Exaggeration in art as a tool of interpretation and its reflection in plastic arts

The depiction of peculiar half-human, half-animal creatures on cave walls by early humans signifies diverse interpretations of reality. The emergence of this illusion in drawings by our early ancestors unfamiliar with painting has always piqued curiosity. Motivations behind the use of exaggeration in the creation process remain intriguing. In order to transform reality into a more meaningful form and highlight value, the application of exaggeration, transcending the ordinary flow of life, is evident in daily life and art as an expressive and interpretive tool, spanning from ancient cave walls to today. When artists employ exaggeration to interpret their realities, the resulting fusion of visible and invisible elements reflects in the narration as an expression of the artist's liberated creation. The originality of these narrative modes fosters a diverse understanding of reality. This study analyzes the concept of exaggeration, its theoretical implications, and selected artworks across various disciplines and periods within the context of exaggeration. Considering the interactions among art disciplines, this evaluation extends to the plastic arts, examining the current state of the concept of exaggeration. The rationale for selecting this thesis topic is to provide a new perspective on exaggeration in art and explore how artists use it as a tool of expression and interpretation. As an unexplored subject, it aims to address a significant gap in Turkish literature related to art. Keywords: Art, exaggeration, interpretation, plastic arts.