"Re-Viewing Visual Literacy in the 'Bain d'Images' Era"
Kasey Prisco
In her article, "Re-Viewing Visual Literacy in the 'Bain d'Images' Era," Maria D Avgerinou acknowledges the fact that we are living in the era of "Bain d’Images," where visual culture dominates our daily lives, shaping our interpretations of the world around us. That being said, Avgerinou brings attention to the urgent need for visual literacy (VL). Avgerinou argues that we are living in a post-modern present, where traditional text-oriented means of interpretation are no longer sufficient in acquiring a thorough understanding of the world. The saturation of images, fueled by TV, the internet, and new communication technologies, requires a shift in how we interpret, analyze, and communicate in a world dominated by visuals. Throughout the article, Avgerinou explores the pervasive influence of visual culture on our perceptions, attitudes, and lifestyles. Avgerinou argues that we are currently living in the "Bain d'Images" era, where visual mass media, including TV, the Internet, and various technologies, inundate our environment with images that shape our understanding of the world.
Avgerinou highlights Mirzoeff's assertion that postmodernism is a crisis caused by the failure of modernism's strategy of visualizing. This shift necessitates new ways of interpretation, challenging the dominance of print culture in shaping human thought, attitudes, and expressions. She contends that, whether people are aware or unaware of the hegemony of visual culture, it poses a danger if they continue living under the assumption that print culture still rules the world. In other words, it is necessary for us to accept the rapid growth and triumph of technology and the impact it has on society. The article delves into the issue of younger generations being bombarded by images without necessarily developing conscious recognition or critical viewing skills. Avgerinou questions the effectiveness of an empirical, unguided venture in guaranteeing that young people are active interpreters rather than passive receivers of visual messages. This portion of the article shed light on a very valid point that I was easily able to relate to. I pictured myself scrolling through various social media platforms on a daily basis, barely reading nor paying attention to any critical details, teaching myself to accept any and all information at face value. Daily interactions with apps like Tik Tok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, etc., has played a massive role in the shortening of my attention span, and it is scary to think about how quick people of my generation are to jump to conclusions based on this fact.
As society transitions from print to digital, Avgerinou argues that VL faces new challenges. She advocates for the concept of Digital Visual Literacy (DVL), emphasizing the importance of our ability to critically evaluate, make decisions, and create visual information in the digital realm. Avgerinou brings up so many important issues of today’s society that are often overlooked, calling for a revamp of VL's definition, scope, purposes, skills, and applications. She stresses the importance of incorporating VL into education so as to prepare students for the 21st-century workforce, where the ability to navigate, evaluate, and communicate with visual information is crucial. As a college student studying art in 2023, I have watched the technological world and all of its ever changing advancements drastically change my field, as well as many others, in ways I was not prepared for in just the last few years. Avgerinou’s point that VL should be a part of general education should not merely be viewed as a suggestion, but a necessity.
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