Using the audio-vision theory to understand Law and Politics: an analysis of the clip “Cowboy Fora da Lei” by Raul Seixas

Abstract

This conceptual paper focuses on the relationship between law, music and images, and seeks to demonstrate how the interconnection of these three elements can be interpreted as a vehicle for social struggle, based on the example of Raul Seixas. Since the artist composed at a time when the law was created and imposed by dictatorial figures, his rock songs can be understood as representations of this law, which can help to understand the political, legal and social relations of this period. However, when researchers from different areas propose to work with this type of document, some elements tend to be ignored, such as the melody and video clips of these songs. The paper, in this sense, will present a way of using the image, sounds and lyrics, in order to complement senses and to direct or to disperse the perception of the spectators using the theory of the audio-vision proposed by Michel Chion.