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The use of waste, conceptual art and advertising
(Joseph Beuys & advertising WWF)

Joseph Beuys. Die Alpen. 1965 /Publicitat WWF. Rubbish can be recycled. Nature cannot. 2008
Joseph Beuys. Die Alpen. 1965 /Publicitat WWF. Rubbish can be recycled. Nature cannot. 2008

In light of the utopia of a better world brought about by technological development, we must also confront its consequences: industrial waste. Photography has made significant strides in visual communication, yet it has simultaneously contributed to the planet's pollution (1) (particularly through analogue photography).

For decades, alarm bells (2) have been sounded regarding environmental deterioration. In the 1960s, for instance, artist Joseph Beuys (3) from the Fluxus (4) group emphasised concept over form in his actions, during which he collected waste and displayed it alongside photographs and videos documenting his performances. From the standpoint of advertising imagery and visual semiotics, the NGO WWF, dedicated to environmental preservation, echoed Beuys’ concerns by portraying animals as victims of a technologized civilisation.

Keywords

Advertising image Concept Utopia Visual semiotics

References

Texts

  • 1. Stroebel, L.; Zakia, R. (1993). Encyclopedia of Photography. Boston: Focal Press. P. 96-97.
    “Treatment of chemical wastes from the manufacture and processing of photographic materials has become a vital concern in the preservation of a quality environment. Processing solutions are a potential source of chemical contamination of the water supply. […] Discharging inadequately treated photographic wastes into water sources may result in a depletion of absorbed oxygen, causing the death of aquatic life or the production of noxious gases”.
  • 2. 021 El crit, l’expressió de la mirada interior/ The scream, the expression of the inner gaze
  • 3. Cirlot, L. (1993). Història Universal de l’Art: Volum Últimes Tendències. Barcelona: Editorial Planeta. P. 188. (Apartat: Joseph Beuys. P. 186-186)
  • 4. Cirlot, L. (1993). Història Universal de l’Art: Volum Últimes Tendències. Barcelona: Editorial Planeta. (Apartat: El grup “Fluxus”. P. 184-191)

Images

  • Cirlot, L. (1993). Història Universal de l’Art: Volum Últimes Tendències. Barcelona: Editorial Planeta. P. 188.
  • adforum [en línia]. WWF - "Deer". Disponible a: < https://es.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/6709427 > (Data Consulta: 10 de maig de 2024)