London Museum

After exploring the London Museum and all of the history it displays, the most interesting subject to me was the great fire of London. It was so devastating and tragic yet it shaped how London is today. I was confused because the display accused a Bakery owner to be the cause of the fire but later said he was found innocent. I have searched the Internet and have only found that the Baker was the cause of the fire but was never found innocent.

How awful would that be to be accused of destroying one thirds of a city to be later found innocent.

BANSKY (project)

I have chosen to do my project on the anonymous graffiti artist known as BANKSY. In London he is famous to the public for his wall art/art that is satirical pieces that represent politics (including American politics), culture and ethics. BANSKY to me represents English pop culture. He is recognized in books and film around the world yet he has still managed to stay almost hidden.

I realize it will be difficult to search for his graffiti all over this city and neighboring areas. He does however, have an exhibit at the Bristol Museum (free admission).

All art is quite useless.

Oscar Wilde's, The Picture of Dorian Gray gave the idea that one can kill his own conscience. The painting of Dorian Gray symbolized that conscience. The painting also served as a transcendental mirror for Dorian. Dorian pushes his conscience aside to live in the pursuit of beauty and pleasure which his friend Lord Henry says is the only thing in life worth chasing. While Dorian is busy suffocating his conscience in order to fulfill his life with pleasure and narcissism, the painting begins to change and confess his sins and the price of vanity.


"The quivering, ardent sunlight showed him the lines of cruelty round the mouth as clearly as if he had been looking into a mirror after he had done some dreadful thing."
- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray Ch. 7

Theory, Turner

On "cultural studies": Graeme Turner offers the broad idea of cultural studies as "the title for an important set of theories and practices within the humanities and social sciences." Turner states that cultural studies contain common elements, such as motivations, preoccupations and theoretical categories. Popular culture is therefore the complex and significant outcome that is derived from these theories and practices. On Language: Turner introduces many ideas and explanations while also raising many questions in response. For instance, the idea he described taken from Saussure, I was especially intrigued by: Language is cultural, not natural. He explains how cultural relations are reproduced through language (For example, gender relations). From language, Turner then approaches semiotics and signification. The most important idea I took from this was MEANING and its "crucial importance" to understand language and the life of signs within a society. The "sign" can be merely a word, a music note, a sound, photograph, or even a simple gesture. The ability to recognize what it represents, or its "MEANING" will bring the individual closer to understanding cultural studies/popular culture within their society. On Individualism and Subjectivity: The most fascinating aspect I took from this sections was the idea that we internalize ideology, making ideology unconscious. Therefore the unconscious is the core of our individuality. Turner takes psychoanalyst Jaques Lacan's argument that "our unconscious is a sign system." That idea was the most fascinating to me. On Postmodernism: The term "Postmodern" has been used loosely many times in my conversations with numerous people. I never completely understood the idea and nor do I think the idea is completely definable. On page 191, Turner quotes a passage from Dick Hebdige that explained the term "postmodern" in the most clear way I have ever heard. In the end, postmodernism is too flexible of a subject to be able to specify "what it really is." In Conclusion: I feel I will be able to apply every aspect Turner offers in his text to my studies in London. The ideology, everyday life and politics most particularly. Many questions did come up throughout my reading but I am hoping they will be answered during my stay in London. I am doing my project on the graffiti artist know as BANKSY. The main areas I can apply to my project from Graeme's text are semiotics, politics and ideology. I am looking forward to applying this text to my study abroad.