In this post I am returning to a photograph which is on my dining room wall. First shown in a Golden Plains Arts Trail exhibition in 2017 ‘Limbs’ evokes some of the ambiguity of my creative style. I enjoy viewers (and readers) bringing their subjective experience to my work. The ambiguous ‘Limbs’ image has had people seeing fish, a man, an owl, and more. Let me know what you see in this fallen tree branch.

My Take on Ambiguity in Art

Ambiguity, for me, enables me to express myself in a way that allows others to engage with my work. There is something solid at the core. A truth, a form, an emotion. However, the exact details of that core can shift with the perspective and framing individuals bring to it. It has hints of relative truth or emotional truth and can allow people to see themselves in the work.

Sometimes the meaning people glean is the exact opposite of my intention. An example of this is a short article I wrote about being a non-custodial step-parent. My intention was to write about everything I felt I missed out on by not being present at key moments. The reader took it to be a tribute to motherhood and how dedicated mothers are. In reality, the article was true on both levels. The fact that I only saw one side means the reader contributed a great deal to my understanding of my own writing. As creatives, I feel such contributions are highly valuable to our work.

While some people might argue that ambiguity is a way of avoiding scrutiny, I take the opposite view. Ambiguous work invites questions. It enables different frames to reveal different aspects of the theme. Usually, it begins a discussion which can lead to unexpected places. The next few posts will explore ambiguity in different contexts.

In the meantime, let me know what you see when you look at ‘Limbs’.

If you enjoyed this post, you can view other posts in the series here.