Abstract

A story can be visually expressed as Static Visual Narratives (SVNs) in a number of ways. These are done by using certain elements such as event, actor, space and time. We begin by making the assumption that SVNs are composed of certain finite elements which are persistently present across all SVNs. In this paper we aim to prove that SVNs have certain recurrent elements; based on this evidence we can then draw the conclusion that SVNs have a structure composed of the elements identified. The methodology followed is: 1) Assumptions were made with regards to the existence of a finite set of elements. 2) Following George Hanfmann’s study of Narration in Hellenistic Art, Vidya Dehejia’s study of Modes of Visual Narratives in Early Buddhist Art and Mieke Bal’s studies in Narratology; a list of a number of possible elements was drawn. 3) This list was compared against a number of SVNs that were examined to check for additional elements. The two lists were compiled into one, featuring elements that were found to recur across SVNs. 4) These were then defined and arranged in a table. 5) Around 70 SVNs were selected across media, culture, genre, history and tested for the presence of the elements identified. The results confirmed the presence of elements in SVN and also the fact that the elements identified were found to exist across SVNs irrespective of media, culture, genre and history; thus proving that the elements in an SVN are universal in nature.