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Re: (Re)Introduction, Art, Nature, Periods of the Day

From:Andreas Johansson <andjo@...>
Date:Wednesday, June 4, 2003, 8:28
Quoting Ajin Kwai <yasmin4@...>:


> the recent lexicon/defense of nature discussion has > been fairly interesting for me. It does seem to > demonstrate how difficult it is to step outside of > one's own cultural shoes. Art is basically Symbol > when it comes down to recognizing universal patterns > of human behaviour. There are cultures with no > concept of "art", yet they engage most earnestly in > what Westerners would term "art". To the doer, the > particular act may be "worship", "magic", "duty", > "custodianship", "speech", "expression", "living" ... > not neccessarily "art - ifice". > > To me, language is a structured system of Symbols and > their relationships... > > I wonder if the concept of the Japanese garden, etc. > is not one of nature tamed, but of nature fulfilling > itself... if truly seen from the perspective of > "humans=nature". How many insects, animals, even > plants organize spaces in nature to make them more > amenable to whatever use is intended? Very many > indeed... Is theirs too a defense against nature?
In one sense, obviously yes; an anthill is quite literally the ant's castle. But, insects, as far as is known, lack humans' tendency for symbolic/magical thinking; if art is 'defense against wilderness', it is a spiritual rather than physical defense, while the anthill, apparently, more closely corresponds to more practical human pursuits - the building of houses as shelters against unpleasant weather comes to mind. Andreas