Philosophical research on the media role of graphics based on the theory of the culture industry of the Frankfurt School

Mass communication, media and the effect they leave on the crown had always been a noteworthy subject for Frankfort School scholars. The mental and investigative features of the school is based on criticizing modern human being in regards of macro lifestyle, economics, authority relations, culture, art and to propose theories on emergence and penetration of capitalism. They combine the capitalism domination, communication, culture and art with a critical and social perspective and proposed a theory called “culture industry”. This theory was the beginning point of an extended discussions, combined with technical evolution in cultural, communication philosophy and art contexts. By analyzing culture in industrial society Frankfort School got to the conclusion that mass communication has mixed up art, philosophy, industry and economics, turning cultural values into an exchanging commodity. They suggest that mass media is changing cultural environments at a high speed and in such condition, capital owners are guiding the crowd mental setup into any direction which is beneficial for them by the help of the media and advertisement. Critical study is evaluating the mass media goals, values and effects on social life.
Another subject being surveyed by Frankfort School is art. Frankfort School scholars believe in two types of art: one being original and the other being consumable art which is playing an important and effective role in various fields of social and economic contexts. Technologic development, mass reproduction and as a result, destroying the divine emergence of art has eliminated the exclusive characteristic of art and made it available to the crowd. Linkage between art and technology brought a combination of knowledge and artistic taste to resolve the life requirements in a new area, provided the possibility of new experiments for the crowd in confrontation with artistic works. Graphic design, as a reproductive art which is born out of modern era technology in addition to aesthetics features, has a significant share in advertising and capitalism development due to economic relations, and is fixed as a foundations for capitalism in economic system. Art of graphics, as an effective tool in concept transmission encompasses the vastest section of visual culture in global society and is able to influence various cultures. This art plays a vital role in communicational relationships of the crowd, sometimes as the messenger and sometimes as a message itself. Graphic design have always been following and serving the present movements such as capitalism, politics, culture, journalism, etc. for its natural capabilities. The role and function of Graphic design in mass media and advertisement has separated this art from the other contexts of fine arts. In this research, attempts are made to pay attention to aesthetic and artistic properties of Graphic design such as beauty and innovativeness as well as communicative role it plays as the most important tool in noticing and promoting social and cultural fields through the critical approach of Frankfort School in a content of culture industry.