Power in the Image | Visual Literacy in the Age of COVID-19

Abstract

The aim of this portfolio is to explore a journey of research examining the role of photography and visual literacy in contemporary society through the lens of COVID-19 media coverage, attending to the misrepresentation of marginalized communities. The digital revolution has made a significant impact on the way photographs are created, modified, and shared, yet not enough attention is devoted to investigating the implications of this shift. Images published on online platforms, including mainstream media, social media and elsewhere, continue to function as public pedagogy, influencing the ways we understand the pandemic, the world, and ourselves. This portfolio presents four artifacts which contribute to the discourse examining the role of visual culture and visual literacy following the digital turn. These items include 1) a literature review; 2) chapters from a book which examines visual documentation of the Capitol Riots; 3) a visual synthesis of a media observatory study which examines discourse on social media and finally, 4) an educational video presentation exploring visual literacy through the lens of COVID-19 media coverage.