1. Describe the term paleoanthropsychobiological. Who coined this term?

Ellen Dissanayake coined the term ‘paleoanthropsychobiological’. This term means an unfamiliar perspective. This perspective includes human history, human cultures, and human psychology, as author described, “First, that the idea of art encompassed all of human history (i.e., as far back as the Palacolithic or even earlier); second, that it include all human societies (i.e., is anthropological or cross-cultural); and third, that it account for the fact that art is a psychological or emotional need and has psychological or emotional effects” (Dissanayake, 15). In addition, one premise for this perspective is that “art must be viewed as an inherent universal (or biological) trait of the human species” (Dissanayake, 15).

2. What does Dissanayake mean by the phrase “making special”? How does it relate to art and to human survival?

According to Dissanayake, “making special” means making something “is different from the mundane, the everyday, the ordinary” (Dissanayake, 22). Dissanayake believe that art is a kind of behavior that “make special” because artists usually express their special emotions or thoughts through art works “that one cares deeply about or activities whose outcome has strong personal significance” (Dissanayake, 22). Making special also relates to human survival. As Dissanayake said, “making special is a fundamental human proclivity or need” (Dissanayake, 24). Making special make Human differentiating with animals. For instance, as Dissanayake described, “when we cook special meals and wear special garb for important occasions, and find special ways of saying important things” (Dissanayake, 24).

3. Dissanayake identifies many different theories/movement/periods of art throughout western european history. Name three different theories of art that Dissanayake mentions in her essay. Identify the time period when each theory developed and was prominent. Provide a brief description of the philosophies and ideas that define each theory/movement/period of art. Support your answer with quotes from the reading.

I found three theories of art, which are Renaissance, modernism, and postmodernism. Renaissance developed in medieval times, and the main idea for this period is that “artists gradually replaced God-centered with man-centered concerns, but their works continued to portray a recognizable world” (Dissanayake, 16). Modernism developed in the eighteenth century. At this period, thinkers turned their attention to ‘aesthetics’ that is “a concern with elucidating principles such as taste and beauty” (Dissanayake, 17). The postmodernism developed in the 20^th century. It is “the assumption that interpretation is indispensable to appreciating and even identifying artworks… a point of view that calls into question two centuries of assumptions about the elite and special nature of art” (Dissanayake, 19).

 

In this unit reading, Dissanayake introduced the history of art and the relationship between art and human life. The history of art is highly relative to human society. Generally, art can reflect the situation of the society at that time. As Dissanayake argued, “First, that the idea of art encompassed all of human history (i.e., as far back as the Palacolithic or even earlier); second, that it include all human societies (i.e., is anthropological or cross-cultural)” (Dissanayake, 15). Generally, artifacts can represent the characteristics of society at that time. For example, there is a famous painting Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival in China. This painting was created by Zeduan Zhang in Song Dynasty. It captures the daily life of people from the Song period at the capital. The theme is celebrating the Qingming Festival and worldly situation. The entire piece was painted in hand scroll format and the content reveals the lifestyle of all levels of the society from rich to poor as well as different economic activities in rural areas and the city.

Art also refers to human emotion and psychology. I think art is a kind of form that be applied to show people’s emotions or opinions. Dissanayake also described similar idea, “and third, that it account for the fact that art is a psychological or emotional need and has psychological or emotional effects” (Dissanayake, 15). In addition, universality is an obvious feature of art. Art would not be limited by region, gender, time and other factors. Anything could be art in anywhere and anytime. No matter in the past, now or future, art has been exist in all region in the world.

I do not really understand the meaning of author’s argument that is “art must be viewed as an inherent universal (or biological) trait of the human species” (Dissanayake, 15). Actually, I think art is different with other characteristics of human nature just because I think art is a kind of form to show human nature rather than human nature itself.