Similarities Between Ancient Cave Paintings And Modern Day Graffiti

Ancient cave paintings and modern day graffiti in the context of communication are comparable in various ways. "Works of art from the Stone Age include cave paintings, reliefs and sculpture of stone, ivory and bone. The subjects consist mainly of animals, although some abstract human figures have been found. There is no surviving architecture as such. Many Stone Age dwellings consisted of caves and rock shelters. Some impressive monuments such as Stonehenge exist, but their functions remain a mystery." (270) As the text supports, prehistoric offers an insight into the artists of the times; but leaves us no choice but to assume the meanings behind the art. Ancient cave paintings of animals were unrealistic as they portrayed both profile and frontal views of the subjects. The meaning and function of these cave paintings remains unknown as no texts have been found to provide a clear explanation. Scholars have contributed their guesses as to why the cave paintings were made. They may have been created to record narratives, tell stories, portray hunting scenes, teach and inform, as decoration or as ceremonial art. Although these speculations have been made; the answer remains unclear.

Similar to the the paintings, stencil graffiti also originated in caves. The film suggests that artists would chew berries to create the pigments
used in the stencils. Artists also speak of their work overlapping with other artists' work as they may stencil over graffiti backgrounds. With stencil an artist may add to another artists previous work. In this way, stencil is similar to ancient cave paintings as painters would enhance previous work.
As the film suggests, modern day graffiti and stenciling spreads messages to everyone who sees the art.
These messages, agendas or ideas may be personal and/or political. Where freehand graffiti may appear spontaneously; stenciling can be repetitive as it produces a uniform message. Stencil graffiti is more uniform and may be replicated hundreds of times. However, stencil graffiti only last temporarily. Depending on the quality of the paint used, the stencil could last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Cave paintings have lasted throughout the ages without a clear message; while stencil graffiti pronounces clear messages but last
temporary.
When comparing ancient cave paintings to modern day graffiti obvious similarities are found. From one perspective; both are comparable to advertisements and billboards as they were plastered on cave walls from natural products. From another perspective; the ancient cave paintings have lasted with unclear meanings while street graffiti lasts temporarily with clearly pronounced political and personal messages. Although the comparison is legitimate in some areas and falls short in others; the two are worth comparing as they share many similarities.