How Art Made the World: A Journey to the Origins of Human Creativity

I came across this book after finding the series of DVDs by this title on line, How Art Made the World. The book is a good accompaniment to this BBC series, "starring" Nigel Spivey, who does such a great job walking us through history and contemporary life, a creative series that is about the creative spirit infusing all art. I am teaching a course, Into The Heart of Art, and was thinking of using this book as the text. I highly recommend this, and I totally recommend the DVD. This is not the usual "history of art" because it is slanted towards creativity and how we make art, and it focuses beautifully on the intent. For example, have you ever pondered man's need to take what is seen and enlarge upon it, make caricatures, expand on aspects of the body that are truly not exactly what we "see" but we all do this, and sometimes, frequently, without thinking about it. Have you ever wanted to understand movies in an art sort of way? Take a look at Trajan's column in this book and read the author's words. It's fascinating to realize we aren't as "advanced" as we think we are, and human creativity has been part of the lives of people, of ancient peoples, who came a long long time before us. Yes, I do recommend this series, and however you imbibe it, Take A Long Drink! It's worth it.

This small reference helps with places, etc. mentioned in the DVD. Very useful if you want to learn more about something new. The style and organization fit well with the DVD series.

excellent show, actually better than the book. I watch a lot of documentarys and Non fiction films and this is one of the best I have seen for the tlelevision market.

The premise that "art made the world" is overblown. The text is often a bit dry. But the trip through the ages on the wings of art is superb. Of course, back 30,000 or so years ago, we don't know if the folks daubing walls and cutting into rock gave a thought to "art." In fact, we don't really have a solid clue as to why they did what they did. A bit further into history, say a few thousand years ago, we know that people were attempting to immortalize their rulers, gods and priests. Again, we don't know if they were conciously creating "art" or simply communicating. Art is, after all, in the eye of the beholder. Whatever purpose may have been in mind, the images, carvings and engravings that have come down to us are mind-boggling and certainly, in our age, may be fairly considered art. Nigel Spivey is certainly knowledgeable in his area, though he sometimes wanders off into unsupportable theory. The illustrations are magnificient and, frankly, I would preferred to have seen more of them and less of Spivey's text. Overall a worthwhile book and, despite its occasional pomposity, delightful. Jerry

Nigel Spivey writes with eloquence and gentle humor and a rich understanding of his chosen topic - how art has informed life has informed art since the beginnings of history. This is one of those books that will appeal to all audiences, whether they be primarily interested in history, archeology, art, human studies, or mystery. It is all here in one splendid volume. Based on a British television series by the same title, Spivey wanders through the most primitive art known from cave drawings, to ornaments, to early 'sculpture' or god figures, into the Renaissance. With very generous pictorial examples he clearly demonstrates how from the very inception of 'art', as we know it, mankind has tackled with the Big Questions - creation, life, death, and gods to God. He shows panoramas of cave drawings which address 'us vs. them', hunting, procreation, fertility, and symbols to ward off evil, be those mythical beasties or Satan or elements of nature confined to diagram, and celebrations and funeral rites. The permutations seem endless. But in the end this book invites us to look at 'art' in a new way - as a manifestation of man's looking inward at himself, finding a rational universe out of his attempts to represent phenomena. It was then, it is now, and hopefully it ever shall be - Art. Wonderful book. Highly recommended! Grady Harp, December 05