Michal Rovner 1

8/22/2019 Michal Rovner 1

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ImplicitMeanings

Metaphor

and

Symbol

MichalRovnerByLindaWeintraub

in

In

the

Making:

Creative

Options

for

Contemporary

Art(page44 51)


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Pg44


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Pg44


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(*page48last2ndpara)


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summaries


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Videoinstallation:

Mutual

Interest

utilizesmetaphorsandsymbolstocommunicatecomplex

ideas

and

mixed

perspectives. Whymetaphorsandsymbols?

toexpand(towidenthescope)significance

augment(to

increase

and

enlarge)

meaning

toembody(include)opposingtruth


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But

metaphors

and

symbols

only

accomplish

these

taskswhenmembersoftheaudienceinterpretthem

Rovners useof

metaphors

and

symbols

instead

ofstraightforwardrepresentationsallows

viewersto

become

engaged

in

the

searching

of

otherpossiblemeaningsthatisbeyondthefirst

impressiontheworkgave.


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Whatisrepresentation

Isitaduplicateofanoriginal?

re

implies

that

the

subject

is

created

in

new

form. Similaritiesanddifferencesinrepresentationsareequally

apparent.

Oneof

the

remarkable

attributes

of

artistic

representationisthatthesubjectoftheworkofartmaybedifferentfromthesubjectoftherepresentation.

Example?


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Impactofmetaphoricalrepresentationon

viewers: Artobserversaregiventhetasktosearchfor

meaningsthat

are

obscured

by

metaphors

and

camouflagedassymbols.

An

audience

is

given

his/her

responsibility

he/sheisnotapassivereceiverofmeaningbut

activeinterpreter.


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3levelsofseeingmetaphorsWeintraub

providesthrough

Rovners

work:

1. Whenrepresentationsexpressesemotionalstatesoftheartist.

2. Conveyanceof

possible

political

circumstances.

3. Transcendingthe

specific

(artists

subjective

mind/emotion,political/socialconcerns)to

arriveatuniversalconditions.


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1.Expressionoftheartistsemotional

state.

Whatkind

of

emotion?

Fears?Enxieties?


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Thebirdsswirlaroundyouuntilyouaredizzy.I

usefour

microphones.

You

became

obliterated.

Rovnermanipulatesher

filmsjustas

sculptors

modelingclay

Sherespondsto

herexpressionist

impulses


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Meaningsandinterpretations

proliferates3functionsofrepresentationthroughmultipletransferenceofthebirdimages:

1. Providesopportunitiesforviewerstorelatetothework.

2. stagewhereappreciationisautomatic relaxes

viewers3. Viewersareleadintoanexpandedterritory

interpretationcomesin.

whatthings

have

in

common

makes

their

identity

ambiguous betweenstrangenessandfamiliarity.


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Photographyasamediumwithgreatexpressive

properties

for

Rovner.

thefirsttimeItookpicturesforaclassIwas

shockedthat

the

objects

didnt

look

the

way

they

didinreality,butlike myfeelings.

Resemblance

to

the

invisibles

in

representations.


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MutualInterestasexampleofexpressive

art. How?

Elements:overwhelming

scale

of

the

screen,

stark

andgrimcolourscheme,disorientingtempoin

birds

actions

from

frenzy

to

frozen,

cameras

interspersingandchaoticzoomsetc.


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Thethemehereisnotaboutbirds.Birdsarethe

vehicle,the

material,

the

point

of

departure.

This

film

isacommentonmyfeelings.Thingsareunstable,in

flux.Theygofromgoodtobadtogood.

Birdsexternalize internalstateofsomeone

possessedby

demented

force

or

suffering

from

hysteria.

Emotionalcharge

of

the

work

capable

of

generatingallkindsofsubjectiveresponses

fromaudiences.


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2.Conveyingpossiblepolitical

circumstances

through

further

metaphors.

How?

Disassociatingbirdfromitsusualmeaning.

Means:the

arbitrary

combination

of

helicopter

soundwithflockingbirds.

Thismeansasanexampleof:

1. Metaphorisimaginativeconstruct.

2. Metaphorisaproductoftheartistsconstantsearchformeaning.


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Rovnersbackground

IsraelilivingintheStateduringGulfwar.

Herexperienceofthewarthroughthetele

Metaphorsderivingfromherbackground:

Birdsas

human,

need

for

stable

territory

home

Thedriveofatinybirdtothatoftinynationfighting

Flockingbirds refugees

Etc. Whatwastheartistsownexplanationofthework?

(page48last2ndpara)


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Inthe2ndlevelviewersresponseinvolves

applicationof

imagination

and

intelligence.

Butisthisenoughtoaccountforthecomplexityof

thiswork?


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Theessenseofthings

Whatisit?

Why

is

important? theessenseislocatedinthehumancollective

unconscious,aremoteterritorythatmaybedifficultfor

people

to

access Issymbolusefulhere?

Symbolsconveysaspectsofrealitythatescapesordinary

centersof

perceptions

and

that

bypass

ordinary

modes

of

expression.


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JosephCampbellsstatement:

(Page492ndpara)


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symbols

Componentsofculturalinheritance

Donot

need

to

be

learned.

Oftenelicit(bringforth)rawimmediacyofan

emotion.

Thereforeittranscendstime,individualimagination,

andlanguage

E.g.

bird

arecurring

symbol

in

many

diff

cultures

of

similaranddifferentmeanings.

>finallytoarriveatuniversalcondition!

b d h f


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3.Goingbeyondthespecifictoarriveat

universalmeaning

traditionalsymbolismisingrainedinthehumanpsyche.

MutualInterest,bydepictingbirdsasmessengersof

turmoil,stripsthemoftheirageoldassociations.

weintraub

flyingbrings

to

mind

wings,

initiation,

getting

from

one

placetoanother.Tome,itsmoreaboutbeingtakenout

ofcontext,beingdetached.Itsaboutbeinginbetween,

aftertaking

off

and

before

landing

rovner


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Birds

Stirdeeprecessesofhumanpsycheinsteadofjoyfulelation

Rovner intendedtoconjureexperienceofchaos.

InfluenceofChinesephilosophy:fluxaspartof

everything. Rovner gobeyondtheconfinesofnormsinrational

thinkingtoarriveatsomethingmoreimpactful through

referencing

on

the

unpredictable

power

of

nature

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Michal Rovner 1