common module essay Flashcards
intro
The documentary, ‘Waste Land’ (2010) directed by Lucy Walker details the shared experiences the pickers of Jardim Grumacho, waste site (Brazil) and the interactions with artist, Vik Muniz.
It explores the transformations of the pickers’, Muniz’ and the audiences values of art and assumptions around classism, waste and morality.
Human experience challenges these assumptions about our behaviour within a collective, allowing us to form an identity that is not defined by the opinions of others, or the nature of our social status, but rather by the strengths of our individual human qualities.
intro for BP1
The development of identity is dependent on how our behaviour in shared communities incites self-reflection culminating in the values that define who we are.\
Throughout waste land, both Vik Muniz and audiences are introduced to a disparate cultural perspective regarding classism, Western waste habits and our integral morality.
Q1 for BP1
Walker utilises a close-up to present Irma’s incongruous description of the waste at Jardim Grumacho, stating, “in the garbage, I make many things.”
The ironic incongruity of this reflects the drastic creation that is foregrounded in the text; Muniz’s creation of art from waste, which Irma appears to undermine with the value of her creation in sustaining the working community, whilst Muniz promotes them.
It demonstrates her human qualities such as resourcefulness and initiative, that are necessary to survive in a poverty strickent environment, and encourages audiences to re-evaluate how we view both our conceptual ideas and practical contributions to society.
Q2 for BP1
She suggests that the needs of the collective promote her actions and incites both Muniz’s and Walker’s investigation into this perspective.
The entire documentary presents waste as a beneficial resource in provoking change, as seen in Muniz’s statement, “there’s so much excess it becomes art.”
The centred head shot highlights the incongruity of his insights which suggests that representations can distort a perspective, as individuals will pay a large amount for art, despised it being composed of collective waste.
It illustrates how society’s morals need to be reconsidered due to their behaviour within similar communities
Q3 for BP1
This is supported by Valtier’s wisdom, “it’s not bad to be poor, it is bad to be rich at the height of fame with your morals a dirty shame.”
The emotive, unintentional rhyme refers to the ‘upper classes’ wasteful behaviour, highlighting the morally of this success, as it foes not guarantee morality or goodness.
This is coupled by walkers decision to focus on his appearance with a headshot to emphasise the inconsistency between his apparent insight and job description or social status.
The observes life beyond his own experiences, foregrounding this battle between class and morality as a resonant feature of human experiences.
The paradox of the behaviour of the collective social class as requiring extreme reflection, which walker supports by creating this documentary
Q4 for BP1
Towards the end of the documentary, Muniz reflects on his experiences with the pickers, “it has its own human side that a priore could not really translate,” illustrating the limitations of his art in providing as accurate representation of those individuals. The structure of placement of this reflective observation underlines how interacting with larger communities can influence our behaviour, and encouraged audience to engage ith diversity and embrace collective experience as a motivator for internal change.
concludion for BP1
Walker utilises these characters to illustrate how shared human experienced influences our identity, but also to demonstrate how representation can involve human qualities within ourselves and challenge our assumptions around classism, waste and morality.
intro for BP2
Walker further that representation can incite reflection our collective behaviour by foregrounding the artistic journey of m, and the associated character development of the subjects of his art. The pickers of Jardim gramacho are presented as resilients yet walker highlights how this creative process challenged their assumptions of themselves, and their work.
Q1 forBP2
The original disruption of Isis reflects this transformation, “ I cant believe you want to show me all dirty.” Walker precedes this statement with a tight close up shot of her body to emphasises the visual contrast between isis and audiences initial assumptions ( regarding her status and moral worth) and that of charchters such as Magma.
Q2 forBP2
Magma instead focuses on the esteem of her mission as a picker as, “ interesting and honest abd dignified.” Walkers head shot allows attention to the polysyndeton whicvh emphasises that perception and shared experience can influence our identity, seen in the juxtapositioin of Magma and Isis’ attitudes. Magmas conviction is inconsistent with the classist discrimination she had previously faced highlighting her strength despite this adversity.
Q3 forBP2
It demonstrates how a common human experience allowed her to solidify her identity, due to her resilient behaviour to an oppressive collective. After the gallery exhibition, Muniz demoted that the “ experience .. art changed people.” The close-up foreground the value of art in representing human experience and allowing pickers to connect with the collective and enhance their understanding of self, as their behaviour and experiences resonated with others.
Q4 for BP2
Walker illustrates the transformation of the pickers’ values, Isis’s iron reflection” I don’t see myself in the trash anymore.” She perfectly illustrates how this creative expression nallowed her to view herself, her work and the world differently, from the perspective of the wider community.
Conclusion for BP2
It in turn highlights the power of the Walkers’ representation to illustrate the value of art to incite reflection upon shared human experiences can offer alternative perspectives and reaffirm our human qualities, our resilience, our strength and our ability to adapt to new environments or changing societal walues.
Waste Land dictates that the representation of human experience facilitates the reconsideration of our behaviou in shared communities by depicting the resonant challenges and successes of the pickers, and inciting audiences to introspectively reflect.
conclusion
In conclusion, waste Land presents the altered views of the pickers, by depicting their experiences, behaviours and innate human qualities from other perspectives. It allowed audiences to reconsider our own values of wasteful behaviours of classism and morality by introducing the collective experiences of these pickers. Walker effectively incites this reflection on our own behaviours and attitudes to promote the development of cohesive collective experience and our own identities.
