Square Root Dictatorship

1. The creator of this image is the Polish photographer and artist Pawel Kuczynski. Kuczynski’s background heavily impacts the image as most of his work is political and goes against the idea of dictatorships and tyranny that the image represents.
2. The intended message of the image is that dictators or those with the complete control of a group of people who are seen as superior to their followers are in fact the same as everyone else. The dictator is seen in the image as a square root of four being worshiped by twos. Because the square root of four is equal to two, the image suggests that the one being worshiped is just the same as their worshipers. It also shows that those who pronounce that the worshiped is equal to their worshipers by saying the square root of four equals two and is taken away by other twos.
3. The message is persuasive in showing how corrupt the leaders who make themselves seem superior to their followers are. It appeals using logos because the observer sees that it doesn’t make sense that the square root of four is in fact equal to two but the twos still worship the square root of four.
4. The intended audience seems to be those who are followers of leaders who claim that they are superior to their followers in someway to tell them that the leader is the same as their followers.
5. The context of the image is that dictatorships conceptually do not make sense and that those who gain a following by claiming to be superior are frauds. The square root of four in the image seems to have ordered their police to detain any of those who state that he is their equal in order to maintain their power and influence.

Semiotic Elements

1. SYMBOLIC

The only color in this image is the color of the numbers which implies, with the color red’s negative connotation, that the words being said by the leader and their followers are false or evil or something to that tune. In the image, the square root of four is seen standing above a group of twos bowing towards them implies that the square root of four is superior. The character being worshiped can be seen holding a square root of four in front of them while the other characters have a two on them and are not holding the number. This implies that the character holding the square root of two may be a two that holds a square root of four in front of their two to deceive their followers. In the image, their are two characters wearing police hats dragging away the character who is saying that the square root of four equals two or that the leader is equal to their followers. This implies that the leader is willing to use force in subjecting their followers to their rule.

2. WRITTEN

The choice of words is very basic math to express how simple it is to see that a dictatorship is flawed because nobody is truly superior. The fact that most people know that the square root of four is two but the twos in the image are still worshiping the square root of four makes Kuczynski’s message clear.