Kwun/Walker

1) Do the written descriptions of the physical subjects [Gaga's outfits, Bauhaus architecture, cigarette packs, etc.] actually "show" them to you? Or do you need visual images? If those descriptions fail, how do they fail?If they 'work', how so?


Kwun, "Lady Gaga is a Machine for Dancing"

I think that the visual description of Lady Gaga's red gown worn on an episode of Gossip Girl was very successful.  The reason why the description of the gown is so successful is because Kwun explains how the design of the dress is influenced by the function.  Kwun explains that the blood red gown was designed to have a long drape to disguise the stagehands that were on stage to help Lady Gaga during her performance.  The way Kwun decribes how the dress drapes the entire stage while Lady Gaga is elevated 15 feet off the ground makes it very easy to imagine the extravagance of the gown.  After reading the description of this gown I was able to easily visualize it; I do not think that this description needs a visual image aid.

Walker, "Package It Black"

The physical description of the cigarette packages were not as detailed as the detailed descriptions of the many fashion choices of Lady Gaga in Kwuns "Lady Gaga is a Machine for Dancing".  I found the pictures that were included very helpful; I do not think that I would be able to clearly imagine what the cigarette packages looked like without them even though I know the basic look of cigarette packages.

2) What concepts do the authors point out as being "behind" these subjects? Do the authors effectively prove their points about these concepts? How so?


Kwun, "Lady Gaga is a Machine for Dancing"

Kwun's concept was to show the parallel between architecture and fashion.  Kwun wants to make the point that the descriptive word "architectural" can be used in many different industries other than the architecture design industry. Kwun uses Lady Gaga's controversial style as an example of how fashion can be called architectural.  For example, Kwun says, "GaGa pushes the very definition of architectural fashions to the extreme by self-consciously treating her body and identity as an object to be packaged and consumed by a mass consumer market. In the process of her meticulous, multi-layered self-construction, Lady GaGa becomes the puppeteer to her own marionette—and the mastermind architect behind her own, multimedia, meta-pop project." Kwun's parallel between the architecture industry and fashion industry is clearly explained and supported in this document. 

Walker, "Package It Black"

The concept of this article was to show how colors used on cigarette packaging impact consumption.  The color black is generally linked with death, depression, danger, and other negative apects.  For some people the use of the color black on the packaging enforces the fact that cigarettes are detrimental to people's health and can ultimately cause death, however, others do not interpret the black used on the packaging as having a negative connotation.