OUGD601 - Essay - Adorno and Horkheimer Notes - Identity

Adorno is criticical of the role of identity within commodity exchange. The only values naturally in things are their use values. What is the use value of art of culture? It enriches our lives? is it a need? in the same way other things are a need? Yes because it provides. Adorno would say it’s a valuable experience because the art objects and cultural objects work differently to other objects in a capitalist society because they seem free from that. In what sence are these ideas still valid today? Do we still see art and culture as being free from the constraints of commercial culture? In what sense has the role of branding played a role in that? How are we sold culture now? Is it in the same way we’re sold a pair of trainers or a gym membership, that it’s good for us? A lot of the branding in these places has tried to broaden up but end up dumbing it down.


The story behind the line, the metaphorical narrative, taking over the identity. It’s too strong. You went to see the exhibition and the museum just held the space. now you go and you’re driven by the identity of the instituion and the trust you have in the institutiont that it will provide something that’s contemporary and challenging or interesting and new and not so mucht he work itself. theres a balance there the institution is the cultural form and not the actual work. the identity of the institution is whats drawing you to vistit. art or certain kinds of exhibitons have become synonymus with an instituion. you werent going there for the work you’re going for the curated experince and the links. a lot of design works like that nowadays. you’d get an I-D magazine because of the name/ the experience. not the content. the experience has been curated. We’re living in a time where through socil media, we’re curating our own experiences, we’re doing it for ourselves. In this sea where we have access to everything We’re looking for trust in certain things. If the culturral instituion is starting to act in a similar way to brands and different things it becomes similar to it. That’s why its good youve found that place that’s just outside of branding. you don’t make sweeping statements.the branding is slightly more subtle. you can’t over brand it . you need to let the work and diversity of the work come through.