Metaphor, Art and Understanding

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Metaphor, Art and Understanding
Judith A. Johnson, Ed.D. Yamaguchi University
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Metaphor, Art and Understanding

• Metaphor
• Culture
• Print Culture
• Visual Culture
• Examples of Visual and Spiritual Metaphors
• The Significance of Visual Culture and Spiritual
  Metaphor to the World

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Metaphor rose beauty
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Print Culture
Knowledge dissemination and processing occur
largely via the printed word.
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Visual Culture
Knowledge dissemination and processing is mainly
through visual means.
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The use of metaphor in the Print Culture is
largely to make a profit.
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The use of metaphor in the Visual Culture is to
symbolize the relationship between humans and
nature.
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Spiritual metaphor conveys information about
human qualities and what it means to be a
complete human being, in harmony with the group
and nature.
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Metaphor tree peace
This symbol is found in cultures in many parts of
the world. In some cultures, It is a symbol of
life.
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Corn Culture
Cultural and spiritual metaphors often appear in
the arts of a culture. Through art, we can learn
what is important to a visual culture.
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Corn Culture
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Chili Culture
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Chili Culture
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I Change MyselfMorning star inside the circle
(independent action)
An African Culture Spiritual Metaphor
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God is in the HeavensA symbol of hope and a
reminder that God is in heaven where he can
listen to all prayers.
African Culture
Used by the Olinga Foundation Unity in
Spirit and Action
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Spiritual Metaphor in African Art
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Spiritual Metaphors Printed on African Cloth
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Spiritual Metaphor in Indiathe lotus flower.
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A Besotho House
Field plowing and flower patterns symbolize
fertility and creation.
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This house has a flower painted above the doorway
with a hole cut into it to let the blue sky
through it is a direct call for rain.
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The circle, a metaphor for eternity of motion, is
in cultures in all parts of the world.
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Peyote Cactus
This is a Spiritual Metaphor of the Huichol, a
Mexican culture.
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Huichol Bead Art - Bowl
Mexico
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Huisol Beaded Sunface Mask
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Huichol Yarn Art
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Aztec Sunstone
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A spiritual metaphor for the Inuit of Northern
Canadathe inukshuk.
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For centuries the Inuit have depended upon the
inukshuk. Placed in strategic locations in the
wilderness, inukshuks direct travelers along the
best and safest routes. The inukshuk represents
human emotion and connectivity. Notice that the
inukshuk looks like a human. Without perfect
balance, the structure can neither be made nor
last.
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Legitimizing and comprehending knowledge
processing by visual cultures must occur before
humanity can be whole. We can help further the
understanding of, and respect for the visual
processing of knowledge by learning more about
visual cultures and incorporating a variety of
art forms (singing, dancing, chanting, drawing
story telling, photography and crafts) in our
teaching.