The visual principle of gestalt, pioneered by German Max Wertheimer, is one of g
ID: 3875566 • Letter: T
Question
The visual principle of gestalt, pioneered by German Max Wertheimer, is one of great importance in the design world. The statement, "The whole is different than the sum of its parts," summarizes much of the gestalt theory. In this assignment, we'll explore this statement in detail.
Choose a famous work of art. The Image Resources in the Course Materials folder should help you find a good source. Look closely at the image and identify several of the individual elements within the image. Imagine the removal of one of these elements. How would the meaning of the image change? Remove a second. With two elements missing, how does the meaning change again?
In a brief 2-3 page analysis, identify the image you chose. Describe the meaning of the image as a whole. Then describe the meaning of the image as the first element is removed and again after the second is removed. What does this exercise show you in terms of how imagery can be used in media?
Explanation / Answer
"The whole is different than the sum of its parts”
The idea is used heavily in synergy as well as non linear fields. Synergy is meant by there is such connection among the individual item that it is better than what each one would be individually. Thus it can be stated as a single thing that is made of many separate parts can be more important, more useful, more beautiful, or in some other way "greater" than all of the separate parts on their own. For example, if you take all the parts of a image and lay them out on the table, they will not tell about the image, the way an assembled image does. It could also be applied to complex human systems, such as a business: when many people work together on a problem, they can often achieve more than they would do if each person worked individually.
For the quote to be true, not only does the group have to benefit, but so do everyone. If we add our ability and our talents, we should do at least a little better than we were before, and the group should also be doing better. This is usually due to specialization, as no one person has to do everything anymore.
This can also be applied to your social life as well. One person can have a lot of fun, but some things are better in a group. Cheering for your favorite sports team can be fun, but it’s more fun with friends. Think of the difference between sitting at a campfire alone, and having friends with you to share stories. The quote doesn’t insist we must always be part of the whole, and I realize more than most the value of solitude and reflection. But there are times for each activity in our lives, and sharing our knowledge, our skills, our experience and our emotion with others is important, as we work with the rest of our friends, with the whole.
As an engineer, we are fairly good at self-organizing and working independently, but teams of engineers are notoriously unproductive. So we should look for something to help at work, and in the rest of life. How are one part of a team, of a ‘whole’ in life? If we have a family, we are part of a team. If we go to school, we have a team, a whole you are or were once part of. While not all families or schools are the best examples of things going well, there are a great many which are shining examples of how well it works.
Consider a time when we might have quit, given up, or simply not done our best. Whether it was with our family, in school, was there a time when a friend urged you to try harder? While it doesn’t always change the result, I have found it helps me do better. How have your experiences worked out for you?
Whether we call it synergy, teamwork or something else, there is something special that happens when we work together towards a common goal. And that is the best application for the quote, when it comes to people. It can be applied to machines as well, as a washer and dryer together are far better than either one alone. Similarly, we have the appliances in our kitchens because they work well together. We don’t need a blender, but it can certainly make things easier, make the whole of the kitchen more efficient, right? The same can be said of a TV. a media player, signal source. The more we have, the better it gets.
Related Questions
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.