Charles Sanders Peirce

A rudimentary knowledge of semiotics is, in my opinion, necessary for anyone studying any form of communication. Semiotics is the study of signs or the theory of signification. It explores and describes the way in which meaning is created and understood. It’s a highly complex form of philosophical thought that is relatively new and widely disputed. Its acceptance into wider schools of thought is perhaps hindered by the complex form of language used to describe semiotics. C. S Peirce is considered to be the founding member of semiotics and I would suggest reading, Peirce on Signs: Writings on Semiotic, by James Hoopes (editor). His works are philosophical and it can be hard to follow in places, the language is particularly hard to understand, yet in spite of this I feel that it essential reading if you want to understand any further semiotic texts. Further readings are highly valuable when creating an understanding of the way in which people understand and consume graphic images. Although Ferdinand de Saussure is also considered a founding member of semiotics or semiology, his writings are more concerned with linguistics, and I would not recommend reading his texts. Barthes, Eco and Baudrillard are other authors on semiotics and whose theories are worth observing.

Camille Rose Garcia

Camille Rose Garcia is an artist who is part of the Lowbrow movement, a movement that finds its roots in the Pop Art of the 60’s. Her highly stylised pieces mix graffiti symbols and drips of paint with cute, cartoon like people that usually carry a satirical twisted edge. Her dark and unsettling depictions are accentuated by the juxtaposition of bold colours. I especially enjoy her Creepcake’s Bakery series that depicts an alien race assaulting a town through the use of tasty sedative snacks! It makes a satirical comment on today’s society especially in America, a recurring theme in her work. Her work is becoming well known and highly sought after. I especially like her print works.

The Mighty Boosh

Of course The Mighty Boosh is an incredibly popular show. I wanted to praise the way in which they created a very surreal dream-like world. In the first series the creation of the Zooniverse is very distorted, compressed, an obvious set... that makes it all the more wierd and wonderful. I love the work of Special Effects designer, Tim Hope, who first suggested the use of projecting backgrounds as a way of keeping costs low but imagination high! More prevalent in the second series, I think these are some of the most inspirational and wonderful moments of the whole show.

June Nevin also does a fantastic job as the resident costume designer. The Boosh has many wild and wacky costumes but a tight budget. Nevin manages to successfully create awesome and inspiraional pieces from things as ordinary as tights and a coat hanger.

I believe the whole programme does something very clever and unique, drwing on loads of wacky references from across genres and time, which creates this ultimate surrealism. Like it says it does take you on a journey through "Time and Space".

Banksy!

Banksy: the infamous British graffiti artist has recently been supposedly unmasked as Robin Cunningham. Whether this proves to be true or not remains to be seen, but the fact that he refuses to create a public persona despite the acclamation he has received for his work is inspiring.

Banksy started as a graffiti artist in the early nineties, and was part of the Bristol underground scene. He turned to full stencil work after realising that speed is a necessity when the creation of your art entails the wrath of the establishment. Banksy is an incredibly talented artist. He creates satirical depictions, has a striking use of contrast and creates witty compositions that incorporate the environment they are placed, often in an amusing and ironic fashion. His pieces are often accompanied by witty copy, sardonic slogans that partly explain the conceptual premise behind the pieces. He has an attitude to art that I appreciate and admire. His anti-establishment and anti-capitalist views are admiral and fall in line with many of my own. I feel that galleries have an elitist and restrictive hold on art circulation and enjoy the fact that he uses public spaces to display his ideas. He allows people on the street to think about our society and social problems in a thoughtful, ironic and ultimately incredibly engaging manner. He makes us question the world we take for advantage. Some of his most risky stunts include placing a replica of a Guantanamo Bay detainee at Disneyland, and hanging his work without permission in the Louvre. His works smack of a rebellious nature that gains recognition, provokes thought and discussion.