Have you been jammed? No I am not talking about someone throwing Jam on you. I am talking about ‘Culture Jamming’, do you have a clue what I am talking about because soon you will! Most people in western society have experienced some form of culture jamming. Sometime we humans are too deliriously caught up in our own world to even pay attention to what we are looking at. How do you scale your self in today’s society? Do you think of your self as independent free thinker, a person who makes decisions that are not influenced solely from a single party? Do you consider all your options, scenarios, selections and conclusions before coming to a decision or a judgement? Off course you don’t and it’s not your fault! (Some of you may say “oww that not me”, but that is highly unlikely if you are currently viewing this blog it means some influences have got you hear!)
We are constantly overloaded with semiotics. Advertising imagery and political propaganda are flooded into brain constantly. Open up your eyes, have a closer look! Culture Jamming is a form of social observations. It is the new age of activism, targeting dominated Medias, culture jamming works to disrupt, disengage, block, spoof, or destroy the message. Adbusters tells us Culture jammers are a free global network made up of “artists, activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs who want to advance the new social activist movement of the information age.” With the aim “to topple existing power structures and forge a major shift in the way we will live in the 21st century.” By altering the original media published into society culture jammers goal is to get society to pause for a minute and think about they are observing. It furnishes our mind with a different viewpoint to what was initially being represented to us by corporations. It brings a sense of fresh awareness on the real issues at hand in governments and society. At times it can be seen as a bit of humor (mockery) or something we should seriously be thinking about. Some people see it as just vandalism but problem with these people is that they are caught in the corporate mix and cannot see the lighter side. Culture Jamming is a peaceful activity and with the internet's ability of global reach it has facilitated reinforcement in communicating to society.
A Recent article featured in the “Toronto Star” News Paper by “Christian Cotroneo”, “Designer signs of the times ”,http://www.thestar.com/Unassigned/article/198802. “Official-looking notices trick viewer while also poking a finger in the eye of city officials”. This article presents the work of a cultural jammer, Culture Jamming the streets of Toronto Canada. An Ontario College of Art and Design student Mark Daye designed and put up signs in downtown Town Toronto subverting official signage to draw attention to the city’s homelessness crisis. The messages which have been conveyed in the signage located around the city: “Homeless sleeping: QUIET”, “Homeless warming grate. Please keep clear." "Please have change ready for the homeless." "Homelessness has nothing to do with lack of shelter."
The creator’s idea was to use official signage look and put an unofficial message in it. The signs are created out of hard plastic and aluminum, are bolted to posts at major intersections and busy hubs. Bringing the message to a “different frontier: officialdom,” simple, restrained, effective, they have been eye catching attracting the public’s attention to the issue of homelessness in the City. Unfortunately the City council of Toronto does not agree with the unapproved messages and have been removing the signs in an attempt to clean the city of any subversive signage. Even though the signs will not last long on the streets they are being commemorated online and still communicating to a global audience the message of homelessness which affects communities worldwide.
An interesting feature of Culture Jamming being in the public sphere is the viewer’s reaction to it. The Picture below shows us a response by a person of the public to Mark Daye’s series of street signs which tackle homelessness. (Is this an example of Culture Jamming being jammed?)
This picture was taken from: http://www.torontoist.com/archives/2007/04/post_34.php
I believe Culture jamming has a positive influence on our society. Culture jamming is providing us with a public service that helps enlighten our observation on what is presented to us by the BIAS of Big corporation and governments. Culture Jamming is in most cases legal, continually happening and present in the public. The question remains;
Have you been Jammed?
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