It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Many people confirm this idea, since art welcomes various interpretations; with a motley range of perspectives, a simple image can be analyzed in many different ways. However, when art is used as propaganda, rather than for the sake of existing solely as creative expression, perhaps it speaks more than a thousand words.
Walk down any street in New York City. How many people do you pass by smoking a cigarette? These toxic fumes dominate the street life of this area, as well as in other countless cities throughout the world. Federal drug regulators are well-aware of this issue, and have announced 36 new warning labels to be placed on the products. These images, intended to cover half of the packaging, will display the graphic and unsettling consequences of tobacco use. Since the Food and Drug Administration does not have the authority to fully ban the product, they must dominate regulation instead.
Although the United States was the first to apply textual health warnings to tobacco products (i.e., “Surgeon General’s Warning”), more and more countries plan to take a similar course of action by adopting the images. In fact, the pictorial warnings will be a requirement in the United States by October 22nd, 2012. Dr. Lawrence R. Deyton, director of the Center for Tocacco Products in the FDA, states: “Sometimes images that are not as graphic may be more powerful in terms of changing behaviors.” From what we have observed in modern art, this is a very true statement. The pieces that we have seen at the MOMA, for example, were not very complicated externally, but certainly had an intricate and underlying message. Again, images speak louder than text.
This idea is not particularly original. Artwork has been created as propaganda in the past as well, intending to display a particular message for a wide audience. However, it does come across as shocking, since the visual images are being superimposed on the product directly. The stimulation of thought is what is important in this case. What do you think about this proposal? Do you think the FDA has the right to place these warnings on products, or does this violate freedom of speech? Do you think the art will be successful in getting its point across?
Additional ideas spurred from the idea mentioned in the article can be viewed here.
I don’t think it violates freedom of speech at all. In fact, it feels like the FDA is asserting this freedom by using these images. I read this post yesterday, but I made sure to scroll all the way down the page today to comment on this, because I myself am 100% against smoking and all the works. Those are some very powerful images, and it definitely gives a smoker something to think about when they’re lighting up. The nicotine in a cigarette is physically addicting and therefore it’s hard to quit, even if a person truly wants to (withdrawal symptoms are difficult to deal with). Perhaps for those who do want to quit, these images can help strengthen their will to do so. Anyone else who doesn’t feel the need to quit shouldn’t have any reason to be upset over this, seeing as it doesn’t prevent them from buying their usual pack. But I think this is a positive force and will help motivate those who are trying to quit, and will also prevent those who are thinking about it to take up the habit.
Yes, you may accuse me of being biased. >.<
Not sure what this has to do with the Arts in New York, except that it is a vivid example of how graphic arts (and commercial arts) can have very specific and important functions. Sometimes graphic artists are disparaged because what they do is not “pure” art. Done well, graphic artists can have a powerful impact. The techniques they employ can sometimes also migrate to the “fine arts.” (Warhol is such an example.)
I made this post in order to provide another example of how art (graphic, commercial, etc) can have a powerful – and effective – impact on its observers. I found this relative to our class, since we have discussed about the non-verbally communicative aspect of the visual arts. In addition, since NYC is a very industrialized and commercialized area, I believed that this article about advertisement would specifically be interesting and relevant to share.