OUGD401 - Study Task 03 - Reading and Understanding a Text

The author’s tone of voice is fairly negative. He talks a lot about the hierarchal system and aristocracy in a negative way. He bluntly explains things how he views them and is almost cynical in the way he discusses certain subjects.

Graphic dissent is a piece of graphics that is rebellious and protests, typically against a political agenda. Kushner is talking about a French miniaturist illustrated by Gros who illustrated a political caricature that proved very successful in the late 18^th century. “This image shares with other successful instances of graphic dissent at least three characteristics: it is shocking, it is clever – even funny in a grim sort of way – and its meaning is instantly intelligible.”

Kushner also speaks of a political consciousness and the spirit of the people that will lead to popularity of pieces of graphic dissent. “[Antoine-Jean Gros’] act of graphic design/terrorism to emblematize a turning point of political consciousness, the awakening of an oppressed people to the awareness that ‘whatever it had hitherto respected was sovereignly absurd and on occasion odious.’”

Kushner speaks of political revolution having catalysts such as graphic dissent. Often these are what help cause such turning points in history. “It is even more of a miracle that the act of forcing the impossible is, in the history of political revolution, often catalyzed by something as flimsy as a poster plastered on a wall – the perfect poster on the perfect wall at the perfect moment.”

Kushner demonstrates the idea of using graphics as a tool of cementing dominance. “Gros is also doing his part in cementing French domination of the Milanese, replacing Austro-Hungarian/Spanish domination.”

Kushner also makes a comment on the difficulty of creating a successful piece of work. It is not easy to make a memorable poster or anti-establishment graphic dissent; however there always seems someone who is capable of doing so. “What’s truly miraculous is that, as hard as it is to make the perfect poster – and it must be immensely hard – someone nearly always seems to be on hand to do the job when the time demands it.”