ABSTRACT
In contemporary Western societies we are surrounded by visual images, the products of visual culture: billboard and magazine ads seek to capture our attention at least momentarily while signs in shops, offices and public places tell us where things are, where to go and what not to do. Cinema and television occupy significant portions of our leisure time and increasingly our eyes are directed towards images on computer screens and mobile phones and other communicative devices. These images are the products of visual culture. Technological developments, beginning with the printing press through to computer-assisted design, have ensured that we live in times when visual images are instantly available and everywhere present.
