Art as a Culture

 What were the cave artists trying to say?

I think that the artists were trying to show what were around them. They painted some animals because they could have a spiritual connection to them, so the animal and people and other figures were part of their religion, rite or something related to their spiritually. My other hypothesis is that the artists painted the cave for more materialistic and practical purpose. For example, they want to show what kind of animal they could hunt or how many animal they had. 

Why do you think that there were so many animals and not as many people in the paintings?

If they painting had a materialistic purpose, it could be a record about what kind of animals they had or needed, so  they had to paint more animals than people. Also, I think that in some parts of the cave the paintings are more focus to explain how animals behave, so the artists wanted to express the animal behavior.

What can the paintings tell us about other aspects of the life of cave dwellers or Paleolithic people?

The paintings show us that dwellers people were very observant and analytical because they started to observe the world around them, and they painted the animal and other figures to keep a record for future generations. Also, I would say that cave dwellers were educated people because they knew the technique to paint, and I assume that a few people knew how to do it.

What difficulties did these early humans navigate in order to paint these pictures?

 They had to overcome many difficulties to paint in the cave because they had to deal with the problem of lighting, tools and material. The cave did not get enough light from the Sun, so they had to work with their primate lamp which I think it was frustrated because they had to use many of them. They had to create their tools and materials to work, and that was not easy to do because they did not have a Wal-Mart or Office Depot on the neighbor.

Speculate as to three (3) possible functions of this art to early humans

1)      The paintings were a guide of how to hunt, so they wanted to have visual support to teach to the new generations.

2)      For spiritual purpose it could be tribute for their gods

3)      It was a way to preserve and teach their knowledge to the next generations because they did not have book or another way to do it.

Compare the possible functions of the art from the Lascaux Caves to

modern art, in all of its various forms.  What are some commonalities in function you can find in

how the art of early humans and modern humans?         

One commonality function between Lascaux Caves paintings and modern art is that both are expression of feelings.  Prehistoric and modern artists try to immortalize what matter on their hearts because artists put effort and passion on their creations. Another, function is that both are ways send a message to the public because art is a strong tool to inform

Introduce Us to Your Favorite Art: I am not really a big fan of mariachi music, but I thought it would be a good idea talk about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOO1kScPOHM

English translation

Divine women

Speaking of women and betrayals
Bottles were consumed
They asked for singing my songs
And I sing one, two against them.
As soon as a gentleman approaches
His hair has been already becoming gray
He told me “ I’m begging you fellow
Do not speak in front of me, of ladies.”
I told him that we just
Talk about the harm that they did to us.
If somebody thought different
It’s because of the fact that they weren’t betrayed.
He told me “I’m one of yours
That I’ve put up the most with the failures
And women have always left me
Crying and with my heart broken into pieces
But, I never reproach them my wounds
You have to suffer when you love.”
The most beautiful hours of my life
I’ve spent beside a lady.
We could die in the wine cellars
But we could never forget them.
Women, o women so divine
There’s not another way than adoring them

Mariachi music is just for entrainment. Mariachi musicians just perform for entertainment, and at same time they are preserving an important legacy of Mexican culture. They try to give a moment of pleasure with their music by making people feel a deep happiness, enthusiasm and sometimes melancholy

Mariachi music is one of the most popular symbols of Mexican culture, and its lyrics are only in Spanish, but probably there are some Mexican-Americans who sing in English. Mariachi musicians most of the time are from small villages and towns which have not been very affected by globalization, so they still very close their Mexican culture. Mariachi musicians enjoy interact with the nature like ride in horses and practice agriculture as a hobby. Most musicians learned how to perfume their instruments from elderly people, but in recent years many teenagers started to go to an art school. The public who listen this kind of music is from any social class because there are many Mariachi of high and low quality.

Mariachi has a positive effect to society because it a way to express feelings, emotions and ideas. There are many song witch can be dedicate to the person that we love or the one hurt our feelings. Mariachi music is very popular for  Mexican weeding, masses, birthday party, anniversaries, baptism, graduation and reunions, so one can notice that a Mexican party without mariachi it is not a really Mexican parity.