Class discussion 2

What I though was interesting about the class discussion was the universal use of symbols and techniques that artist have used through the times. What I think is fascinating is the establishment of such a use of symbols. With our current technology, I can see how easy it would for such technique to quickly spread (via internet) and yet the difficulty of the use of such symbols and technique prior to the 18th century. What this tells me is that individuals and cultures searched for meaning of such symbols found in artwork. They worked to analyze symbols, such as the use of a snake or whale found in a piece of artwork and tried to completely understand its meaning relative to the rest of the painting. This is something we have lost in our own culture. Generally, we no longer rely on our own understanding and interpretation of paintings and therefore we don’t understand the many use of symbols and techniques in our own modern art. This desire to no longer analyze or understand art may be due to our own laziness and other forms of entertainment that can occupy our minds. As we continue to seek out the easy ways to entertain our own minds, this universal way of communicating through art once used will continue to be lost in our own culture.