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Postcolonial Media and its development.

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Postcolonial Media and its development.

Postcolonial Literature

Postcolonial theory is a body of thought that is attributed to aesthetic, historical,

economical, and social impact of European colonial rule from 19th century to 20th century. It

takes the many diverse shapes and interventions. However, they both share the same

fundamental prerogative; that it is impossible to understand the world we are living without

contemplating the history of the colonial rule and imperialism. Meaning, it is dreadful to

perceive European literature, European history, and European philosophy is existence today

in the absence of Europe’s colonial encounters and coercion around the globe (Susanne et.

Al., 140). It also implies that the colonized world stands at a forgotten position of

globalization. Did colonization end? Many scholars have deliberated and are still debating on

the implications of the prefix “post” of postcolonial theory”. The prefix does designate the

end of colonization. Much of the theory deliberates on the enduring forms of colonial

authority after the official end Empire system. According to Dr. Robert (2002), postcolonial

theory is the literature from formerly colonized nations and exists in all continents except

Antarctica. It mainly addresses the issues and values of decolonization of a national with key

interest in political and cultural independence of previously conquered people. It also

deliberates on themes such as colonialism and racialism.

Postcolonial Media Literature

Postcolonial media literature emanated from the rise of electronic media theory. Much

of the literature in the field was based on theories. Literature and language were elements of
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consolidating the sense of national identity to resist colonization impact. With the advent of

technology of newspapers, magazines, and printing press helped people from diverse

locations to better understand shared national community. In America, there have been

various debates around the subjects like identity politics, colonialization, multiculturalism, as

well as whiteness studies. This makes it more apparent to denote that postcolonial literature

and the electronic media have advanced in parallel to each other with limited points of

intersection. In the late 18th century and early 19th century many electronic media theories

were concerned with developing the electronic as a preferable and dominant field of artistic

practice (it is function that can be regarded as colonising). It involved the representation of

electronic technologies more so the computer as an inherent liberatory (Richard, 7). During

this era, prominent media artists proposed that electronic media would bring peace to the

world. This analogy is underpinned in the connotation that increase in sharing of messages,

sound, and image would increase human understanding and empathy. However, critics

opposes that increased attention in connecting people all around the word would bring about

limit the devotion to education and economic.

Visual Art

With the evolution of electronic media sharing of art widened. This gave visual

literature prominence. New visual ideas were shared all around the globe. Art was first seen

as shocking and many regarded it as incomprehensible. With time the world accepted best

and most effective ideas presented by art. There is nothing as hard as trying to comprehend

what was illuminating about certain images, or their design once the shocking impression is

gone. The world today has absorbed the details of precolonial visual art into our own

comprehensions (Kirk, n.p). Precolonial artists were dedicated in informing us on how to see

things differently and how to conceptualize new events and situations through various types

of visual shorthand. Creation of visual literature can be the intention of the artist or it can be
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the side effect of other causes. This paper, will illustrate how postcolonial literature informed

and enriched media studies especially visual disciplines and how media studies can expand

the postcolonial educations dominated by literature and relative literature.

Significance of art

Art initially was a religious vehicle. Art served religion from France’s prehistoric

cave paintings to the Sistine Chapel. Church was a patron of artists for centuries. In

traditional communities even now, the fundamental drive of art is religious or ceremonial. Art

served as an honour of most significant events. Events such as the Napoleon coronating

Josephine serves a major historical importance. According to Dompierre (1994), art also

served as social commentary or propaganda. Artists of social commentator informs us of

human conditions in their perception without suggesting any particular. Propaganda artists

persuade us to specific actions or viewpoints promoted by institutions or public such as

religious groups, political parties, or lobbyists (Livingstone, n.p). For example, the artwork

created during World WAR I, and World War II. Art on the other hand, can be as means of

recording visual data. Art tells us the truth through what we see. Some artworks capture the

concept of realism. For example, the artwork designed by Cezanne and Courbet, which

challenges the ideology of a true image and a real image. Other purposes of art are, creating

beauty, storytelling, and conveying intense emotions.

Nevertheless, the fundamental function of art is to understand the subject matter at

hand. The subject matter of art does not change over time. As a result of the evolving world

in perspectives of nature, events, and human condition, artists have got the attention of varied

subject matter (Cere, 4). The media used to produce and share art has also variedly changed,

even though some artists use the conventional media. Indeed, the quality of art works has

substantially increased with time, considering the artworks of the 21st century.

Why my art can be termed as postcolonial.

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My work can be termed as postcolonial due to many reasons. It defines the true

purpose of art as seen in the postcolonial artworks. My art work can be used as a tool for

social commentary. It makes general viewers to see how the world has been connected in the

21st century. The audience that is accustomed to the theme of globalization captures the first

impression of impact of globalization. That is, it has it makes the audience to see the positive

impact of globalization in the world. The world map on my work has interconnecting lines

with a sharp light showing the designation. The light shows the specific countries of every

continent. Besides, at the centre of the poster, a passport is featured. This signifies easier

mobility of people all around the globe. At the top right corner there is a representation of

two flags (an American flag and a Nigeria flag) shaking hands. This signifies peace that we

are experiencing currently in the world. Besides, at the bottom left corner there is a braided

black woman wearing marvellous braids. This is a striking feature of Afro-diasporic cultural

landscape. At the bottom right corner, they are a couple enjoying a date. This defines how

cultural diversity and modernity. The couple are seated in a restaurant enjoying happy

moments, a culture that is regarded to be urban.

The poster clearly depicts the contrasts of culture and the description and implication

of gendered blackness or racialized gender. This is more apparent on the topics of such as

ethnicity and race. The late-20th and the entire 21st century commonly known as the

transdiasporic migrations where people migrated from their homelands to diaspora changed

the cultural setting of many places in the world. This has been noticeable especially on the

migration of Africans to and from United States of America and Europe. The period changed

the make-up of Africans who were abroad. This gave blacks a new definition of black

diaspora. That is blacks on a modern world. In my poster, the image of the beautiful black

girl gives a clear illustration of a black diaspora. The theme of Afrikannes, today has gained

the popularity on the discussions of ethnicity. Globalization, (the theme of my portrait) has
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gave way to a new movement of African Hair Braiding. All over the world, this movement

has been seen in many saloons. It inspects the African component in the service they render.

In reality the movement has seen the massive growth of hair braiding industry. It is therefore

evident that globalization has brought about many positive impacts such as the growth of

industries, for example the market of braiding services and added a positive impact to the

lives that work in the saloons. It is evident that the conscious of women are changing in the

modern world.

Given the above description of my work, I can strongly conclude that my artwork can

be termed as post-colonial. It clearly gives the viewer a first hand information of my

character (globalization). Art is telling us the truth of what we see. Post-colonial artwork such

as work by Lorna Simpson, Kara Walker, and David Hammons from USA defines the true

purpose of art. So does my artwork which presents post-colonial implications on my subject

matter. My work shows valorisation of cultural identity.

Why my art character different from similar products

There are different art styles. Art styles denotes the manner in which an artwork

looks. Style is the way an artist portrays his or her character as well as how the artist

expresses his or her own vision. The style of an artwork is determined by the features that

describes the artwork. Such as the manner in which an artist employs composition, colour,

form, etc. Another determinant of style is the manner in which the artist uses. That is the

technique an artist uses to in his or her work. Style is also determined by the philosophy

behind the art. All these elements are defined by the adoptions that the artists use when

composing his or her work. Some artworks have the same style since precolonial period to

date. On the other hand, some artworks are totally different. Considering my work, it is

different from other works in the same style.

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While composing my artwork, I chose the photorealism style. Traditionally, drawing was

referred to as imitative art. This is where an artist blogs a given situation in mind and then

draws it. Unlike other artists who present their work in the same style, my work is

traditionally banal and ordinary.

Photorealism requires enormous planning, collecting of visual information,

asymmetric examination of the image, and primarily a high technical skill. My work is not

done with the required precision that a real artist can employ to execute his work. From a

distance an ordinary person like me could say it is art. But looking close in detail the images

that are replicated onto the image are not done with a high precision and accuracy. They

actually do not highlight the reality beyond a viewer’s normal perception. Artists take

perfection into detail.

Although my work adheres to some details of a true artist, looking closely you can say

it is some sort of photo not art. Yes, artists rely on a photo to execute their work, but they

have the capacity to record it in their minds and then draw it. The essential result, their work

is visually stunning and mind-boggling. For instance, when I examine some of the paintings

done in the 19th and 20th century that use the same style, I realize they artists employed a pure

crafting technique. As a viewer of such great artworks, uniformity of technique is noticeable

through the work for example the work of Sigmund Freud.

Art exhibited in the different centres such as the New Orleans Museum of Art is

nostalgic. Works of artists such as Audrey Flack – richly colored still lifes depicts use of

ordinary objects in a flashy and fantastic manner. Looking at my work, it is too ordinary to

march the technical skills displayed by such great artists. Besides, most photorealist works

are often large comprising often portraying objects in many instances larger than they

actually are in a real setting. The artists’ work is often smooth in that the viewer cannot detect

a single brushstroke. That is why most photorealist art always resembles a photograph.
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Looking at my work with a keen eye, you can notice that the piece of art is edited to some

extent. It does not take the right composition of a true piece of art.

The colour composition is not accurate. I agree my piece of work has detailed a clear

theme. But comparing it with other pieces of art, I tend to find that the image has a mixture of

colours. Photorealist artists details colour and composition of their work. The manner in

which a painting is completed is different from the manner in which I did mine. The

impression of the image depicts possible colour conflicts that are confusing. Considering the

above deliberations about a real art, my work does not intensely detail a true production of an

artist using the same style. Photorealist painting entails concentrated focus and concertation

to produce great work. Truly, art is a life of its own.

Work Cited

Gell, Alfred. Art and agency: An Anthropological Theory. Clarendon Press. (1998) p. 7. 
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Macdonald, Sharon. A Companion to Museum Studies. Blackwell companions in cultural

studies. Wiley-Blackwell. (2006) p. 52. 

Hall, S (ed.) Cultural Representations and Signifying Practice, Open University Press,

London, 1997.

Susanne Grüner; Eva Specker & Helmut Leder. "Effects of Context and Genuineness in the

Experience of Art". Empirical Studies of the Arts. 2019. 37 (2): 138-152. 

Dr. Robert J. Belton. "What Is Art?". (2012).

Kirk Richards; Stephen Gjertson. For glory and for beauty: practical perspectives on

Christianity and the visual arts. American Society of Classical Realism. 2002/

Richard Leslie. Pablo Picasso: A Modern Master. New Line Books. 2005. p. 7

Susan Hogan. Healing Arts: The History of Art Therapy. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 2001.

Cere, R. Postcolonial and Media Studies: A Cognitive Map. Postcolonial Media Culture in

Britain, 2015. 1–13. doi: 10.1007/978-1-137-28577-5_1

Livingstone, M. Pop art. Oxford Art Online. (1993) doi:

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Sheppard, C. D. Visigothic art. Oxford Art Online. (2003). doi:

10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.t089848

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