Sumários

(What is) Myth, Truth, Real, Natural.

28 Fevereiro 2025, 11:00 • Marzia D'Amico

Today's lecture further explored the concept of myth and mythology in Barthes’ framework, drawing on additional examples provided by both the lecturer and the students. Particular emphasis was placed on the principle of timelessness in myth and the relativity of reality. This discussion was followed by an examination of truth and reality within Foucault’s discursive system, highlighting how interpretations of reality are always shaped by the pressure of the dominant discourse.

A key point of analysis was the metaphor of the blue and red pills in The Matrix (1999), which sparked a discussion on how reality is constructed—whether through language, documentary practices, or other representational modes. This led to a brief investigation of Foucault’s The Archaeology of Knowledge, particularly regarding the ways in which discourse shapes what is accepted as knowledge. The session concluded with reflections on Barthes and Foucault as producers of critical knowledge, considering their contributions to the deconstruction of seemingly naturalised truths.

Discussion of Gillian Rose's "Towards a critical visual methodology"

27 Fevereiro 2025, 15:30 • Paula Alexandra Carvalho Alves Rodrigues Horta

- The French humanist photography paradigm

- Illustration of Gillian Rose’s method of visual analysis: the four sites where the social effects of an image are made and the three modalities of each of these sites.
- Interpretation of Robert Doisneau’s assignment Un Regard Oblique and discussion of the social circumstances and power relations in which it is embedded.

Aula 5

26 Fevereiro 2025, 14:00 • Mário Vítor Bastos

Conceitos-chave para o esudo da cultura visual.

Theory of Semiotics

25 Fevereiro 2025, 15:30 • Paula Alexandra Carvalho Alves Rodrigues Horta

Semiotic theories: Ferdinand de Saussure, Charles Sanders Peirce, Roland Barthes

Analysis of a selection of images using Roland Barthes' model of visual analysis

Visual Turn: Barthes and Faucoult

25 Fevereiro 2025, 11:00 • Marzia D'Amico

The students were introduced to the concept of the visual turn from both a social and academic perspective. The discussion then revisited Roland Barthes, with a specific focus on his interpretation of myth and mythology as a means of understanding the world. The session continued with a discussion on the concept of the "Death of the Author," followed by an exploration of how, according to Foucault, the author (and authorship) can be viewed as a function. The students were able to present original examples of various kinds, all appropriately aligned with the topics discussed.