What are some of the theories out there about mass visual culture?
A. Some of the most influential ones come from the Frankfurt School and the idea of the aura of the work of art being erased by the commonplace character of these mass-produced images. There are all kinds of theories about what happens, how power gets exerted socially through pictures, how elites use images for reform projects—which they do. This is absolutely true that they tried to use artistic images to acculturate immigrants, socialize immigrants, elevate the working class. Those words ‘acculturate’ and ‘elevate’ really mean, ‘indoctrinate in aesthetics and a set of beliefs,’ but it’s not quite that simple. There are interesting ways in which elites are changed by mass tastes. There are interesting cases in which elite audiences [are not] able to resist what they consider debased or vulgar entertainments and we can see evidence of their patronizing these kinds of amusements and forms of art and their tastes shifting as a result of this. This is something I want to work on further.
