Analysis and expression of works of art through visual literacy method: The relationship between nature and lyricism in İsa Eliri’s paintings

Abstract

Visual literacy is a multidimensional competence encompassing an individual's ability to understand, interpret, and express visual narratives. The accurate and comprehensible decoding of visual language enables this competence in expression and communication. Therefore, visual literacy, which has become a functional tool in many fields such as art, education, communication, and media, plays a crucial role in narrating visual data as text and presenting it to the reader. Visual literacy equips individuals with the ability to analyze works of art, analyze visual elements in everyday life, and evaluate them within their cultural contexts. As the viewer's relationship with visuals deepens, the narratives, symbols, and messages conveyed by artworks become more comprehensible. Methods such as semiotics, cultural analysis, and formal and stylistic studies are used in the analysis of artworks. Therefore, visual literacy, which allows the viewer to develop their own interpretation, is not limited to aesthetic evaluation alone but transforms it into a process of in-depth comprehension and understanding of the cultural and narrative layers of artworks. This article, by Prof. The aim of this article is to develop a text using visual literacy methods to understand the meaning and content of İsa Eliri's artworks by giving examples from his paintings. In this context, this article examines a sample work from İsa Eliri's "Heyemola" series from a visual literacy perspective, analyzing the meaning structures and content of the artist's artistic expression through the imagery, symbols, signs, and themes he focuses on. Analyses, particularly of color, form, and figurative arrangements, reveal that the artist's narrative style and the messages he wishes to convey are constructed within the relationship between nature and lyricism. Approached through the possibilities offered by visual literacy, İsa Eliri's works offer a compelling expression of the world of the sea and fishermen, revealing the multidimensional nature of artistic narrative.