Abstraction and Formalism: Prehistoric?

An amazing mural, amazing because it challenges our contemporary view of the 'abstract' in art..(that it emerges from 'academic' or 'intellectual' endevour)



Neolithic mural, Djade al Mugahara, Syria...

In the fall of 2006, French archaeologists digging at the Neolithic site of Djade al Mugahara in northern Syria announced the discovery of a remarkable mural. Made up of red, black, and white geometric shapes painted 11,000 years ago, the small panel bore an uncanny resemblance to the early work of modernist masters Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee.

http://www.archaeology.org/0801/topten/neolithic_mural.html

Also consider 'formalism' or the idea that art and architecture can be constructed from clear principles or self similar components, again, is this 'academic' or 'intellectual'?. Have a look at fractal/recursive geometry in African architecture and think again (the history of ideas is not so simple, fortunately/unfortunately)



A Ted talk by Ron Eglash (20mins)

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/198

Ron Eglash`s Site.

http://www.rpi.edu/~eglash/eglash.dir/afractal/afractal.htm

Amazon link to his book.

African Fractals: Modern Computing and Indigenous Design