Unemployment

Lines
Waiting
Business men
"FREE"
unsettling
order
dark
cold


It is a cold, dark, and dreary morning as the unemployed men line up down the block in their trench coats and hats, hoping today they get lucky. Their standing in a rather large, orderly line, hoping there will be enough free dougnuts and coffee to go around. After this, these men in trench coats will yet again look for employment.

Representational:
- This represents a skull
- We can easily recognize this is a representation of a skull because of its overall shape and human-like facial features
- The symbolism that the Dia de los Muertos skulls represent denotes its culture. The hair adds an abstract level to the piece and makes this a recognizable, stylized human skull.
Abstract:
- The basic shape denotes a skull, but the additional flowers, hair, eyes, and eyebrows give the skull a more living human-like quality.

- With the abstraction of the skull and it having a more human-like quality, it is more personable     and not as scary or morbid as a traditional human skull.

- The hair and facial features add to the basic representation of the skull giving it a more human-like quality.

Symbolic:

- This Dia de los Muertos sugar skull in Latin cultures, symbolizes and honors loved ones who have passed away.

- For those who know its symbolism, this skull denotes a celebration for the dead

- The representation and abstraction of the human skull, symbolizes to those who celebrate Dia de los Muertos, an offering to the dead.

Symbolic Level

This is an example of an iconic symbol of a skull and cross-bones. This is a cross-cultural symbol that many would recognize. Negative attention is often given to this symbol- it often denotes death or danger. Because this symbol denotes a human skull and bones, universally people are able to recognize and understand its meaning in a similar fashion. I think it is symbols like this, that hold the greatest meaning because of their universality, even language is not a barrier.

The Abstract Level- Understructure

This would be the abstract understructure of the composition in drawing a human skull. Here, the artist reduced the skull into its basic shapes. This abstraction was derived from the representation of a human skull. Although this is not actually a skull, the placement of these specific shapes, communicates to the viewers, that this is a skull. We are able to recognize the circular head and the elongated jaw.

Representational Form in Design

This telephone is representing a human skull. Although this is representing and expressing a skull form, it still fully functions as a working telephone. The designer of this object used humor by explicitly contrasting the representation of a skull with the functionality of a telephone. Functioning objects representing something completely unrelated, are something humans are naturally drawn to- these objects are humorous and often conversation- starters. I found it interesting that the designer chose to make it black rather than the usual cream-colored bone. I also found it interesting that the chose to place the actual telephone on top of the skull rather than       against the ear, as one would assume.