ART AS ART ITSELF: CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS

Aesthetics is the first philosophy in which knowledge can be retracted by taste. It is derived from the term “aesthesis” which involves a personal view of life, perception, affections, sensations, and intuitions. Aesthetics sometimes can be called the philosophy of art and culture. This branch of philosophy can be found in different notions and aspects of human life, it can be through anthropology, culture, ethics, and social conceptions. The documentary entitled “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” featured the Chauvet cave in France where the walls of the cave are covered with the oldest paintings and it even has sculptures inside which represent the earliest life of humanity. In this documentary, we can see and notice the connection and relevance of aesthetics emphasizing the notion of aesthesis in arts and culture.

Painting is an art, a conception of images that returns to have a perception, this perception will eventually affect or influence our mind, the way we conceive those virtual images. The documentary which features several paintings of animals, nature, and even vague indications of human beings is so much to appreciate. The study of art and culture, the perception of the earliest life of human beings inside the cave and the images, the art itself is aesthetics. Art could be a medium of expression, from the point of view of the artist, meanwhile, art could be a means of perception, impression, and intuition from the point of view of the appreciator. In the case of the paintings inside the caves, we could see and appreciate and even feel the emotions of the creator through its paintings, and that is one of the powers of aesthesis. The stories, the moments and the memories, and even heartbeats inside the cave could be felt. This justifies that, through understanding the visuals, and the art with comprehension, we could feel what they wanted to tell us, the story they want to share, and the moments they want to treasure. All these realizations and reflections could be possible through the notion of aesthesis.

On the other hand, we have a culture that symbolizes the aspects of human activity which are transmitted through social interaction. Culture also involves the values, beliefs, and norms of a certain group of people in a society. This manifestation could be a means to understand the early life of human beings inside the Chauvet cave. Whereas, they are trying to or resulting in conveying and sharing what they are as humans bound to any culture. The justification involves the notion that humans never lived in the cave and that the cave can be used only for rituals and special gatherings. The way creators conveyed their culture by emphasizing their values and belief in the paintings, sculptures, and even in small scratches and indications inside the cave. Truly, through aesthetics, we could be able to understand and perceive one's culture.

One thing I am sure of is that, for us to be understood, we should express ourselves. And for us to understand someone, we should learn the emphasis and relevance of aesthetics. The memories and dreams will never be forgotten as it was engraved not just in the walls of the cave, but also in the minds and hearts of the appreciators. We were able to understand and feel the early lives of human beings many years ago through the discovery of science. Thus, employing aesthetics, we were able to understand the deep meaning of it. The stories, memories, heartbeats, and dreams of the creator, imagine the power that the knowledge derived and retracted by tastes hold.

Written by Me-an Reginio

Layout by Yvonne Alexies Gomez

#HATAWPUP