The second advert I will be analysing is a gig poster for Iron & Wine. Similar to the advert I analysed and both digipaks, no real images of the artist are seen. The fact that none of the analysis's I have done show even one image of the artist display that it is a convention of folk digipaks and adverts to express the artist through 'art'. Straight away from looking at the advert, it is clear that the artist is categorised under the folk genre because of the large barn-like building that is drawn. Unlike the other analyses that I carried out which reflected a more British interpretation of folk music with artists like Laura Marling, this advert reflects the USA's interpretation of folk music. This is clear as the image gives the impression of a state like Texas which is where folk music is it's most popular, showing a rural area with an old fashioned barn surrounded by grass that can be commonly found in states like Texas.
The two main colours that are used on this advert are white and green. This also creates quite an obvious link to the folk genre as green reflects the green of leaves, grass, etc. and one of the conventions of the folk genre is to reflect nature. Going back to areas like Texas where folk music is very popular, an association can be made between conventions of the folk genre and areas like Texas. Texas is a large state that is full of nature, with untold amounts of untouched land. Therefore this explains why folk music is so popular there as areas like that is where folk music came from, which is why it is so clear that this advert is under the folk genre even though it is just a picture of a barn, as people know this is something that is normally found in areas like Texas. Also the fact that he actually lives in Texas backs up my point, and also makes the image seem more personal to him and rooted to the area that he lives his life in.
Looking at the design of the advert, white lines are present above the picture of the barn to represent the wind. This could reflect the artist as it could describe him as being like the wind in the sense that he can't be controlled and is a free soul, which is reflected in his music. The shapes of the white lines also give a reminder of the white lines that are shown when you cut down a tree and you look at the trunk. This then links back to the convention of nature that is present in the folk genre. Looking at the layout, all the information about the gig is in very small lettering below the picture, which almost gives the impression that the music, being represented through the large picture, comes first before anything. Representing typical folk artists that are known for always putting the music first. Branching out on this, the fact that his name is painted on the barn as if it is a part of it, could represent how the barn, which as I said represents the music, is an embedded part of him that cannot be removed, just like his names from the barn roof.
By Harry Luke Mulvany
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