The Semantic Levels in Contemporary Ceramics

Abstract

Abstract

The current research aims to explore the semantic levels in contemporary ceramics by analyzing the expressive, aesthetic, and semantic dimensions embedded in this field. The study consists of four main chapters. The first chapter is devoted to defining the research problem, its significance, the need for the study, and its objective. The second chapter (the theoretical framework) includes three sections: the first discusses the aesthetic dimension within semantic levels; the second focuses on the concept of semantics; while the third addresses contemporary Iraqi ceramics. The third chapter deals with the research procedures, Chapter Four focuses on the research findings, the most significant of which are:

1. Ceramics is employed as an expressive medium capable of representing human issues through visual vocabularies that range between realism and abstraction.

2. The content of the ceramic work is directly connected to the artist’s social, political, and cultural context, whereby the artwork becomes a semantic document that records events and reflects human, social, cultural, or other stances.

Among the most important conclusions are:

1. The structural formations in ceramics range between realism and abstraction. This diversity contributes to the expansion of semantic fields, allowing the artist to address sensitive and complex themes through various aesthetic forms.

2. The study emphasizes the importance of analyzing ceramic works through a semiotic approach, as it considers the symbolic structure essential for understanding the expressive depth of this art, moving beyond traditional formal analysis.