Introduction
The themes of equality and diversity in visual culture were selected due to several reasons. In particular, the development and production of visual art can be considered essential human practices that benefit society by educating the audience, improving one’s creativity, and stimulating the global economy in general. Visual culture is one of the components of art that focuses on visual media, such as paintings, images, videos, or movies. These expressive forms often depict various aspects and problems of human life in a creative way. In other words, visual culture represents the world and highlights relevant concepts and issues that people face on a daily basis. For instance, a lack of equality and diversity is evident in numerous aspects of human life, and this disproportion can be observed in visual culture (Amaral et al., 2020). Cinematography is no exception, as marginalized groups are largely excluded from filmmaking (Topaz et al., 2022). Therefore, it is essential to explore the themes of equality and diversity in cinema to identify how visual culture helps represent real-world social problems.
For this essay, ten visual images were selected for analysis and presented in the Appendix. These American movie posters that feature black women “were on view at the Museum of the Moving Image from April 2021 to June 2022” (Gates, no date, para. 3). The similarity between Figures 3, 6, and 7 lies in their emphasis on women’s sexuality and physical appearance. In contrast, Figures 8 and 9 present images that shift the focus from objectifying women’s bodies to other aspects of the main characters. This research aims to discover a relationship between marketing and imagery used in media, namely movie posters, through the visual element analysis of the selected images.
The Intersectionality Theory
The intersectionality theory is selected as a relevant approach for exploring the theme of this study. Overall, the subject of diversity in visual media can be analyzed with the application of either a unidimensional or an intersectional approach. The former focuses on one characteristic, such as gender or race, while the latter assumes the interconnected nature of these aspects. According to Bauer et al. (2021, p. 1), intersectionality is “rooted in the premise that human experience is jointly shaped by multiple social positions … and cannot be adequately understood by considering social positions independently.” The visual research aims to help investigate the relationship between marketing and imagery used in movie posters. The hypothesis after the visual study is that the image of black women presented in movie posters has changed accordingly to society’s awareness of inequality and stereotypes characteristic of a particular period (see Appendix). The use of the intersectionality theory provides a comprehensive perspective on the images by focusing on the roles of race and gender in media.
Visual Analysis
The visual research in this study investigates the relationship between marketing and imagery used in movie posters that feature black women in the 1930s-2010s. In particular, the visual element analysis was conducted for the themes of diversity and inequality. The primary research method, such as the selection of ten images relevant to the problem, was utilized. The findings of this analysis indicate that Black women are largely underrepresented in the cinematography and filmmaking industries. Furthermore, the early depiction of movie posters featured such elements as tight and feminine outfits, which supported the objectification and sexualization of women (Appendix, Figures 3, 6, 7). It can be observed that female performers were affected by gender inequality and the emphasis on women’s sexuality. In addition, the intersectionality theory supports the thesis of a simultaneous effect of one’s gender and race on societal position. Early movie posters featuring Black women often underlined their feminine aspects, hypersexualizing the characters.
In turn, contemporary movies, such as Precious and Pariah, used visual elements that shifted the viewer’s attention from females’ appearance and highlighted other aspects of their characters (Appendix, Figures 8-9). In particular, the red color of the black woman’s clothes in Figure 8, the necklace, and the character’s blank face highlight the protagonist’s isolation. Similarly, the use of the window reflection and purple color in Figure 9 aims to portray an isolated character, an outcast. Figure 10 depicts three confident women emphasizing their strength without objectifying them. As can be seen, the marketing approach to the design of movie posters has changed accordingly to the audience’s awareness of inequality and diversity.
Generally, gender and racial contexts in cinema have a significant influence on molding human culture and have the ability to intensify racism. Since the beginning of the film business, there has been a lack of diversity among performers, directors, filmmakers, and other contributors (Amaral et al., 2020). Universities in Southern California are the pioneers in studying diversity in the film business because of their proximity to Hollywood.The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative research analyses the 100 highest-grossing films from 2006 to 2019 (Topaz et al., 2022). In 2019’s films, just 34 percent of speaking actors were female, which differs little from the 30 percent observed in 2007. Likewise, according to the statistics, 66 percent of speaking characters in 2019 were white. There were no Black, Hispanic, or Asian-speaking actors in 15 of the 100 films released that year (Bauer et al., 2021). Native North African, Middle Eastern, and other minority racial and ethnic characteristics were nearly eliminated.
The manner in which women are portrayed in popular culture has been scrutinized since such depictions impact gender identification. Historians and artists have recently examined the idea of women as a basis for fine art (Topaz et al., 2022). The findings by historians indicate that the emphasis on the female physique in artwork has been mostly a stereotyping of women, a satisfaction of men’s desire via representation. There are concerns by art educators that portrayals of women in fine art are closely linked to students’ notions of gender and, thus, regarding the usage of specific works of art in the classroom (Topaz et al., 2022). Despite the difficulty of defining gender and ethnicity, these categories have substantial effects, particularly in how they have been utilized as oppressive instruments when attributed to people.
Conclusion
To conclude, the analysis of the visual elements helped explore the themes of equality and diversity in media, identifying how visual culture represents acute social problems. This research identified the relationship between marketing and imagery used in movie posters, demonstrating that their visual design has changed as the diversity and inequality issues became more pressing in society. Equality and diversity in visual representation are essential and may encourage a deeper look at underrepresented groups. Therefore, this may assist academics, activists, and professionals in focusing their efforts and measuring improvement.
Reference List
Amaral, L.A.N. et al. (2020) ‘Long-term patterns of gender imbalance in an industry without ability or level of interest differences’, PLOS ONE, 15(4), pp. 1-17. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229662
Bauer, G. R. et al. (2021). ‘Intersectionality in quantitative research: A systematic review of its emergence and applications of theory and methods, SSM-Population Health, 14, pp. 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100798
Gates, R. (no date) Icons: Framing images of black women on movie posters.
Topaz, C. M. et al. (2022) ‘Race- and gender-based under-representation of creative contributors: Art, fashion, film, and music’, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 9(1), pp. 1-11. doi: 10.1057/s41599-022-01239-9
Appendix
