Hi! This week I have another video, this time on Hito Steyerl’s essay ‘In Defense of the Poor Image’.
The video is in 540p quality not intentionally but because there is a 200MB limit on the media uploaded :/
In Defence of the Deep-Fried Meme
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Hi! Thank you for this video, I enjoyed your editing and the sources used! I find the concept of poor images fascinating because we now have the technology to easily circulate images without a drop in quality (hi Airdrop and/or WeTransfer). These advances then make the use of the poor image (in the sense of an image with substandard resolution) a conscious choice that adds a signifying layer of wanting to express the wide circulation of an image. The deep fried memes you touch upon also offer an interesting case. In this case, I interpret the substandard resolution/discoloring/grain of the image as signifying subversion with the intent of bypassing automatized censorship or with the intent of making the viewer laugh. What are your thoughts on this? I would also like to ask you another question: what are your thoughts on graffiti and the concept of the poor image?
This video really made me reflect. Before today I never thought about memes as poor images, because I focused more on just the message they express since memes are often my way of communicating my feelings on social media. Also, when you talked about the deep-fried meme (which I admit, I was laughing about it) I agreed with you about how they gained popularity through the poor image. Overall, great video! It made me really reflect on a few things.
thank you for this, I find your analysis really fascinating ! I have a question – since you argue that poor images actually have a lot of power or currency, what would be a ‘true’ digital poor image, one that we ignore or has no value ?
Hi, thank you for this question, it really got me thinking! The first thing that comes to my mind is background images on websites perhaps? Since we often pay little attention to them and they do not significantly alter our experience on websites ( == little agency). Yet I do think there is still a better answer to your question. I will keep thinking hahaha
Hello, thank you for your video! I really liked your explanation of this case study on memes and the use of two theories from Steyerl and Barthes. I thought it was great you used memes to explain everything since they are very relevant and an ongoing form of communication on media, so it’s interesting to understand this aspect of their distribution.