Week 5- The Culture of Art
1. Functions of Early Art
a. What were the cave artists trying to say?
- I believe that they were showing how they lived their lives and the certain people and things that were important to them. After looking at the art, they mainly focused on the people and animals that were involved in their lives. The art of the animals showed them traveling and how they acted in certain areas. The cave paintings show their cultural traditions that involved the people and animals.
b. Why do you think that there were so many animals and not as many people in the paintings?
-I think that were was more paintings of animals than people because they were constantly surrounded by the animals in the paintings. They wanted to show the different kinds of animals that they were able to hunt and eventually eat. The animals played an important role in their survival so the artists probably felt that it was more important to draw them instead of a bunch of people roaming around. Also, it was probably easier to draw the animals than the people.
-I think that were was more paintings of animals than people because they were constantly surrounded by the animals in the paintings. They wanted to show the different kinds of animals that they were able to hunt and eventually eat. The animals played an important role in their survival so the artists probably felt that it was more important to draw them instead of a bunch of people roaming around. Also, it was probably easier to draw the animals than the people.
c. What can the paintings tell us about other aspects of the life of cave dwellers or Paleolithic people?
-The paintings can tell us many different things about the lives of the cave dwellers. It shows how the different kinds of animals were treated and trained by the people. It shows how they represented their culture and the certain things that they felt were important in their daily lives. The charts and figures in these paintings can represent certain pattern in their daily lives or how they would figure out the time. It showed the different behaviors of the people and animals and what different roles they played in order to survive or provide.
-The paintings can tell us many different things about the lives of the cave dwellers. It shows how the different kinds of animals were treated and trained by the people. It shows how they represented their culture and the certain things that they felt were important in their daily lives. The charts and figures in these paintings can represent certain pattern in their daily lives or how they would figure out the time. It showed the different behaviors of the people and animals and what different roles they played in order to survive or provide.
d. What difficulties did these early humans navigate in order to paint these pictures?
-The early humans faced many difficulties in order to navigate these pictures. The cave walls aren't very smooth which meant that they had to be extra careful which probably took a great amount of time to complete. You would have to be very patient as an artist. Also, you don't receive a lot of sunlight in a cave. It's enclosed for the most part and is dangerous with all the rocks. They must also remember all the details of the certain charts or animals that they want to paint.
-The early humans faced many difficulties in order to navigate these pictures. The cave walls aren't very smooth which meant that they had to be extra careful which probably took a great amount of time to complete. You would have to be very patient as an artist. Also, you don't receive a lot of sunlight in a cave. It's enclosed for the most part and is dangerous with all the rocks. They must also remember all the details of the certain charts or animals that they want to paint.
e. Speculate as to three possible functions of this art to early humans.
-There are many different functions of this art to early humans. The most important one in my opinion is a historical record of their culture. They want to remember what their daily lived consisted of so that they are able to pass it down to the following generations. The second possible function is to make sure everyone is on the same page. They could have painted the animals to remind everyone of the certain animals that they are suppose to hunt or the charts to remind them about the time or certain patterns that are essential in their lives. The third possible function is that it's their stress reliever. After a long day of hunting, they probably come back and just want to stay busy and relax so they decide to paint.
-There are many different functions of this art to early humans. The most important one in my opinion is a historical record of their culture. They want to remember what their daily lived consisted of so that they are able to pass it down to the following generations. The second possible function is to make sure everyone is on the same page. They could have painted the animals to remind everyone of the certain animals that they are suppose to hunt or the charts to remind them about the time or certain patterns that are essential in their lives. The third possible function is that it's their stress reliever. After a long day of hunting, they probably come back and just want to stay busy and relax so they decide to paint.
2. Commonalities in Function
-The functions of the art of early humans and modern humans are similar in some ways. They both serve a great purpose in telling a story and keeping certain traditions alive for the next generations. They both are great stress relievers. Painting is very time consuming but it's very relaxing and enjoyable. You are able to express your thoughts and feelings through art which is amazing. We are able to look back and see what other people had to go through in their daily lives. It teaches us to appreciate all of our blessings in life.
3. Introduce us to your favorite art
-My favorite would definitely be dance
-My favorite would definitely be dance
a. For those who practice this form of artistic expression, what function does it serve? What are they trying to communicate?
-Dancing serves many functions such as expressing your thoughts and feelings about a particular subject or person. It's a great way to let loose and relax your body. The dancers are trying to communicate how they are feeling at the time and send a message out to the audience.
-Dancing serves many functions such as expressing your thoughts and feelings about a particular subject or person. It's a great way to let loose and relax your body. The dancers are trying to communicate how they are feeling at the time and send a message out to the audience.
b. Is there a complete culture surrounding this art form, i.e, a language, a set of behaviors, form of dress, etc? Describe and identify the features of this culture.
-The features of the culture involve a certain count with is 5,6,7,8 and also require certain outfits for dance rehearsals. Depending on what kind of dance you are performing, you may need certain shoes to perform the moves. You must stay attentive while learning a new dance in order to prefect the choreography.
-The features of the culture involve a certain count with is 5,6,7,8 and also require certain outfits for dance rehearsals. Depending on what kind of dance you are performing, you may need certain shoes to perform the moves. You must stay attentive while learning a new dance in order to prefect the choreography.
c. How does this art form (and its culture) benefit society? Are there any detrimental affects?
-This art benefits society in many different ways. First of all, it's a great way to stay in shape and live an active life. It's a great stress reliever and gets your point across without having to use words. I don't think there are any detrimental affects.
-This art benefits society in many different ways. First of all, it's a great way to stay in shape and live an active life. It's a great stress reliever and gets your point across without having to use words. I don't think there are any detrimental affects.
I believe you could've explained more in depth as to what the artists were trying to communicate through the paintings. Observing the movement of how some of theses paintings were made, like in the Hall of Bulls, could tell how ancient humans became observant of the animals they may have followed as possible foragers.
ReplyDeleteIf you ask me I think that it would have been harder to draw an animal inside of a dark cave with no proper sunlight or even having the trouble of possibly bringing an animal in the cave to draw. I like that you talk about dance being your favorite form of art and it is a way for people to "let loose and relax your body." Also how it could be a great stress reliever. I can say that I have dance before at parties and talent shows and I could say that it is fun, even through the long practices.
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree with what the paintings show, but why did they feel the need to present this information as a painting? Keep in mind that for these early populations, survival would have been paramount. So anything they did would be for the purpose of survival in some way. It would have to have some type of benefit. So why would they need to convey their culture?
ReplyDeleteI agree with your explanation as to why there are animals and so few pictures, and it all comes back to the function of the paintings.
In the next section, you talk a lot about how these paintings tell us how these people lived our lives... but how? In the prior section, you explained why there were so few people in the paintings. How do we know how people lived without people in the pictures? We can see the animals that they interacted with and relied upon for food, and even those who might have been dangerous to them, but we really are only seeing the hunting side of this culture, nothing else. So who do you think painted these pictures? Men or women? If women had painted them, how might the pictures be different?
Good discussions on the issue of difficulties. I agree that light and possibly access would have been the two greatest problems.
Good explanation of functions and I particularly liked this one:
"The second possible function is to make sure everyone is on the same page."
Well done. Kind of like a public record so everyone would have the same information from which to work.
Section 2: Good discussion.
Section 3: Picture or video?
Overall, good discussion and introduction to your art form. With regard to detrimental affect, one student pointed out the possible negative impact on body image, but they may be limited to ballet.
Lilly,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your analysis on the cave paintings. I really agree with the section about what the cave paintings could have functionally been to humans at the time. I agree that it could have been different pattens in hunting, or passing down information generation to generation.
I liked your choice of art too. Dance is such a wide array of expression. It takes so much discipline to make your body orchestrated into a dance. I think that (with any art form) people always want to strive to make their art perfect, and that would be the only stressful part about dancing.
Lily,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your reasoning of why these painters depicted more animals than humans in their art. There are cultures out there who praise animals because they make for good resources and allow them the means to survive. Possibly, hunters could have also been proud of their killings and wanted to record them through the use of art. I thought you speculations were spot on. One that really stood out to me was the second one about making sure everyone is on the same page. This provides the village a sense of unity and creates a communal aspect to the culture. I also appreciate your chosen art form and wrote about this in my blog too. Dance is a wonderful outlet but besides this there are many functions like connecting with culture and performing rituals or spirituality purposes, its beneficial for psychological purposes, entertaining to watch, the list goes on. As for detrimental effects, dance for some can create body image issues, especially for those who take dance competitively. I enjoyed reading your blog post this week!