The Problem of Seduction: Assessing Visual Culture

Abstract

The thing about popular visual culture is that it is so darned seductive. That's why it engages the interest of children and adults and that's why they return to it over and over again. Why is visual culture so seductive? Not because it is simple. Simplicity is generally not interesting enough to call people back again and again. In fact the best popular visual culture is both complex and highly sophisticated in aesthetic terms. It is seductive in large part because it is highly complex. For example, anyone who has watched the unfolding of the Lord of the Rings films with an analytical eye could talk at length about the layering of images and meaning, the complexity of the stories, the magic of the animation, the sheer power of the aesthetic content, and its connections with fine art. The background material concerning the making of these movies provides fascinating insights into the artistry employed in constructing these pieces of popular visual culture. Surely we have to marvel at the sheer creative genius of the team of artists and designers who fashioned the final shape of this popular entertainment.

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