This task is based on the essay Rhetoric of the image by Roland Barthes.

How does Barthes define anchorage and relay?

Barthes’ essay is not very clear in giving precise definitions of the terms anchorage and relay so I have relied on definitions from other sources.

Anchorage – the words associated with an image ‘pin down’ the meaning thereby removing the need or opportunity for the viewer to develop their own interpretation. The words accompanying an image tell the viewer how to interpret the image.

Relay – the text and image have a complementary relationship, the words and the image are fragments of a more general syntagm. In essence the words and image work equally together to give meaning to an image, the words do not define the meaning of the image, they work alongside the image.

What is the difference between them?

The main difference between anchorage and relay is how they impact of how an image is viewed. Text that anchors an image is seeking to define or fix the meaning of an image, whereas, relay text alters or advances the meaning.

Can you come up with some examples of each?

Anchor

Relay

How might this help your own creative approaches to working with text
and image?

I am still unsure about using text with images, probably because I tend to think too much in terms of using anchoring text. I think being clear about the types of text and experimenting using them might help me move away from producing literal work to more interpretitive work, allowing the viewer more scope to ineract and draw there own meaning.

Sources

Barthes, R. and Heath, S., 1984. Image, Music, Text. London: Flamingo, pp.31-51.

White, E., 2012. Openathens / Sign In. [online] Ebookcentral.proquest.com. Available at: <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ucreative-ebooks/reader.action?docID=3386680&ppg=8&gt; [Accessed 9 May 2020].

Ludwig, K., n.d. [online] Kellyludwig.com. Available at: <https://kellyludwig.com/kcai-embeds/act-semioticslecture-intro3.pdf&gt; [Accessed 9 May 2020].

Grenville-Price, n.d. Anchorage And Relay. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at: <https://www.slideshare.net/StuartGrenvillePrice/anchorage-and-relay&gt; [Accessed 9 May 2020].