Inner Mongolia

     The above image shows Michael Tick who is seated on the left and Yulin Li who is seated on the right signing an agreement in May 2012 at Inner Mongolia University.  Mr. Tick is the dean of the University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts and Mr. Li is the president of the Art College of Inner Mongolia University.  The American Flag and is shown on a stand in front of Mr. Tick and a Chinese flag is shown on the right of the same stand in front of Mr. Li.  The flags symbolize the agreegment between two countries, the United States of America and China.  The agreement led to a cultural art festival which focused on the shared equine heritage of Kentucky and Inner Mongolia.  This cultural exchange is an example of soft politics.
     Approximately 50 instructors and students from the Art College of Inner Mongolia University visited the University of Kentucky from September 22-28, 2013.  This week long event was a multidisciplinary festival which consisted of displays of both Chinese and American arts.  There were art exhibits, as well as dance and music concerts.
     The Chinese government sponsored the Chinese students and faculty who visited the University of Kentucky.  They did so because this cultural exchange showed those who participated in the festivities and exhibits a shared heritage between Kentucky and Inner Mongolia.  This shared heritage allowed those, including myself, to feel a connection to those who live in Inner Mongolia.  It shed a positive light on China and it's people.

Empty Suit

     This image consists of 4 main elements which are the empty chair, the empty suit, the symbol on the wall and the text. Each of the three visual elements corresponds with a line in the text.  "Empty Suit" refers to the image of the suit which seems to be standing on it's own with no body in it.  "Empty Chair" refers to the chair on the left side of the frame with no one sitting in it.  "Empty Promises" refers to the symbol on the wall with the slash through it.

     The symbol on the wall with the slash through it is the O symbol which was developed for the Obama 2008 Presidental campaign.

     The white circle in the middle of the symbol is meant to symbolize the sun rising over the horizon.  The red and white stripes symbolize a road or path.  The message being that there is new hope and change just over the horizon if Barack Obama was to be elected president.  Placing the slash through the symbol in the imgage and using the text "Empty Promises" is sending the message to the viewer that the promises of hope and change were not fufilled.  Without the symbol on the wall with the slash through it we would not know who the text stating "It is time to let him go" is referring to.  Even though the symbol takes up less of the frame than the other elements, we could not get the intended message without it.
     Not only is the symbol different because of the slash through it, it is different because it, like the entire image, is black and white.  I think the absence of the red white and blue colors which symbolize America are also important in the image.  The symbol it's self and thus what is represents does not appear as patriotic in black and white.
     The empty chair and empty suit can mean that the President is not really there for America the way he should be as a leader.  They can mean that he doesn't have the 'head' or intelligence to run the country.  However we interpret the empty chair and empty suit, it does not change the main message of the image which is that Barack Obama has not done his job as the President of the United States and it is time for a new leader.  

Trick or Treat

     The visual elements contained in this image are the three trick or treaters', the lady on her door step with candy and the two seperate areas with text.  They are combined to illustrate visually that the Repbuclian party is over reacting to Obama care or acting as "drama queens."

     The most important Halloween character is the elephant.  This is indicated by hierarchy of scale, placement in the frame and color. The elephant is much larger than the other two trick or theaters’, which makes it stand out.  It is also placed in the center of the frame, a place importance.  It is dressed in bright colors, mostly purples and pinks, which  brings even more attention the it. 

     There are two important areas of text in this image.  The first being the sign held by the elephant.  The second is the text in the thought/ speech bubble over the head of the lady on her doorstep.  The elephant, a symbol of the Republican Party is holding a sign which say “Obama care will destroy America!”  This tells the viewer that Republicans are against Obama care.  The thought bubble above the head which ready “A witch, a zombie and a drama queen…” is important because it gives the viewer the main message of the image which is that the Republican party is overreacting to implementation of Obama care in America.

Empty Chairs

     

This image is related to gun control issues facing our country today.  The image is divided into two frames.  The one of the left is smaller than the one on the right.  Text is important in both images.  Without the text we would not get the same message. 

     There are two elements in the left frame, a man and text.  The man has his left hand outstretched is somewhat of an orator gesture, indicative of the fact that he is giving a speech or speaking to a crowd.      The text tells the view that he is a member or congress who supports the NRA and not gun new gun control legislation simply because he doesn’t want to lose his job. 

     The image on the right side of the frame has three elements.  The first is the same congressman from a side view, the second is four rows of empty classroom desks and the third is text on a sign on the wall in the background. The 20 empty desks and the text on the sign, which says “Newtown First Grade”, tells the viewer that this is representative of the Newtown, Connecticut first graders who lost their lives when a armed gunman stormed into their elementary school.

This image is meant to evoke emotion in the viewer.  It is not a cartoon, which is meant to be comedic.  It is meant to evoke emotions such as sadness and anger and to encourage the viewer to look at the consequences of our current gun laws in America. 

     Although the elements present in the image are all important, what is not present is the most important part of the image.  The empty rows of chairs take up not only the majority of the frame on the right but the majority of the entre image.  The missing children, those who lost their lives in a senseless act of violence, are the most important and most powerful element of this image.