Resisting metaphors: a metonymic approach to the study of creativity and cognition in art analysis and practice
Ryland, Susan (2011) Resisting metaphors: a metonymic approach to the study of creativity and cognition in art analysis and practice. PhD thesis, University of Brighton/University for the Creative Arts.
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We know from Aristotle that metaphor is a cognitive process that enables a rich and rapid understanding of new ideas. Its cognitive partner metonymy, however, has received significantly less attention.
This research addresses two fundamental elements of metonymy in thought: firstly its definition, and secondly its function in creativity. It is a first foray into non-verbal metonymic creative thought, taken from an art practice perspective. This viewpoint offers access to how metonymy functions in material processes, and how it draws meaning from proximal contexts. With reference to cognitive linguistics, art philosophy and complexity theory, it uses case-study analysis and art practice to consider where and how meaning is held within processes, materials, objects, language and context, and the relationship between metonymy, metaphor, literality, alience and novelty. It suggests a new, pragmatic definition of metonymy for use in non-verbal communication analysis, including visual art, sound art and music. It finds that metonymy is a highly dynamic domain-internal process of meaning expansion, which uses proximity and adjacency to draw in meaning.
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Brighton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy following a programme of study at the University for the Creative Arts.
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