The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up"

The following music video is a favorite of mine due to how the provocative and unsettling images throughout the video challenge the viewer's notion of gender, while challenging the listener's perception of the song itself. When the single was first released feminists and censors were horrified by the title "Smack My Bitch Up". Of course, these strong words had the public assuming that British band The Prodigy was promoting violence toward women. However, when the music video was aired on MTV (in the days when MTV actually did that) its story gave the song a different meaning all together. As we follow the lead character's life through their own eyes we experience the mayhem of sex, drugs, and violence, instigated by this faceless "monster". All the while, we believe the person is male, and it is not until the last second of the video that we are shocked to find out who this person really is.



Deb Eskie

AnnMarie O'Dowd

An artist up and coming...

I was having lunch at Flash's (312 Stuart Street, Boston, MA) Saturday. I was happily entertained while eating with AnnMarie O'Dowd's mini gallery being displayed at the restaurant. I love the colors and images that O'Dowd has painted. It is so calming in a heavily rushed society.

For more of her painting and information about her galleries:
http://amopainting.com/

Phi Nguyen

Soul Man

I know I posted already but I was on cnn.com and I always check out the political cartoons. I thought this one was funny and I wanted to share it. The image is full of detail, the afro, the clock which is something worn by rapper Flavor Flav from Public Enemy and the colors, red, green and yellow which are colors that represent Africa. I find it interesting becasue I remember when Bill Clinton was in office and often you would hear African Americans say "he is really black"; which was often spoken as a result of his actions in office for minorties and under-represented populations in the US.

It is by Bill Mitchell and can be found at www.cnn.com/politics

Melissa Ratliff

Wii-Hab

I have played many video games in the past but on Christmas I experienced the Wii for the first time.I was intrigued by it and found myself tired after playing for a few hours. A few days ago I was in the car listening to the radio and heard the term Wii-Habilitaion. I laughed but then realized that the commentator was speaking about using Nintendo's Wii as a tool in the physical therapy field. When I got home, I researched it on the web and found that physical therapists across the country in hospitals, nursing homes and other clinics are using the Wii with patients to build up strength and coordination. Its fun and entertaining but it is also acting in another capacity as a form of therapy which must be a relief for patients because some physical therpy excerises are not only painful but repetitive and bland such as the bean bag toss. For the first time video games have a new function other than just entertainment.

*Melissa Ratliff*

more on this story: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/

Canstruction

“A Cup of Hope” by RJC Architects


Canstruction is a competition/charity where design teams of architects, engineers, graphic designers, and students compete to build sculptures entirely out of cans of food. Each structure stands 8’x 10’x 10’ and conceptually addresses metaphors that come to mind when dealing with issues of hunger. The sculptures are displayed in hopes of raising public awareness, judged, disassembled, and distributed. So far 10 million pounds of food has been donated and disbursed to food banks, soup kitchens and local charities. It’s a great organization that delivers a powerful message in a creative way. These competitions are held in a number of states across the country, including Massachusetts.

http://www.canstruction.org/


-Christina Delaney

Persepolis (the movie and novel)

Recently I saw the movie Persepolis. I had recently read the graphic novel. The movie is really beautiful. Originally written by Marjane Satrapi, and directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, it is now out in theaters. In Boston area, you can see it at the Kendall Square Cinema, or West Newton Cinema.

Originally a graphic  novel, it is in two parts. I highly recommend you read the graphic novels as well, because there is some beautiful artwork, and pieces from the novels that aren't in the movie.

-sam smiley

Deconstructa!

Greetings readings of the Power of the Image blog. This blog has been quiet for a while, but is coming back to life. Lesley University professors sam smiley and Young Song are team teaching Power of the Image in Spring 2008. To contact the professors, email sam smiley ssmiley@lesley.edu, or Young Song ysong@lesley.edu.

This comic image is Deconstructa, a super hero who fights mainstream media images by using her superpowers to deconstruct and analyze them. She was created by Gina Kamentsky. You can see Gina's work by going to http://www.pixeltoon.com/