"This book is about that obsession (art): its ancient evolutionary sources and how they ultimately affect artistic tastes and interests today"
"I do not begin with experimental psychology ---- or prehistory -- I begin instead with something familiar and down-to-earth: calendars" And so we begin Chapter One with calendars, which, according to Dutton "have an intriguing relationship to the African savannas and other landscape forms hospitable for human evolution". What is the most popular kind of calendar art, as might be found in shops, offices, and kitchens around the world? My own personal research has uncovered a predilection for tropical beaches, kittens, and half-dressed, full-chested young women (at least in auto repair shops) But apparently after polling people in 10 countries around the world, Komar and Melamid concluded that "The blue landscape is what is really universal, maybe to all mankind" -- a scene with scattered trees (for cover or escape) and an open vista to the horizon (to see prey) and a diversity of greenery (to find nuts and berries) and the presence of water (hunting and gathering is thirsty work!). This notion was first presented in the 1970's by British geographer, Jay Appleton's "The Experience of Landscape" Dutton has discovered that he can frighten pigeons away by putting a rubber snake on his window sill in New Zealand - even though snakes have never lived on those islands. So he figures that the pigeons developed that instinctive fear someone else, earlier in their evolutionary history. Just as people developed an instinctive emotion of pleasure from "blue landscapes" when living on the savannas of Africa millions of years ago. BTW - Dutton mentions that Danto claimed that people learned to like typical calendar art from looking at typical calendar art - and I agree that Danto does seem to be putting the cart before the horse. But Dutton also notes that adults tend to prefer more mountainous scenes and that "the history of landscape painting is about much more than potential Pleistocene habitats" So, I'm not sure where that leaves us. "We are what we are today because our primordial ancestors followed paths and riverbanks over the horizon. At such moments, we confront remnants of our species ancient past." But we are also much else -- or, at least I am. Dutton asks why people are obsessed with art -- but I'm afraid that not that many people really are obsessed with art -- especially if calendar pictures are especially important to them. So I fear that this book is going to be nothing more than a pleasant chat from a nice fellow -- which, BTW , can be seen and heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-Di86RqDL4&feature=player_embedded ____________________________________________________________ Weight Loss Program Best Weight Loss Program - Click Here! http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2231/c?cp=3IyVGo1aEkuWrWZ3mrir6gAAJz6c l_zTaptgNR5c8Mer1v9kAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEUgAAAAA=
