Semiotic analysis of a Versace visual myth

This study analyzes the mythical religious imagery of Gianni Versace through a visual semiotic analysis. The image being examined has characteristics of the religious martyrdom of St. Sebastian. Analyzing the St. Sebastian image via semiotics allows the visual message, produced by Gianni Versace, to be examined at multiple levels. Decoding this visual message allows for an understanding of ideologies, cultures, and possibly the maintenance of the status quo; Semiotics is a method of breaking down the visual sign to understand the visual messages. Semiotics contains three components, which are the signifier, the signified, and the sign. Each component, the signifier, the signified, and the sign, is interdependent thus constructing visual messages. This study addresses the effects of the designer's personal lifestyle, that may have influenced the message of the visual image under examination. Examining the personal lifestyle element attempts to address a limitation of semiotic theory analysis.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Year

1998

Author dc:creator

• Taylor, William Earl

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lawrence Mullen

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Identifier

https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/909

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-1908