Figurative Language

Figurative Language

Tracey Pu

MARCH 1 – MARCH 25, 2016

In the ghostly ink drawings that comprise Figurative Language, Tracey Pu explores the presentation of the human figure as a metaphor for the challenges physicians face in clinical settings. Multiple levels of meaning and ambiguity may be the “life blood” of art, but as a pre-med student, Pu has found that physicians often encounter patients exhibiting conflicting signs and symptoms that can complicate forming an accurate diagnosis. Pu’s ink drawings are not illustrations of that conundrum. Instead, they demonstrate that the measure of success – the search for objective and applicable information – in the scientific realm is different than the measure of success of a work of art. So, while art often evades reduction to a single meaning or “reading,” successful diagnosis and treatment of patients relies on the physician’s ability to uncover vital information that is sometimes obscured. Pu implies that what unites these two kinds of “searching” is the importance of a holistic approach, taking into account the body, mind, and emotions.