How many times have you heard it said to a young person:" Stop mucking ( playing) around.
We get so wrapped up with ourselves that our own values : seriousness are foistered on others.
Play is an important constituent of child growth, but when and why does it stop?
Our propensity to play is counterbalanced by accusations of immaturity.
Today, I had a rather playful session with Chinese student and academic from our own China media centre.
The theme, the difference between seeing and perception which sits at the heart of visual intelligence.
The power of the image
Here's an observation I'm fascinated by at the moment. Given how image-based we are as a 21st century community e.g web, tv, posters, mags etc, it's remarkable how little we are taught about visual perception.
So today I played out a series of test to show for instance, the power of association: things that look the same are grouped. things that are stable are accepted.
What's really pertinent about all this is the notion hat we could be on the cusp ( could be 100 years, 10 years or less) on a higher consciousness.
We got it in the 13th, 17th and 20th century and as we approach a critical mass in visual literacy. It will happen, we may leap frog a means of communications that makes a nonsense in what we're doing at present.
I find that riveting and had a lot of time and books to eat into whilst on a walking holiday in Wales.
It rather underpins what at the moment is either the norm for you or something to be in awe of ie videojournalism.
I rather guess the next level of visual journalism playing about with semiotics ie language et al is already taking shape, but rather slowly.
The point where journalism - a fixed narrative - opens up to the provocation of reaction through art. It may not seem as barmy as it appears, for montage almost a 100 years old was conceived as cinematic art.
I have had this itch for a while, and further more have rationalised how my applied chemistry past could play an important role. So there's a message at hand.
Time for some serious playing
Play!
