Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Sandy Schaffell"
<sschaffell@...> wrote:
>
> Jack, the "us" I surveyed thought more of Robinson Crusoe on the desert
> island.  I must have overlooked you.  Who do you think of when you see
> footprints on the sand?
 DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com<DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint%40yahoogroups.com>,
> > "Sandy Schaffell"
> > <sschaffell@> wrote:
> > > Why do wet footprints on sand make you think of Jesus? It may
> > surprise you
> > > to learn that many of "us" don't get the connection.
> > >
> > > Really? How many of "us" did you survey to come to that conclusion?
> > Jack

I must admit, this reference escaped me too, despite a Christian
upbringing. It's really a good reminder that interpretation of images
is always predicated on the cultural influences of the viewer. I
suspect that certain things are probably innate -- appreciation of
symmetry seems to occur in lots of other species, not just humans.
It's also possible that the golden section ratio is hardwired
somewhere too, probably because it also appears everywhere in nature
-- appreciation of both it and symmetry are probably associated with
avoiding eating (or mating with!) damaged or deformed plants and animals.

I am tempted to add perspective to this list, but looking at the
history of art tends to argue against this -- perspective in 2D
representations is really quite a recent thing, particularly 3-point
perspective, so this probably isn't hardwired for 2D representations
at least. So, if even perspective is essentially a cultural
interpretation, this is highly suggestive that an awful lot of what we
assume everyone else to implicitly understand is actually really not
something that can be taken for granted.

Interestingly though, it might mean that images based on symmetry and
the golden ratio only *might well* transcend cultural boundaries.
Definitely food for thought.

Sarah