The style of Dutch 17^th and 18^th Century sill life painting has many components. What I can observe are the complementary colors. The paintings have colors like green and red or blue and orange. These combinations make the painting look balance and simple. The amount of detail inside these paintings is tremendous. I can see the metaphor between life and death on this style. For instance: the insects around the fruit that represent death and the fruit represents life. It is clear that the fruit is still healthy, but soon it would die.

The photographer Hector Rene Membreno-Canales uses the style of Dutch still life to make a point on today’s society. This message is very direct. The placed fruits, and wine with guns and smoke masks. He directly linked the two opposite ideas into one composition. It is clear that he is referring to life and death. Fruit represents life and guns represent death. The color pallet he used was complementary colors. Also, we cam conclude that in other to survive we need to fight and he represented that in these pictures.

The Dutch 17th and 18th Century still life painting uses bright colors and the essence of life and death to give the feeling of mortality. The painting style creates a metaphor for mortality by combing two different elements. from what i’ve seen so far its has mostly been through flora and fauna. So the flowers would symbolize the growth and birth and there will be other elements that contradict and represent the other side with is death. We can see this in Rachel Ruysch painting Fruit and Insects, 1711 where she painted the the fruits  and she had the salamander threatening the butterfly. Hector Rene Membreno-Canalesuses the same style in his photos by using war symbols and the standard fruits and vegetables.  I think headed a good job cuz he had all the right elements.

Describe in your own words the style of Dutch 17th and 18th Century still life painting. How does this painting style create a metaphor for mortality? Be specific and use as evidence things you can observe in the Rachel Ruysch painting Fruit and Insects, 1711 or the Jan van Huysum painting, Vase with Flowers, c. 1718-20.

Why and how does Hector Rene Membreno-Canales use the style of Dutch still life painting and the idea of Vanitas in his series Hegemony or Survival? Do you think the use of this style and the implied Vanitas metaphor for mortality is effective or heavy-handed? Please state clear reasons for your answer.

Judith Williamson discussed that a sign can neither be the thing nor the meaning alone, but the two together can be used in the ad. I found it very interesting how Williamson talked about how advertisements create links between something.

She gives an example of Catherine Deneuve, who is a famous french actress and film star who did an ad for the Chanel No.5 perfume. In the Ad, a portrait of Catherine’s face is used and is placed next to the  bottle of Chanel No.5 perfume. Williamson argues that in order to successfully decode the ad, the reader must be familiar with Catherine Deneuve and recognize the fact that she is part of a system of signs that marks her different from other stars. By using Catherine’s Deneuve in this Ad, the viewer is then invited to make the connection between the Actress (who is sophisticated and elegant)  and the perfume. The ad refers back to the system of which the sign is Catherine’s face.

I agree with Judith’s argument because without using a well known person or celebrity to associate with the ad, it would be meaningless. If the viewer does not already have notions in their heads then advertising would not be effective.

She then contrasts the Chanel No.5 Ad with the Babe Ad, where in the Babe Ad, there is a full body image of Margaux Hemingway dressed in a martial arts outfit positioned with a karate kick. In each advertisement, they chose to represent the product with a female celebrity. Judith Williamson points out that it is the difference between the two female celebrities that marks the contrast that the advertisers are trying to create between the two similar products.  Catherine represents beauty, sophistication and glamor, whereas Margaux represents youth, agility and adventure, which is what we associate the brands and differentiate them with.

Therefore, I must agree advertisements creates the meaning of a brand or product through a system of signs and not just the person, but what that celebrity or well known person signifies. And through this the consumer identifies the brand through the face of the product by the way they feel or through the mirror of the ad.