ON THE COVER: WHAT'S ICONIC (AND WHAT'S NOT)
The word “iconic”, writes Jonathan Meades in the new issue of Intelligent Life, "is today’s expression of humankind’s perennial bent towards aggrandisement.” Tim de Lisle, editor of the magazine, announces the new issue ...
Special to MORE INTELLIGENT LIFE
You can’t switch on the television these days, or open a newspaper, without hearing the word “iconic”. Everything from the new American president to the old British phone box has been hailed as an icon. In the new quarterly issue of Intelligent Life, on sale now in Britain and across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Jonathan Meades takes a witty look at the iconic epidemic.
In his research, Meades finds that people have written about an iconic baby lotion, an iconic cassoulet, an iconic enema, an iconic shoehorn and an iconic Coventry City football shirt of the 1970s, as well as umpteen iconic buildings and celebrities.
The word “iconic”, he writes, is “cosily religiose, softly spiritual… It is today’s expression of humankind’s perennial bent towards aggrandisement.”
Meades, author of our cover story on Zaha Hadid ("The first great female architect", Summer 2008), traces the history of the word, from the ancient Greeks and the early Christians (the original iconoclasts), to the Nazis and Stalin, and on to the visual bombast of today’s stadium-rock concerts. He makes it plain: iconic is indeed the adjective of the age.
Plus...
The invisible mogul: meeting James Murdoch
The latest in the Authors on Museums series: the bestselling novelist Anthony Horowitz on why he loves Tate Modern
A profile of Andrew Sullivan, by Johann Hari
The photo essay: slavery today: the faces of indentured labourers in India, photographed by Pete Pattisson
Ed Smith on why it’s hard to warm to Tiger Woods
Julie Kavanagh on Stefan Zweig, a scintillating writer who should be more famous than he is
How to buy a sofa
Leonard Rossiter by his daughter: living with a comic genius
The cuddly couturier: an interview with Alber Elbaz of Lanvin
Mike Atherton on Guyana, the country his wife comes from
Andrew Marr on Magna Carta: what did it actually say?
The career of Helen Mirren, from the London stage in 1968 to the new movie State of Play
Most of the contents will be posted here, bit by bit, over the three months that the magazine is on sale. As ever, do let us know what you think.
Picture credit: Pingüim na Janela (via Flickr)
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Comments
What's Iconic?
March 16, 2009 - 09:25 — Silas Amos (not verified)The (over) use of "iconic" has become such a cliche, lazily deployed in creative briefs and presentations as a substitute for having a point. As a design agency we have tried to give the word a meaningful definition for our clients - http://www.jkr.co.uk/design-gazette/category/iconic-design/ .The truth is it's much easier to show it than write about it. In the meantime we will continue to create work which is, well, totemist.
Iconic?
March 17, 2009 - 00:18 — Chase Wegmann (not verified)Within the context of no context nothing can be considered new OR iconic ;)
with apologies to George W. S. Trow
Iconic : the adjective of the age
March 23, 2009 - 16:40 — vanessa hobbs (not verified)Jonathan Meades' definition of "iconicity" is a bit vague; it seems to embrace anyone or thing which produces an emotional effect through the use of a clever design.(This might help to explain the present proliferation of "icons".)
For the use of the word "iconic" not to be a marketing cliché or a malapropism, I think that these three conditions need to be fulfilled:
1)The individual, image, object or brand is the first, the best, the most famous or, indeed, the only one of its kind;
2)It imprints itself indelibly on our minds (cluttered though they be);
3)It embodies very specific "values" and thus speaks
to us (or at least to some of us)in a very clear voice.
Another approach would be to imagine which example of every "genre" is worth putting into a rather small time capsule...
Famous " Iconic "
April 30, 2009 - 12:03 — Cobra Insurance (not verified)After reading this article, I believe its true that the word iconic has become a norm in many sentences or places. Since the word has been very notable, many have started to go through the deep meaning of it.
Iconic perception
August 5, 2009 - 05:12 — Beads Stalk (not verified)It's a way for people to express a meaning or something that's symbolic to a group or individual and shouldn't be criticized for excessive abuse because its just a word and therefore available for expression. Its not something that's reserved only for intellects or scholars but for everyone to use however they see fit.
Not so
October 17, 2009 - 07:46 — Mountain Bikes (not verified)I don't agree with the previous comment. Where would the English language be if everyone used it how they wished and abused both meaning and context. Our language has evolved over thousands of years for one purpose, to help us truly understand each other. The overuse of 'iconic' represents the catabolism of this progress.
According to me if the word
October 28, 2009 - 09:46 — agence (not verified)According to me if the word iconic has become a norm in many sentences or places, that's to simplify the language.
Yeah, it seems like everyone
December 16, 2009 - 14:34 — Dan Westwood (not verified)Yeah, it seems like everyone is using the word "iconic" without even giving it a second thought. It's pretty much cheapening the word. Anyway, just thought I'd leave a note saying how iconic this website is ;)
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