In class last week we watched the movie "Cave of Forgotten Dreams". This film documented ancient cave paintings found in a cave in Europe. The significance of these paintings is that they're some of the oldest most preserved paintings found so far in history. It creates a strange sensation for the people who witness these paintings first hand, and even for the people watching the film. These cave paintings are something that could be considered some of the oldest media known to man. I would agree with such a statement because these paintings told stories. Within each image a tale of what the world must have looked like is told. The movement of the animals portrays what humans would have seen as they went about surviving. The reason that someone wouldn’t consider it just art is because you would imagine as they painted these they were telling stories along with the images. In a way it could be considered a film in the fact that with visuals and audio they are story telling. Although that is surly a bold statement. To be human is to create your story. Every life is their own individual story intertwining with one another’s. Every relationship is to experience another person’s story and thoughts. To learn from them. On an individual level you’re learning, remembering, and creating your story. Every experience is a new paragraph in your story of life. Some stories are short and insignificant, while others can take up whole chapters of your lives. That’s why media is so important in society. Expressing stories and ideas to others in the most important part of life. Stories to help you shape your life, or one’s that can relate to past events of your lives. People love movies that tell a story they can laugh, cry, be angry, feel excited about because they can relate. Each story has a lesson to teach. Since the beginning of time and till the end of time stories play an important role in life. One should never forget to share their story, or keep it documented.
I would like to agree and add that within' the film there was a scene where they shot something that looked like an altar with a skull on top of it. This leads one to believe they formed a religion of some type. Maybe including animalistic values seeing animals played such an important role in basic life for survival and such. The influence animals created with everyday life was so extreme these people based their "religion" off of it. Also this altar with the skull in itself is arguably media seeing that it depicts mans everyday life rituals and beliefs. Almost all of their drawings contained some sort of animal and had some insight on what types of animals they dealt with in terms of food. These caves also make one wonder how primitive man kind was at the time, whether or not we were advanced enough to figure out to make shelter or utilize the land and use a perfectly well suited cave as shelter. Since its more of a permament location and controlled enviroment we were rewarded with seeing the earliest form of media.
ReplyDeleteI think there is a distinction between art and media. As far as these cave drawings go there is a very fine line. Media has a specific intention that consists of clear cut information. Art also has intention but it is unimportant and is open to any number of interpretations. Basically, media can be misinterpreted and art cannot. Even if these cave drawings were meant as a source of media/storytelling, the vast span of time from when they were drawn until present day has transformed them into something else. Present day viewers can enter the cave, have totally different spiritual experiences, and walk away with different opinionated conclusions on that experience.
ReplyDeleteSo are these cave drawings media? yes and no.