Mixed Messages Each one of us has the power to create messages, to receive messages and to be a part of messages. Mixed Messages was a project conducted in Sherry Meyers ESL (English as a second language) classroom. The first phase of this exercise is to show how images have not only multiple messages but varying depth and texture depending on the “read” of the perceiver and the intentions of the creator (artist/ editor) of the images. The next phase is selecting images for their value as background and foreground. How does a background support, distract or contrast the subject of the foreground? Images are selected to be foreground or background. Captions are attached that describe the meaning of the mix. Concepts the students were asked to consider: What is expressed is not necessarily what is experienced by the viewer. Much understanding of the message depends on how “loaded” our senses are with prior experiences. Thus, intention and perception in messages may be far apart or intimately coincidental. To begin to understand the subtle power of images and their messages, we began to study images in terms of the criteria “dark”, “light” and “mixed”. These are not moral criteria, but impressionistic, culture-bound intuitive criteria for interpretation. EXAMPLE: A soldier with a weapon “light” – he is courageous, protecting his country “dark” – he could be killed or need to kill “mixed” – he is young and proud, yet he may be killed in action