The Natural Art

All in all I would have to say I agreed with the author with one exception: the biological inclinations of humans only serve as a foundation for aesthetic preferences. There is proof represented in this article that humans often seek environments that resemble the savanna, but this does not explain the differences in artistic preferences across cultures. For example, cultures have varying preferences in architecture, decoration, and the traits that make one another attractive.

A personal example from my life would be when I visited Belgium and stayed with a host family for a few days. During my stay I noticed some interesting traits of their home. The house itself was made entirely of concrete bricks of grey. Inside, the doors to many rooms in the house were glass and the only decoration in the entire home was a single painting in the entryway. One room had only a tanning bead. The two children’s rooms had a bed and a dresser. When I asked the family about why this was so, they asked me why it was necessary to have more. It seemed that while I have found comfort in surrounding myself with paintings, photos, shelves of books, and nick-knacks, this family’s culture found comfort in very much the opposite.

This article’s argument also does not explain the preferences of different species. One that came to mind was a type of bowerbird. When mating season arrives, the males clear a circle of earth with a pile of twigs in the center that are decorated into a structure of sticks and leaves. Then the male finds items that are of a hue he is attracted to. No two are the same, and each collection is unique to each male’s taste. It is believed that instead of having bright plumage or a dance, these birds instead attract females through their creations. However, it is clear through the differences of these compilations that even these birds have different tastes not entirely explained by genetics.

The article describes why humans seem to universally prefer landscape depictions, but it does not explain why some are drawn to abstract pieces of art that do not resemble anything from nature. I think there is a much greater complexity as to why humans appreciate various forms of art. Whether this is because of where someone is brought up, what art they are surrounded by, what art is popular at the time, or the preferences of those around him/her, the reasons behind individual aesthetic partiality cannot simply be a result of genetics.