“Art is nothing but ventriloquism, making the mute speak. In this sense, art is a metaphor.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
- He became a representative figure of postwar Japanese literature, and was highly acclaimed both at home and abroad. He pursued his own unique aesthetic with themes of beauty and death, and ultimately committed seppuku at a Self-Defense Forces garrison. His life, which combined literature with action, continues to have a strong influence today.
Japanese
「芸術とは物言わぬものをして物言わしめる腹話術に他ならぬ。この意味でまた、芸術とは比喩であるのである」
English
“Art is nothing but ventriloquism, making the mute speak. In this sense, art is a metaphor.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima likens art to ventriloquism, where the mute or silent is made to speak, thereby giving voice to things that would otherwise remain voiceless or inexpressible. The artist, like a ventriloquist, imbues life into inanimate objects, ideas, or emotions, allowing them to communicate with the audience. This idea highlights the transformative power of art, which takes something that lacks direct voice—such as material, concepts, or feelings—and gives it the capacity to speak, often conveying meanings and emotions that go beyond what is immediately apparent. By describing art in this way, Mishima emphasizes that art is not just a literal representation, but a creative process that interprets and redefines reality, much like a metaphor that conveys deeper truths through indirect means.
Mishima’s concept of art as ventriloquism connects to his broader ideas of expression, creation, and the role of the artist. For Mishima, the artist is not simply a passive observer or reproducer of the world but an active force that gives voice to things that are often ignored, suppressed, or unspoken. In this view, art serves as a metaphor, an indirect means of communicating complex or profound ideas that cannot be easily articulated through ordinary speech. It is a form of interpretation, where the artist channels something beyond the surface of the world, bringing to life new perspectives and emotional depths. The metaphorical aspect of art, as Mishima suggests, lies in its ability to represent and reveal what is not immediately visible, much like a metaphor that conveys meaning through symbolism and indirection.
In a modern context, Mishima’s words invite us to reconsider the role of art in communicating ideas and emotions that are difficult to express directly. Today, art continues to serve as a powerful means of giving voice to the inexpressible, whether through abstract expressionism, symbolic literature, or other forms of creative expression. Just as a ventriloquist makes the silent speak, artists today transform the invisible—be it emotion, culture, or social issues—into something visible and vocal, conveying ideas that transcend the limitations of literal language. Mishima’s metaphor encourages us to see art not just as a reflection of the world, but as a creative force that shapes and reinterprets reality, giving voice to those things that would otherwise remain silent.
Would you like to share your impressions or related stories about this quote in the comments section?
