The evolution of civilization and the evolution of art are closely connected. Art is practiced by all human cultures and is one of the characteristics of our species. But how do we define art? Most animals can imagine an image, but to take it out of the mind and place it on another surface to be seen by others is
another step. For early humans, this required an evolutionary change in the neural structures that affect perception. But at all stages of the evolution of artistic creativity change must have been due to highly gifted individuals.

In the last few years, new fossil evidence has pushed the beginning of art back thousands of years. Previously it began 30,000 years ago with the prehistoric cave paintings. Now we have fossil examples with patterns that show the Neanderthals were creating art. Did the change from hunter gatherer to agrarian life affect art? We will see if early civilization influenced the art they created.

Did art and music precede language? When did language start? Art began when humans first started to express themselves, long before people started keeping records. The earliest known evidence of "artistic behavior" is of human body decoration, including skin coloring with ochre and the use of beads. Artefacts have been traced back to the Old Stone Age/Paleolithic era, when early humans began using stone tools. At least 45,500 years ago, in Suluwesi, a human hand painted pigs in ochre, making them the oldest known examples of figurative art by at least several thousand years — and, by some standards, the oldest artwork in the world. Was it a search for beauty or reality? As societies change politically, economically, technologically, and spiritually, art changes with them. Art reflects civilization, but it also shapes how civilizations understand themselves.

We will look at the art created from 50,000 BC to 500 BC and see if civilization created art or art created civilization. When did art begin, where did art begin, and why did art begin? Can we live without art?

COURESE LEADER
Wendy Worth is an expert in the history of art and has taught many art courses at the Evergreen Forum.

GENERAL INFORMATION
This Evergreen Forum course offers a hybrid experience, allowing participants to join the event either in-person or virtually via Zoom. Please carefully select your registration type, as participants are expected to attend programs based on their chosen in-person or virtual status. Should your circumstances change and you wish to adjust your registration, kindly contact us at 609-751-9699. Our CMAP staff will do their best to accommodate your request based on availability.

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If you do need a refund, checks are issued for cash, check, and credit card payments; electronic payments are refunded electronically. Refund processing takes approximately 2 weeks. Refunds requested up to 6 business days before class are issued minus a $15 processing fee; no refund is offered 5 business days or less before class begins. No refund is offered for programs costing $15 or less, and a $15 processing fee applies to those who register for the same program more than once.