed from post-punk but draws influence from the supernatural and from gothic literature classics. As the music progressedm it changed to darker overtones and melancholic melodies.
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Session 7 - Gender & Identity
Lecture Notes
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Key Ideas
The concept of gender is purely social and is maintained in that way as it lets people group themselves into communities but also give themselves roles. Plus by grouping people together it creates a system of behaviour (how people are expected to act) and power structures (patriarchy favouring men). However, gender roles are in constant flux. For example, pink used to be a male colour (pre-WWII) because of how bold it was and in the case of The Red Lady Victorian archaeologists sexed a skeleton as female based upon the red ochre and beds found with the person even though it was later determined that they were male.
Social Ideas on Gender
Women have historically been forbade, until the past century, to have the same rights as a man. Even some early women's rights groups did not advocate for the full enfranchisement of women. Such is the influence of patriarchy which has left women in the dirt as the passive and hysteric sex - something there to be controlled and owned by the man (hence why Mrs and Mr are similar; the woman was the man's object) whilst being the perfect object of pleasure. Whereas men are to be the leaders, strong leaders at that, capable of handling high stress scenarios. Emphasis on being well maintained is another key idea of gender roles as women are to be dainty and small whereas men are expected to be bulky and strong so if they are anything other they are weak or feminine. In some ultra-masculine environments, being a man is simply rejecting anything that could equate them to being similar to women - an identity formed on not wanting to be the "weaker" gender.
Another key point formed from how women and men view themselves and each other is men calling women females, or if its some police drama the male cop is asking who "he or she" appeared whereas women will always refer to others not as male or female but man or women (because when women call men "males" some like to get really upset by that and cry to the sky that "they are men!") and refer to an unknown as "they" instead of immediately assuming the anonymous person is a man then quickly tacking on "she" as to not offend.
Furthermore, ideas of gender are heavily influenced by race due to the influence of white supremacy. Its why black women aren't seen as feminine enough because the standard was set by white Eurocentric women. It is also why racists will call any black person "boy" or say that all Asian people (of course this being East Asian people because they forget all other cardinal directions) look the same, or that East Asian men are "feminine", as they see different ethnicities as lesser.
A recent development on masculinity is the manosphere, an ultra-misogynistic arrogant self-serving gaggle of men who cling to traditional male roles as a way to obtain power but also be seen as important within their community (god forbid you attack their fragile masculinity, if you do they will lash out with anger and claim you as lesser or unsophisticated as a way to maintain their massive ego).
Another key point formed from how women and men view themselves and each other is men calling women females, or if its some police drama the male cop is asking who "he or she" appeared whereas women will always refer to others not as male or female but man or women (because when women call men "males" some like to get really upset by that and cry to the sky that "they are men!") and refer to an unknown as "they" instead of immediately assuming the anonymous person is a man then quickly tacking on "she" as to not offend.
Furthermore, ideas of gender are heavily influenced by race due to the influence of white supremacy. Its why black women aren't seen as feminine enough because the standard was set by white Eurocentric women. It is also why racists will call any black person "boy" or say that all Asian people (of course this being East Asian people because they forget all other cardinal directions) look the same, or that East Asian men are "feminine", as they see different ethnicities as lesser.
A recent development on masculinity is the manosphere, an ultra-misogynistic arrogant self-serving gaggle of men who cling to traditional male roles as a way to obtain power but also be seen as important within their community (god forbid you attack their fragile masculinity, if you do they will lash out with anger and claim you as lesser or unsophisticated as a way to maintain their massive ego).
Trans and Queer Identities
Queer identities have always existed throughout the world holding different statuses in different cultures. Some trans identities held special importance within their cultures, becoming healers or spiritualists. It is only in Europe within the last one to two thousand years that attitudes on genders beyond the binary began to be viewed negatively, most likely due to the strict adhesion of Christianity. This spread of this European Christian interpretation of gender via colonialism is why trans identities are so looked down upon globally even in cultures where it had been the norm.
Now genderqueer identities have not been "open" long enough for certain roles to have appeared within society although there will be certain aspects applied to trans or queer people. These aspects, depending on whether they are being applied by cis or trans people, will vary but that does not mean they are completely free from gendered ideas being placed upon them especially for genderqueer people as society has a tendency to hate what it cannot control so will try to push these people back within the box so they can be labelled "respectable" and appear in a controlled way.
Outing is not a new thing, although with the advent of social media and the internet being a bigot has never been easier - just connect to other bigots in a few taps! Transphobes have taken up a new habit of picking apart peoples appearance and determining if they are trans or not depending on if they fit the typical white European look. Anything else and they are "clocked" and sent a wave of hate regardless if they are actually trans or not (see the hate Imane Khalif got from the wizard author). Most patterns of this hate falls upon black or brown bodies because they aren't "feminine enough." The ban on trans people in toilets hurts everyone.
Now genderqueer identities have not been "open" long enough for certain roles to have appeared within society although there will be certain aspects applied to trans or queer people. These aspects, depending on whether they are being applied by cis or trans people, will vary but that does not mean they are completely free from gendered ideas being placed upon them especially for genderqueer people as society has a tendency to hate what it cannot control so will try to push these people back within the box so they can be labelled "respectable" and appear in a controlled way.
Outing is not a new thing, although with the advent of social media and the internet being a bigot has never been easier - just connect to other bigots in a few taps! Transphobes have taken up a new habit of picking apart peoples appearance and determining if they are trans or not depending on if they fit the typical white European look. Anything else and they are "clocked" and sent a wave of hate regardless if they are actually trans or not (see the hate Imane Khalif got from the wizard author). Most patterns of this hate falls upon black or brown bodies because they aren't "feminine enough." The ban on trans people in toilets hurts everyone.
The Male and Female Gaze.
The male and female gaze is not as simple as "man/woman is the object of pleasure" and that in the female pleasure the male character keeps his agency. These gazes also fall onto how each gender should act but also how they should look.
The Male Gaze.
The influence of it is near endless. Men are presented as strong and muscular since that is a power fantasy and in films are the ones who lead the story and are the heroes and the main character and every other possible character all bound into one to be the greatest hero with the best morals ever against a small petite woman who does whatever he says and seems to lack a brain (a dumb stupidness is attractive for men who do not want their wife to argue with them as it gives them ultimate control).
Women are meant to look good and serve as a way to forward the story, either as the charactered who dies and prompts the male protagonist to begin his quest of revenge or she is the "prize" he wins at the end. That or she is the damsel in distress. But throughout she must look good because otherwise she does not serve the male viewers - even in so called feminine revenge films, the ones directed by men, she is seemingly desecrated in a violent yet sexy way to serve the men watching. Women being labelled as submissive and weaker also plays into how women should look as they are to be dramatically beautiful but there is a line that appears which focuses on the youth of the woman (older is undesirable as she cannot bear children any more so cannot stay housebound to care for them so the man looses his control over her) and this line can very quickly cross into the realm of paedophilia.
A woman in a man's world is to be silenced and looked upon with pleasure. There is a reason so few artists in museums are of women whereas most nudes are of women. The male gaze is tightly wound in misogyny and only proliferates that.
The Female Gaze
This one does not have the same type of societal weight as the previous as the voices of men where always the most dominant so any stories that told of women heroines were always overlooked or swept away.
Each character, regardless of gender, keeps their agency. Yes male characters may be looked at with pleasure but it is not with the same fetishisation that women deal with. The scene of James Bond coming out of the water in Casino Royale (2006) does mimic how women are usually show in these types of films and yes it can appeal to women's desire but it is still a man's power fantasy - simply switching the roles does not always mean switching which gaze we are viewing through. A better presentation of the female gaze is how Harley Quinn (played by Margot Robbie) is shown between Suicide Squad (2016) and Birds of Prey (2020). In the former, Harley Quinn is very much dressed to appeal to men with childish pigtails, a tattered shirt and heals whereas in the latter how she dresses feels much more fun and like she actually dressed herself. Like she was dressed by a woman who actually cared about her characterisation.
The Male Gaze.
The influence of it is near endless. Men are presented as strong and muscular since that is a power fantasy and in films are the ones who lead the story and are the heroes and the main character and every other possible character all bound into one to be the greatest hero with the best morals ever against a small petite woman who does whatever he says and seems to lack a brain (a dumb stupidness is attractive for men who do not want their wife to argue with them as it gives them ultimate control).
Women are meant to look good and serve as a way to forward the story, either as the charactered who dies and prompts the male protagonist to begin his quest of revenge or she is the "prize" he wins at the end. That or she is the damsel in distress. But throughout she must look good because otherwise she does not serve the male viewers - even in so called feminine revenge films, the ones directed by men, she is seemingly desecrated in a violent yet sexy way to serve the men watching. Women being labelled as submissive and weaker also plays into how women should look as they are to be dramatically beautiful but there is a line that appears which focuses on the youth of the woman (older is undesirable as she cannot bear children any more so cannot stay housebound to care for them so the man looses his control over her) and this line can very quickly cross into the realm of paedophilia.
A woman in a man's world is to be silenced and looked upon with pleasure. There is a reason so few artists in museums are of women whereas most nudes are of women. The male gaze is tightly wound in misogyny and only proliferates that.
The Female Gaze
This one does not have the same type of societal weight as the previous as the voices of men where always the most dominant so any stories that told of women heroines were always overlooked or swept away.
Each character, regardless of gender, keeps their agency. Yes male characters may be looked at with pleasure but it is not with the same fetishisation that women deal with. The scene of James Bond coming out of the water in Casino Royale (2006) does mimic how women are usually show in these types of films and yes it can appeal to women's desire but it is still a man's power fantasy - simply switching the roles does not always mean switching which gaze we are viewing through. A better presentation of the female gaze is how Harley Quinn (played by Margot Robbie) is shown between Suicide Squad (2016) and Birds of Prey (2020). In the former, Harley Quinn is very much dressed to appeal to men with childish pigtails, a tattered shirt and heals whereas in the latter how she dresses feels much more fun and like she actually dressed herself. Like she was dressed by a woman who actually cared about her characterisation.
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It has been a while since I watched this video, but she clearly points out the differences between how men and women view women's rage. The male directors sexualise the women and sometimes even show their abuse for their end to either be death or to appear sexy after she has had her revenge where she kills those who wronged her. But for women on women's rage, its not always about killing its sometimes to simply let that wrongdoing be known and humiliate the abuser in front of his peers. Plus, the cover trauma in a wider breadth more realistically too.
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Blog Task
Laura Mulvey's "Visual Pleasure & Narrative Cinema"
Laura Mulvey is a feminist writer so views cinema through this lens and critiques typical objectification of women and their lack of autonomy, something Mulvey states as the "unconscious of patriarchal society" which structures the form of films on typical gender roles so draws on men as the heroes and main character whereas women are either the damsel in distress or are the romantic subplot - these aspects come from society's view of men as the active sex whereas women are to be domestic and caring. Mulvey also states that a woman's desire is shown through her child which is "her own desire to possess a penis" which is a frankly weird way to say that women are envious of their children because they are not yet bound by the same roles she has so have more freedom. It isn't entirely clear what she's trying to imply here. However, her analysis of how men control women through "linguistic command" - social norms built upon gender roles, the status quo - because they are imposed "on the silent image of a woman still tied to her place as bearer of meaning, not marker of meaning" makes it so women cannot reject the role given to them because it is what and how women are expected to perform, to be the weak opposite of the hero which allows his superiority.
From these bits its clear to see that Mulvey has a very strong understanding of visual pleasure in cinema and how gender roles influences our understanding of characters because certain roles set a standard for what we expect to be delivered. She understands how to present her evidence based on common codes and where the issue lays. She explains that women being centred as objects of pleasure comes from Freud's theory of scopophilia in which can develop men's perversions. However as much as she can explain the complexities of these issue, she does not give examples of how they affect us presently - yes women being shown as objects can pervert men's senses but how does that affect women? Another thing is that although her explanations are well thought out the point of them are not always made clear due to the amount of analysis. Where there is clarification of the point, it is blurred by continuous analysis and relating it to past works or examples. That is her weakness.
From these bits its clear to see that Mulvey has a very strong understanding of visual pleasure in cinema and how gender roles influences our understanding of characters because certain roles set a standard for what we expect to be delivered. She understands how to present her evidence based on common codes and where the issue lays. She explains that women being centred as objects of pleasure comes from Freud's theory of scopophilia in which can develop men's perversions. However as much as she can explain the complexities of these issue, she does not give examples of how they affect us presently - yes women being shown as objects can pervert men's senses but how does that affect women? Another thing is that although her explanations are well thought out the point of them are not always made clear due to the amount of analysis. Where there is clarification of the point, it is blurred by continuous analysis and relating it to past works or examples. That is her weakness.
Session 8 - Perspectives & Practice
Lecture Notes
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Ethical global practice focuses on sustainability in the manufacturing of products on a large scale. It focuses on the economic, social and political effects and can be linked with both anti and alter-globalisation. These movements usually focuses on justice for those who have been exploited or on environmental safety but can also relate to climate protection, global peace and indigenous rights protection. These things often overlap due to being heavily related - many indigenous communities are the caretakers of the land that their family have lived upon for generations so those who fight for their rights will also fight for environmental rights because it is so tightly linked so can also become anti-racist initiatives. Moreover, Fair Trade practices are put into effect to make sure the workers are paid fair wages as well as upholding union rights (something that have notoriously been attacked within the US).
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American cultural imperialism. The invasion of their culture through their colonialism and riffing off recognisable American symbols (MacDonalds) at the victory of Iwo Jima to make it appear that American culture is the "better" culture.
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Branding differences between the years. High end brands no longer put their brand name first, instead focusing on the product to make it seem more sleek as if it were some status item whereas earlier branding was purpose fit.
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Key Reading
Stop American Cultural Imperialism - Jonathan Barnbrook 1999
- Focuses on how, due to America's imperialism, its ideas have spread. For example, manga's development had huge influence from the US occupation of Japan since American soldiers brought over comics as well as TV shows like Disney. It combined this with traditional Japanese techniques as well as Meiji ideals (1868-1912; Japan looked to the West to modernise its industry and culture) to create a new artistic visual style that was appealing to all ages due to its ease to read.
- Talks about how digital process, although useful, have taken over our modern life appearing in every facet of it. Most of these major firms and social media apps are American so those ideals bleed through. Plus, this geographic overlap allows the centre of internet power to be focused upon the US so those who own it are able to create a monopoly. This affects the global economy and allows those in power to have control over the working population exploiting them to benefit their product.
- One of the most important books on global trade and economics, focusing on the negative effects of cultural blending and imperialism. Such negative aspects focused on is economic exploitation of workers in sweatshops in third world counties by first world countries as it allows these brands to present themselves as up market and sleek whilst be able to hide the conditions of the workers since Western media does not focus on third world countries or the global south due to colonialism which means Western audiences have little care for what happens since they are unknown to the suffereing.
Blog Task
Artists Who Take An Ethical/Political Stance
Tomato Kosir
A Bulgarian artist who makes art for Dnevnik, a liberal Bulgarian news outlet, as well as other news outlets. His main focus is own current political issues such as support for Palestine focusing on the deaths of children killed by Israeli bombing.
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Made just after the US invasion of Venezuela.
Trump claims to be acting in favour of civilian populations and promising to be the president who ends wars, has destabilised another country by arresting President Maduro, who was a dictator but it should not be US imperialism which is the change which shakes off Maduro's regime especially when that supposed change comes at the hands of another megalomanic. Trump does not act in favour of the impoverished but only for himself. Oil concerns him, not people. |
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Trump claims to "Make America Great Again" but this comes at the cost of thousands of deportations aimed at illegal immigrants but have also targeted US civilians because of racial profiling. It is simply to "purify" America so that those in power can fully exercise their racist ideas with no backlash. It is exploitation of poor people who have risked their lives for a better life. Trump does not want to make the lives of poor brown people better, only the white middle and upper classes.
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Banksy
A high profile artist known for his anti-war, anti-fascist and anti-consumerist graffiti, often commenting on current affairs.
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The Flower Thrower
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The Son of a Migrant from Syria
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Judge and Protestor
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Jonghyun
A prolific Korean singer-songwriter and part of boy group SHINee, debuted 2008.
Even early in his career he was writing songs both for SHINee as well as other groups, which at the time was unusual since most groups did not have a say in the production of their music and was something Jonghyun helped to change.
His style is immediately recognisable with its upbeat and soft poetic flow.
Even early in his career he was writing songs both for SHINee as well as other groups, which at the time was unusual since most groups did not have a say in the production of their music and was something Jonghyun helped to change.
His style is immediately recognisable with its upbeat and soft poetic flow.
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Jonghyun on several occasions, both through music and on his radio show Blue Night, has spoken out about his mental health struggles and "Lonely" was produced to show a more human side of himself.
It is in collaboration with Girl's Generation's Taeyeon. The lyrics are that of a back and forth between two struggling with loneliness and life's hardships. One of the lyrics talks about thinking oneself baggage because of another's struggle. Another is questioning whether or not admitting the sadness with a crying face will make things better. The song itself has come to represent depression. |
In 2013 he changed his Twitter profile to a letter written by a transgender, bisexual student protestor to bring light on the inequalities that they faced. The letter critiqued social norms and discrimination against the LGBT community. He later reached out to her, EunHa Kang, in case she was receiving backlash but also to thank her.
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During Israel's 2014 bombing of Gaza, he spoke out on Twitter.
His words translate to "The only word that can express the emotion coming up in my uneasy heart in the word 'hideous'." |
Jonghyun and Taemin performing Seo Taiji's "Internet War" during SHINee World II in 2012.
The song is a criticism of internet culture and how it can lead to conflict. Released in 2000, the song reflects anxiety over the rapid growth of the internet and its potential consequences. Their performance of the song drew backlash from homophobes who demanded that the two of them be removed from the group. In response, Jonghyun changed his Twitter profile to an image from the performance.
The song is a criticism of internet culture and how it can lead to conflict. Released in 2000, the song reflects anxiety over the rapid growth of the internet and its potential consequences. Their performance of the song drew backlash from homophobes who demanded that the two of them be removed from the group. In response, Jonghyun changed his Twitter profile to an image from the performance.
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