How Does Art Use Metaphors?

How has artwork transformed itself with the use of metaphors? With many different artwork pieces we have seen through museums or within our textbooks, most would include an underlying meaning. The underlying meaning of the artwork is depicted by the audience and how they would choose to interpret the artwork. For instance, in Frida Kahlo’s self-portrait piece with a thorn necklace and a dead hummingbird, it signifies certain objects to show her own characteristics. Aside from the hummingbird, which could have meant light transcendent or escape, there are also different animals and objects surrounding her in her artwork piece. The animals in the paintings include a cat (signifies on being catty), a monkey (substitute for children she could not
The text titled, “Metaphor in Scientific Discourse”, by Johnson Sheehan discusses how vital metaphors are to gain knowledge and an aspect of change. For instance, from the text, “Metaphor is a device for guiding or changing perspective.” shows the use of metaphors is seen as a guide to create a broader perspective and create a new way of thinking. Many individuals learn differently, and some may find the use of metaphors incorporated into their learning would enhance their understanding of the topic. Also from the text, “In other word, metaphor like ‘light is a wave’ or ‘nature is a machine’ can serve as motivating perspectives from which scientists continually expand and further invent new ways to conceptualize natural phenomena.” Although this quote signifies the use of metaphors within science, the idea incorporates the idea that metaphors are used to describe new phenomes that would otherwise make it harder to comprehend. Ultimately, without being fully aware that we use metaphors daily within our language, we explain our simple thoughts like “light is a wave”. This reading presents the idea that metaphors can be used not only in science, but it is seen through our language without comprehending. In Frida Kahlo’s artwork, she is able to use objects as a disguise for her emotions and with everyone’s different ways of thinking, her artwork can be interpreted differently. Are we able to
From “Ways of Seeing” by John Berger introduces the idea on how things are seen and gives perspective, but we pay attention to what resembles ourselves. The author writes, “We are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves. Our vision is continually active, continually moving, continually holding things in a circle around itself, constituting what is present to us as we are.” which shows that we look to create a connection between an object with ourselves. We continue to think of relations between what we see, which corresponds with the use of metaphors. The only way for us to use metaphor and incorporate it into the way we talk, we will need to use our previous knowledge to apply it in a new context. The author also says, “On each board all the images belong to the same language and all are more or less equal within it, because they have been chosen in a highly personal way to match and express the experience of the room’s inhabitant.” In other words, the author believes that the artwork we post on our wall plays a significant role in our lives and connects to us in a personal matter. We wouldn’t just put up an artwork that shows no meaning towards us. Both of these quotes are examples on how artwork can be a fundamental aspect in representing who we are. It connects with metaphors because it is structured through artwork