Cultural phenomenon can be variously interpreted, depending upon the narrator and his experience of the signs interpreted (Wikipedia Manifesto). More than just being a transmission of a subject, cultural phenomenon also represents a performance of a person, a group, or a society. Society presents itself through fads and waves of behavior according to its developing to express its inner need to grow and develop into a whole and complete entity. The various barriers to this expression find symbolizing itself through images and literatures (Monaco 28). These levels of subjective abstraction are again culturally divided into modes of subjective expression, where individuals collectively find themselves coalescing together thru these disciplines: practical or pictorial, environmental or narrative, dramatic or musical (Monaco 28).
But to record is to preserve a physical image. Our physical images collected under books pamphlets, archives and libraries. Libraries are filled, knowledge bases are expanded, and collection are disseminated and shared inter-culturally. Catalysts of fermented minds are added which develop these records into hybrids works and developments. Cultures are expanded, new insight is gained and culture develops classical mindsets. For example, the semiotics philosophy of the medieval period is enhanced and developed into a full-blown science in the 21st century. Themes of Beethoven and Mozart take on new meanings thru works of Schoenberg and the Vienna School. Again, what was once part of the subjective axis of expression for one culture in transcended and developed by a later culture?
Records are the transmission of subjective experiences; the physical image of those experiences must be interpreted by those the lay claim to them. For ex ample Orson Welles Citizen Kane, becomes the inspiration for a whole era of moviemakers because of the mastery of Wells as Director (Wikipedia Citizen). Furthermore, it is well known that “film combines revolutionary cinematography” (Wikipedia Citizen). Perhaps it is hard to imagine how many persons were inspired by the imagination of Welles cinematic techniques; the techniques are records of these subjective experiences of Welles in relation to the figurative characters. We can understand how a cultural phenomenon may depicted in a movies such as Ten Commandments, Schindler's List or Titanic, which embody deep and significant values of persons and relationships, even spanning over decades or centuries. We assume that a record is a physical image, which can become an artifact.
If we ask still a further question about the significance of what the artifact represents it is possible to assume that this type of representation is a cognitive grasp of a yet more deeper phenomenon in the person: it represents a subjective image or abstraction of the persons own subjectivity. So not only is an artifact a record of subjective experience, but also a symbolism of subjectivity.
In short, there is a close relationship between the work and the worker (Monaco 31). The mode in which the work is produced by the materials of the work signifies both the subjective experience of the worker as well as the tools and materials available. The materials chosen to objectify or document his experiences are an important aspect of the imprint of the worker on the work. The worker and the posthumous worker as well as the faked work are all different realities. Someone can mimic the outward techniques of the work but the interior choices, without autobiographical documentation are harder to decipher. So why are the arts divided into is performing, representational and recording (Monaco 27)?
A true representation of subjective experience can take on modes of expression in culture. Every subjective act of the performing artists, the representational artists and the recording artist are individual and ethical acts. Ethical acts are true human acts, for every human act is an expression of an indidual. It seems to follow that the axis of transmission, which we have been discussing, represents the record of performance. The axis of transmission is also a representation of performance. Each signified act is also a subjective performance of an interior (unseen) performance of a subject. To the degree that the transmission of an actors acts of performance record his true subjectivity they are a true interpretation and are objectively record his interpretation; on the other hand, to the degree that the performer mimics or fakes a performance they cannot be considered a true interpretation of a work of art: film, play, opera, etc.
The true interpretation of a performer can only be a true interpretation of this objective signification of his own maturity as actor and performer. Frequently we see many actors playing the roles of a character in a movie. More frequently musicians are often asked to interpret a piece of classical music. Both Lynn Harrell and Yo Yo Ma are interpreters of the Bach Cello Suites.
We began our paper by stating the thesis that the subjective and objective performing act represents the subject; that the subject is a mode of the axis of transmission (Monaco 30). The point being that cultural phenomenon are a coalescence of varying mode of subjective interpretations, these interpretations of society form part of a significant part of each of the arts, especially film which combines several of the individual arts (Monaco 28).
