Snapshots of Society: Art and the Evolution of Culture

Art is one of the most universal languages we possess. Long before there was written language, humans were already using images to convey ideas. Early cave paintings discovered all over the world predate written language, serving as a testament to the human need for expression. 

We may never know exactly why these ancient paintings were created, but it is safe to guess that they were of great importance. Our ancestors took the time to find places safe from the elements to ensure preservation, and over time generation after generation continued to add more to the record.

Art is Culture; Culture is Art

As these groups evolved into societies they developed rules, customs, languages, and religion that gave their units identity and structure. These distinct features form a culture, and at its broadest level, art is a physical expression of a culture.

Culture encompasses all aspects of a society’s expression from “high art” to everyday “folk.” Whether a sacred hymn, a classic oil painting, a comic book, or pop song these art forms provide a snap shot of a society’s values at any given moment in time. While we categorize and rank these from “high art” to low or popular culture, more ephemeral items like newspapers, letters, and street music are just as important in telling a society’s story. Culture is not set in stone; it is ever changeable and alive as humanity itself.

The Great Communicator

Throughout history art has served as a channel for communication, especially when the vast majority of people were illiterate. For centuries the great epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey were relayed by bards long before being written down.

In a similar fashion, Christian art was not just a beautiful expression of devotion, such art also explained important aspects of religion visually to a population who could not have read or understood Latin.

Beyond religion, imagery and sculpture were also used by the state. Rome is filled with monuments created to reinforce the power of a long vanished empire. Included in the collections of our museums are art and artefacts from other cultures, often plundered by conquerors and explorers.

From the Political to the Personal

Art also captures the intimate shifts in the human experience. In late 19th century France, the Impressionist movement depicted the rapid changes taking place in an increasingly industrial society. Today artists continue to push boundaries, making art about everything from global politics to concepts that challenge society’s established values and priorities.

Take the music of Bruce Springsteen for instance. While his hit song, “Born in the USA,” is often mistaken for a patriotic anthem due to its upbeat tempo and refrain, the lyrics speak of the ache of working class Americans who are losing their chance at the American dream. Phrases like “dead man’s town,” “Nowhere to run, nowhere to go,” communicate the ache of dreams forever out of reach. This theme is also central to John Steinbeck’s writing and the gritty urban scenes painted by the Ashcan School.
 
Whether the message is a grand political statement or a more personal reflection, art ensures diverse perspectives can reach a broad audience. In a democratic society, this prevents taste from being dictated entirely by a small group of “arbitrators” and allows for the growth of both ideas and society.

The Evolution of Expression: The Dutch Golden Age


As societies stabilize and prosper, creativity plays a part in all aspects of life and culture. Innovation often layers itself onto tradition, creating entirely new genres. We see this clearly in the movement from religious art to more secular imagery in 16th and 17th century Europe.

In western Europe religious art, history painting, and portraiture dominated artistic output through the 16th century. However artists began to explore other subjects, sometimes adding a bit of still life or genre scene to a religious painting by adding a kitchen scene to The Last Supper.

After Northern Europe began to separate from the Catholic Church, demand for religious art vanished. To distance themselves from the old church, the newly formed Protestant sects eschewed the elaborate decorations and art of Catholic churches. 

In order to support themselves, artists needed to find new subject matter. They began to focus on the formerly minor elements in the grand religious paintings, like still life, flower painting, and genre scenes. These became particularly popular in the Netherlands where a successful merchant class provided an expanded market for personal artwork.

The Netherlands was a country that long focused on trade, whether in wool from England or exotic spices from the far east, the country was prosperous, and more open to new ideas whether in science or art. Increased wealth and a more secular and mobile population provided room for creativity, exploration, learning and discovery. Individuals had the opportunity to carve out new specialties in science and art. This was not by chance. These advancements were responses to a changing cultural landscape.

A Vibrant, Evolving World
In the modern era the focus has shifted even further toward individuality.
Claude Monet  broke new ground by capturing the most fleeting expressions of light, work that prioritized visual sensation rather than narrative.
Henri Matisse, combined pattern, stylized imagery, and references to objects from other cultures to create a visual language that was uniquely his.
Today personal expression is everywhere. Tattoos and piercings, once associated with specific subcultures like sailors and bikers, are now used by everyone from super models to college students to signal identity. 
While such rapid cultural shifts can feel uncomfortable, it is through exposure to different ideas that we grow and develop. Creativity, connection, and expression are the threads that weave our world together. As long as we welcome our ability to evolve, the dialog will never fall silent.