Story of Evolution, Evolution of Stories
Bryn Mawr College, Spring 2004
First Web Paper
On Serendip

The evolution of art mimics biological evolution. For this reason art history and biology are comparable in many ways. Works of art are stories. Each work of art relates to and influences other stories, or pieces of art. Ernst Mayr uses the phrase "descent with variance" throughout his book to describe biological evolution. Art behaves similarly. In addition, like biological evolution there are serious ramifications for the production of art. Because it is possible to view art from an evolutionary perspective it is also possible to look at evolution from an artistic perspective.

In the beginning there were simple cells called prokaryotes. After the prokaryotes came eukaryotes and then multicellular organisms (Mayr, 44-50). Similarly, artistic style evolves in complexity as time progresses. Take, for instance, classical art. Fifth century Greece is known for the invention of columns. These columns, which characterize the architecture of this time, are comparable to cells in that they are both basic units upon which both fields build. The earliest style is the Doric column which is plain and without much detail. After the Doric column came the Ionic column. This is a noticeably more ornate structure. Either side of the column has serpentine circles resembling eyes. Lastly, the Corinthian column is the most decadent and resembles leaves growing up at either end (Hyman and Trachtenberg, 102). The Doric column represents the simple celled prokaryote whereas the Corinthian represents multicellular organisms. Without the progression from Doric to Ionic the Corinthian would not have been possible. The Corinthian column builds from the earlier two models. However, this is not to imply that the Corinthian is the best model, although some would argue that the skillful technique exhibited in this style commands a higher status. Rather, the Corinthian is simply more complex, just as multicellular organisms are more complex than prokaryotes (Mayr, 49). The latter and more elaborate relies on the earlier. In addition, the simple cells coexist with the more complex cells similar to the way in which the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian all coexist.

Evolution requires change. In biology this gradual change of form is known as anagenesis. Anagenesis ultimately allows for a splitting, or the production of diversity. This diversification is known as cladogenesis (Mayr, 11). Similarly, periods of art are marked by drastic stylistic changes. The classical tradition progressed to medieval art which in turn ushered in renaissance art. We can identify this diversity retrospectively by classifying stylistic trends and technique. In more modern art we even see different schools operating simultaneously, such as Dadaism and abstract expressionism. This process of diversification is unending. However, as we know from biological evolution, there is ample space for new organisms because each living thing creates its own niche (Mayr, 152). In art each niche can be identified by stylistic variance. It has already been noted that there is evidence of this change in classical columns. The evolution of the history of art is therefore creative in the same way that biological evolution is creative. Both art and biology are productive.

Production, whether it involves life or art, is not without consequence. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that as one thing becomes ordered a proportionally larger set of other things become disordered. In short, it is inevitable for things to become disordered. This process of entropy is irreversible (Class notes). Science is famous for this trade off, but it is a rule that is so far reaching that it is equally suitable to describe the state of the observable world. Let us return to classical art. Athens is characterized by symmetry and proportion. Classical art is ruled by a strict system of measurement. Evidence for this system ranges from Greece's architecture to its nude statues (Clark, 11-13). However, 5th century Greece was not an ideal time to live. Eva Keuls asserts that it was a "society dominated by men who sequester their wives and daughters, denigrate the female role of reproduction, erect monuments to the male genitalia, have sex with the sons of their peers, sponsor public whorehouses, create a mythology of rape, and engage in rampant saber-rattling (1)." From a scientific perspective the chaotic state of Athens, therefore, is the disordered price that the culture paid for the elaborate sculpture and architecture it produced. It is as if the art caused the chaos. In this example the disorder observably manifests itself in society. The effect of art on society is probably why art remains so controversial. In contrast, an ordered state is less probable than a disordered state, which may be why art is cherished by all cultures (Class notes). In this way art is capable of triggering the sort of immense emotional response that the theory of evolution does.

Evolution is an evocative story. It is wrong to assume that this story only effects life on a microscopic level. The history of art is an observable way to track evolutionary trends. Moreover, the evolution of art history functions as a metaphor for biological processes that are not easily accessible. In summary, art is a reminder of the interconnectedness of our planet and that the laws that govern earth are inescapable at all levels. For this reason biology and art are not mutually exclusive. It is important to recognize the qualities that these disciplines share. It is impossible to study one without gaining a profound appreciation for the other. This revelation demands that society reconsider the definition of art. Art's affect on Greek society also demands us to decide whether we value art enough to risk our own undoing.

* Quote borrowed from Octavia Butler

Bibliography
1. Clark, Kenneth, The Nude, "The Naked and the Nude"
2. Class notes
3. Hyman, Isabelle, Trachtenberg, Marvin, Architecture: From Prehistory to Post-Modernism
4. Keuls, Eva C., The Reign of the Phallus: Sexual Politics in Ancient Athens, New York
5. Mayr, Ernst, What Evolution Is, New York, 2001

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