Question 1: Describe the term paleoanthropsychobiological. Who coined this term?
Ellen Dissanayake coined the term palaeoanthropsychobiological. It describes a unique perspective that challenges the Western idea of art, which fails to see the artistic nature of many human actions. This perspective sees that the idea of art encompasses all of human history, includes all human societies, and that art is a psychological or emotional necessity than has psychological or emotional effects. Dissanayake believes that to truly understand the idea of art and to include all of these intertwined processes, it must be viewed as an inherent or biological trait of the human species.
Question 2: What does Dissanayake mean by the phrase “making special”? How does it relate to art and to human survival?
Although all animals can see the difference between ordinary and extraordinary occurrences, humans are unique in that we consciously seek to transform the ordinary into extraordinary. A normal human characteristic is “the behavior or propensity to ‘make special,’ particularly things that one cares deeply about or activities whose outcome has strong personal significance”. Dissanayake asserts that the emergence of this behavior marks the beginning of art, much earlier than is commonly believed. To make something special demonstrates control over that object or action, which was necessary to the performance of ritual ceremonies (commonly believed to be the beginning of art). Dissanayake states that works of art are the result of “making special”, which causes experience to be heightened or elevated, and to be more memorable and significant. Through use of what we consider to be the arts, the importance of certain objects/actions are manifested, reinforced, and shared.
Question 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.
“The Romantic Rebellion” was a response to the substantial changes in society brought by the Renaissance, marked by the increasing importance of individuals instead of the divine. Science and technology changed society dramatically, breaking feudal ties and encouraging dissent. Individuals became unsure of their place in the world and became alienated from their work and from other people. “It became necessary to please the public – multiform, faceless, swayed as today by hype and novelty – in what was to become an art market” (Dissanayake, 1991, p3). The market structure that required intermediaries like private dealers and galleries gave birth to what we now call Modernism. Concerned with aesthetics, viewers would judge works of art based on their own tastes and idea of beauty. They believed that art could be appreciated whether the meaning was understood or not, providing a special sort of knowledge. Since everyone did not possess this knowledge, Modernists who claimed to understand art essentially interpreted it to the general public. According to Dissanayake, “implicit in this account is a recognition that what is said (or written) about a work is not only necessary to its being art, but is indeed perhaps more important than the work itself” (Dissanayake, 1991, p5). Postmodernists found that “Modernist aesthetics masked chauvinistic, authoritarian, and repressive attitudes towards uneducated, non-Establishment and non-Western people, and towards women” (Dissanayake, 1991, p6). Postmodernists believed that art should belong to everyone, and demonstrated this idea in with pieces that the author described as “puzzling, if not shocking and offensive” (Dissanayake, 1991, p5). They promoted the idea that anyone was capable of producing art, and any piece could be appreciated if interpreted correctly. It’s easy to see why it could be argued that this was not an improvement over Modernism. Though many works of questionable quality were a result of postmodernism, this era was an important step in the democratization of artistic expression.
Citation:
Dissanayake, E. (1991). What is art for? In K. C. Caroll (Ed.). Keynote adresses 1991 (NAEA Convention), (pp.15-26). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.