analysis

1. Technical AudioCodes-
The posteris a bricolage of elementsasit payshomage to the graffiti style writing,the blackandwhite effectthatisassociatedwiththe 1950’s films,the Egyptian
make-upandMadonna-like hairthatisseeninhervideos.Thisisnottypical of the popgenre because ladygaga isexploringanalternative style,butthe factthat
she has no clothesonandwearsmake-upstill adherestothe popgenre because itobjectifieswomeninthisway.Itseemsasthoughthe photographerhasused
broad-lightwithacatch-light,due tothe reflectioninhereyestomake herface lookbroaderwithinthismid-shot,becauseinrealitywithoutthe lightherface
wouldlookthin.Thisisan example of hyper-reality,becauseitismanipulatinganimage tomake a hyper-real representationof awoman.In post-processingthey
wouldhave editedthe shadowsof herface toextenuate the make-upandboninessof herbackand special effectmake-uptogive herananimal/alienfeel toit.
Her skinalsolookstoosmoothand flawlesswhichisalsoahyper-rearepresentationof awoman.Her bodyispositionedinawaythat formsa diagonal line,
endingatthe textat the bottomof the page,whichcatchesthe viewers’attention.
Setting-
It seemsasthoughthe image was shotina studio,due tothe blackbackdrop andthe
use of professional lighting- we knowthisdue tothe factthat there isa lightreflection
inher eye. The darknessof the mise enscene contrastswiththe whitenessof herskin
makingherstand out.Thisalsocorrespondsto the white text,creatingahouse style.
Iconography-
The tattoos are iconicof Lady Gaga because theyare
instantlyrecognisable tobe hertattoos.However,
the tattoos themselvesare iconicbecause the birds
symbolise freedomandthe flowerrepresentslove,
unity,growthandconnection,andalongwiththe
heartit emphasiseslove.Hereye make-upisiconic
of the Egyptianstyle make-up,therefore having
intertextualitywiththisstyleandthe messinessof
herhair isiconicof Madonna because herhairis
styledthiswayinhervideos.The graffiti style
writingissymbolicof gangsandtherefore could
representrebelliousness, whichchallengesthe
stereotype thatwomendon’tcommitcrime.
Narrative events-
The image is positionedinawaythat catches the audience’sattentionbecause
herbody formsa slightdiagonal line thatendsatthe textat the bottomof the
page- thisisthe secondthingyou will see.The lastthingthatyousee iswhat
and whenthe album/songisout. Hermake-upisalien-like,due tothe bone like
structure aroundher eyes.Thiscould be highlightingherindividualityand
therefore emphasisingit,bysayingshe is“bornthisway”
Character-
Lady Gaga is a negative representationof womenbecause she
looksrebelliousdue tothe messinessof herhair,darknessof
hermake-upandtattooswhichis usuallyassociatedwithmen-
It makesherlookpowerful andthereforecouldchallenge the
stereotype thatwomenare interiorandweak.Itseemsas
thoughladyGaga ispayinghomage tothe Egyptianmake-up
because ithas intertextualitywiththatstyle.Moreover,she has
herback to the audience butisgivingdirectaddresstothe
camera,whichcomesacross animal like. Thisisemphasisedby
hermake-uponher shouldersandaroundthe eyesandcheeks-
the fact that her albumiscalled“bornthisway”could be a
metaphorforindividualityandthereforeistryingtoexpress
thisthroughthe image on the poster.Herblonde hairis
stereotypical of beingassociatedwithawomenwhoIstupidor
dumb,howeverbyherfacial expressionandoverall look,she
lookspowerful breakingthisnegativerepresentation.