Art

Art seems to appear in human history as far back as 30,000 years ago. We say the earliest cave paintings are art, but what do we mean by "art"？ A bone fish hook（钩）obviously required skill and creativity to make._____（26）

For the person who creates it, art expresses feelings and ideas._____（27）The feelings and ideas on each side may or may not be exactly the same. And they may be expressed in various ways.

An artistic work is intended to excite the senses, to stir（激发）the emotions of the observer._____（28）But art is more than an attempt by an individual to express or communicate feelings and ideas. There is also cultural patterning and meaning.

Artistic activities are always in part cultural. In our society, we tend to think that anything useful is not art. If the basket has a design that is not necessary to its function, we may consider it art._____（29）However, this difference is not made in other societies.

Another example is that people in different societies treat the outside of their houses differently. Most North Americans share the value of decorating the inside of their homes with pictures._____（30）

So art seems to have several qualities. It expresses as well as communicates. And it also has cultural meanings.

_____.