wall art

wall art

Exploring the Evolution and Impact of Wall Art: From Ancient Caves to Contemporary Murals

1. Introduction to the World of Wall Art

The intention of this article is not to focus on the creation of meaning. Instead, the focus is on the creation of presence, since the impact of these ancient anonymous artists and the influence of today’s professional practitioners is unquestionably all-encompassing and pervasive. These visual statements embrace and influence the public realm in very powerful ways. They literally engage with and transform our urban and/or natural environment. To explore this world of wall art and the visual excitement it portrays, we combine archaeological discussions of ancient, anonymous cave image creation with the professional professionalisation of the contemporary street art movement. These definitive time frame field locations then allow for the creation of a form of tunnel vision to peer curiously both backwards to create some form of evolutionary time line consideration and forwards to anticipate social/personal needs and interpretations. Each location/narrative – prehistoric caves/contemporary murals – is discussed separately, ensuring complete analysis disclosure.

Our environment is not visually static, but can change dramatically over time. An excellent example of changing visual stimuli can be seen in earthen materials, where the placement of rock art images, either in ancient caves or later on the walls of contemporary galleries, transforms the focus on the images. This article examines wall art in these very disparate locations: ancient caves in Europe, Africa, and Asia, to contemporary murals in cities today. There will always be endless speculation as to the meaning of ancient wall art images. Equally, street art murals are open for interpretation, if not for their social messages, then certainly for their artistic statement. Both of these definitive time frame locations for wall art can stimulate and encourage lively and informed questions about the meaning and impact of these vivid, compelling visual images.

2. Historical Perspectives: Tracing the Origins and Development of Wall Art

The reasons for people in past societies to create artworks on cave walls or other forms of architectural surfaces are not well understood. These expressions bear witness to highly sophisticated cultural communities capable of creating art as an expression of their thoughts or beliefs in narrative forms and under complex conditions. In the case of cave art, these expressions may also involve explicit forms of ritual, generally attributed to societies with a complex belief system and social stratification, but the reasons for the development of these specific art forms are still largely debated. Today, as a means of interpreting these examples, it is possible to compare the expressions captured on the walls of the most significant archaeological caves to related historical or cultural artifacts preserved in museums or heritage sites through the application of standard analytical methods in the field of image processing, graphics, and virtual modeling. However, the diagnostic methodologies still could be applied to painting and drawing techniques.

The history of wall art is long and complex and has been the only form of visual expression over many centuries. There are numerous examples of wall art preserved in some of the world’s most significant heritage sites that have much to reveal about cultural, social, political, or religious aspects of ancient societies. Early examples included both decorative elements and story forms in a variety of mediums and encompassed a wide spectrum of content and style. The use of architecture as a surface for drawing or color involves a form of physical intervention in the spaces we live in but also be considered a type of public manifestation to a given community, as murals and wall paintings involve the presence of a visible image to be observed without a direct request by the observer.

3. Techniques and Materials: From Cave Paintings to Street Art

From ancient art to contemporary street art, wall images fascinate us with their evolution, legacy, trace of historical events, and voice for a sociocultural soliloquist influence. The technical characteristics and conditions for execution not only assist in identifying the chronological timeline and possible creation of wall paintings, but they also indicate the level of art in the past and related living standards. Throughout different periods in history and from time to time, with various support materials from stone to brick, stuccos, tree bark, flat plaster, and/or lime plaster, humans chose to express themselves by using mineral and organic pigments. Collectively, from external to internal walls, they left various visual spectacles in the structure that they used for this purpose. Associating buildings with the complexity of human existence, we can see them as more than just the material part of a world. Entangled with a diversity of artistic achievement and full of various symbolisms, buildings became a melting pot for different cultural interpretations and expression.

While different periods used specific techniques, it is clear that the starting point is framed with the hand stencils, where the negative image was recorded directly from the hand over the wall surface and pigment was blown or daubed onto the surface. Cave paintings also depicted human figures, zoomorphic representations, and composite figures that combined animals with anthropomorphic features. While using color as a medium, wall painting was also used by Roman culture to show the architectural illusion of three-dimensional elements, such as architectural elements and statues, especially in the peristyles and cubicula. Through two-dimensional painting techniques, Romans made the ancient Roman world a synthetic architectural complex that could imitate a real place or feature—but one that was designed to impress the observer.

4. The Cultural and Societal Significance of Wall Art

Religion has used wall art as a primary method to spread religious ideals and call attention to associated religious beliefs. In addition, wall art represents one of the earliest forms of decorative interior design, as cave and rock wall surfaces were transformed into eye-catching and relevant visual scenes, patterns, and symbols. People invest significant amounts of time, energy, and talent to communicate the stories, noble deeds, and exemplary accomplishments of unique individuals or families as reflective and commemorative pieces of wall art.

From the earliest cave paintings to today’s multi-story murals found on urban walls across the globe, wall art has played a significant role in effectively communicating the culture and societal traditions of diverse communities worldwide. As diverse as the complex cultures and traditions found across the planet, wall art provides essential social communication among members of a society, and between diverse societies. The communicative qualities of wall art have been instrumental in bridging the gap between various cultures, which helps to foster mutual respect, peace, and cooperation.

5. Contemporary Trends and Future Directions in Wall Art

As mural graffiti artists’ destinations have migrated to the virtual world, future visualizations may subsequently disregard traditional geographic bases and boundaries. For the time being, street corner murals continue to inspire tourists and follow the footsteps of figures like Banksy and Obey. Such tourist destinations have increased wall art’s appeal as an urban renaissance tool. However, the rise in popularity of printed murals, or graffiti on panels to protect important mural sites, have again led to concerns about the temporary nature and ephemeral quality of graphic murals.

Recent trends have brought new perspectives to the wall art tradition. Illustrated walls continue to interest tourists and may contribute to the urban renaissance of wall art. Graffiti as advertising has been made illegal, not so specifically out of regard for the originator or the building owner, but primarily for the sake of the often-illicit viewer. Banksy’s murals have been imitated by others over time, but graffiti art has now also taken on other roles. Beyond imitation, origination from street crews and traditional graffiti lettering has been replaced by inspiration drawn from new sources, including the social media platforms of Instagram and Facebook. Social media significantly influence the trends and direction of graffiti and mural artists. This paper has also gone some way toward digitizing mural and graffiti art by providing a data visualization methodology. Opportunities to improve and expand the existing methodology as well as to use related social media collection and mining opportunities are plentiful.