Perpetual Rock Art THAD S2 Lecture Notes

Age: Approximately 12,000 years Before Present (yBP).
Materials used: Charcoal and ochre painting.
Commentary: Noted that the cave painting was stated not to be in the textbook, though it is included.

Discussion Questions:
- How do different ways of dividing time reveal societal priorities and worldviews?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of categorizing art objects into historical periods?
- In what ways do art objects transcend these categories?

Author: Dr. Charles Darwin.
Perception: Common view of Darwin as eccentric, contrasts with his scientific contributions.
Key Concepts:
- Linear Understanding of Origins and Time: Linear representation is a fascination, particularly for Western thinkers.
- Complexity of Evolution: Evolution is mistakenly represented as a linear progression from "monkey to man"; in reality, it involves branching and common ancestors.

Historical Narrative: Art history is often perceived as a linear progression from abstract to naturalistic forms (realism).
Prehistoric Art: Seen as the "infancy" of art, viewed as a precursor to mature representational art.
Modernist Reactions: Modernism pushed back against linear narratives, advocating for abstract forms and responding to non-Western art influences.
Implications of Linearity:
- Eschatology: Understands the end times conceptually, signifying a linear progression with a definite beginning and endpoint.

BC and AD Designation:
- BC: “Before Christ”
- AD: “Anno Domini” (the year of our Lord)
- Shows how historical events are tied around a Christian framework.
Use of BCE/CE:
- BCE: “Before the Common Era”
- CE: “Common Era”
- This attempt at neutrality still centers around a Christian milestone.
- Problematic for non-Western and indigenous paradigms that do not view time linearly.
Alternative Timeframe: Dr. Rich suggests using “YBP” instead of “BC” to avoid Eurocentric viewpoints.

Key Distinction:
- Epistemology: The study of knowledge — its nature, acquisition, and limitations.
- Questions how we know what we know, how knowledge is obtained, and its implications.
- Ontology: The study of being — an examination of existence.
Philosophical Reference: René Descartes’s statement "Cogito, ergo sum" translates to "I think, therefore I am" is highlighted. This forms an argument about existence rooted in thought.

Sara Rich discussed the paper titled "Living pigments in Australian Bradshaw rock art".
- Bradshaw Rock Art:
- Named after Joseph Bradshaw, who first discovered it; local Aboriginal people refer to it as Gwion Gwion.
- Living Pigments:
- Created when cyanobacteria coat rock surfaces and black fungus breaks down protective layers, allowing art production.

Canoe Design: Remarkably unchanged over approximately 40,000 years, reflecting the adage "Don’t fix what isn't broken".
- Terminology:
- Terminus ante quem: Indicates the point before which something must have occurred (e.g., wasp nests found on paintings).
- Terminus post quem: Indicates the point after which (e.g., presence of Boab trees).

Emphasis on artistic precision and detail, likened to modern micron pens to illustrate technological capabilities without modern tools.

Many artworks in history were overlooked due to their non-permanent materials which have not survived.

Representative of anthropomorphic designs - strong focus on human figures and movements.
- Connection to traditions of song and dance, implying cultural significance in maintaining these practices.
Quote: “If you know your language, you know your song, and if you know your song, then you know your land.”

Therianthropic: Human-animal hybrid representations.
Dendrianthropic: Tree-human combinations likely depicting the integration of nature and humanity.
Zoomorphic: Animal representations reflecting spiritual or cultural narratives.
Myceanthropic: Combination of mushrooms with human forms.

Altamira Cave, Spain: Ca. 15,000 years BP; created using charcoal and ochre paint.
Lubang Jeriji Saléh Cave, Borneo: Ca. 40,000 years BP; ochre painting.
Maros-Pangkep Cave, Sulawesi: Ca. 40,000 years BP; ochre painting.

Wandjimas: Symbolically do not have mouths to prevent endless rain, reflecting cultural beliefs regarding balance with nature.
Wandering Wandjinas: Graffiti that distinguishes from traditional Wandjinas; related to contemporary artistic expression and cultural preservation.

Cultural Narratives: For the Ngarinyin, artwork serves not as memorials but as representations of life and rebirth, rooted in significant landscape locations.
- Example Quote: “These artworks are manifest at places of particular generative power.”
Acheiropoieta: Refers to images not made by human hands, but in the context of Gwion Gwion, these works engage with a broader ecological and cosmic interaction.

Small microbial fruiting bodies engaging with artwork, blurring lines between artificial and natural in the realm of art.
In Aboriginal thought, order refers to natural organic processes, while disorder signifies unpredictability in contexts and places, contributing to the cultural narratives of their art practices and understanding.