In this blog post, we will examine the origins of art from the perspectives of evolutionary psychology and survival strategies, and explore the human desire for expression.
Evolutionary psychologists generally argue that art began because it provided selective advantages for human survival and reproduction. They view art as a product of human nature and seek to understand its origins as part of the process of biological evolution. In particular, they seek to explain art in the context of sexual selection. In other words, art is a product of the human desire to gain an advantage in the competition for reproduction. The first thing they noticed was the phenomenon of sexual selection. In the animal world, it is often observed that animals engage in behavior that attracts the attention of the opposite sex, even at the risk of their own survival.
For example, the overly colorful tail feathers of male peacocks may increase their risk of exposure to predators, but they are recognized by females as individuals with attractive genes, increasing their chances of mating. The reason for maintaining excessive ornamentation despite the risk to survival is that it plays a decisive role in increasing reproductive success.
This principle applies equally to humans. It is also important for humans to find suitable mates for reproduction, which manifests itself in different mate selection criteria and courtship strategies depending on the biological conditions and roles of men and women. Men prefer healthy, young women who can bear and raise children, while women prefer men who can provide stable resources for themselves and their children while they undertake the long tasks of pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing. Women’s selection criteria include economic power, social status, responsibility, and reliability, which are the result of strategic judgments formed through the long evolutionary process of humankind.
These differences are also reflected in actual courtship patterns. Men strive to show that they are financially secure, have high social status, and are trustworthy.
On the other hand, women tend to take care of their appearance and emphasize their beauty in order to highlight their reproductive potential, health, and youth. These behaviors continue to this day in various cultures and societies, showing that appearance-related adornment has evolved culturally over a long period of time. In this context, some argue that the origins of art can be found in women’s courtship strategies.
According to this perspective, art originated from women’s acts of adornment to make themselves more beautiful and attractive, such as makeup, wearing jewelry, and decorating their clothes, and these visual expressions gradually became symbolized and refined, developing into art. Art is not simply a tool for survival, but a symbolic means of gaining an advantage in the competition for mates.
For example, anthropologist Camilla Power points out that most primitive tribal women commonly use red body paint. She argues that this red color is not merely decorative, but symbolizes the menstrual cycle and serves as a signal of reproductive potential. This red color imitates the color of menstrual blood and may have been a symbol to inform other members of the group about a woman’s biological status and a means of communication for reproduction. Such physical expressions can be considered early forms of art, suggesting that art originated at the intersection of human instinctual needs and cultural creativity.
However, there are clear limitations to this perspective. The explanation that art originated from women’s courtship strategies does not adequately explain how male artists emerged throughout the history of art and why their numbers have far exceeded those of female artists over time. Some scholars attribute the small number of female artists to social discrimination and institutional oppression. Historically, women have been excluded from educational opportunities, had difficulty accessing the resources and space necessary for creative activities, and have been subject to structural constraints that made it difficult to freely express their artistic abilities in a patriarchal culture.
This argument raises important issues and is noteworthy in that many female artists throughout history have pursued their art despite social constraints.
However, even if such institutional discrimination existed, it is insufficient to explain the origin of artistic activity itself. Questions remain as to why men also had a strong desire to express themselves through art and how that desire led to concrete artistic creation. Based on this awareness, evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller offers a more universal explanation.
He believes that art is not a courtship strategy limited to a specific gender, but rather a universal means of expression used by all humans to attract the opposite sex. In other words, both men and women engaged in artistic activities to make themselves attractive to the opposite sex, and in the process, art became a common evolutionary product of humanity.
Miller cites as theoretical basis the fact that in primitive societies, both men and women adorned themselves with colorful decorations and body painting, arguing that art is not the exclusive domain of a particular gender, but rather the result of the desire for expression and competitive instincts of humanity as a whole. However, questions remain regarding this argument.
According to evolutionary psychology, women prefer men who can provide stable resources, i.e., men who are financially secure, have high social status, and are sincere and responsible. If so, how effective were body painting and decoration, which are believed to be early forms of art, in conveying these conditions? Since artistic activities are often not directly related to economic power or social credibility, it is difficult to say that art directly satisfied women’s criteria for choosing a mate. Therefore, some argue that art cannot be explained simply as a product of mating competition.
To overcome this limitation, some scholars attempt to find the origins of art not only in sexual selection but also in human survival strategies and the process of adaptation to the environment. They view art not as a tool to impress the opposite sex, but as a form of expression used by humans to gain a sense of order and control in an uncertain and dangerous natural environment.
For example, geometric patterns often found in primitive art are interpreted as attempts to impose order on a complex and threatening natural world, rather than meaningless decorations. This was a psychological and cultural response by humans to reconstruct a chaotic world through visual symbols and make it controllable.
In addition, acts such as applying makeup and wearing accessories can be seen as practical techniques for achieving harmony with nature, rather than mere aesthetic adornment. From this perspective, art is not a skill directly necessary for survival, but rather stems from psychological and social skills for maintaining and expanding survival in a more stable manner.
Art provides humans with various functions, such as purifying and releasing emotions, strengthening community bonds, and enabling symbolic communication. It has provided a framework for humans to affirm their existence and understand the world even in unstable environments. Therefore, art is not merely an activity for the sake of beauty, but another form of adaptation strategy that lays the foundation for survival and a product of cultural evolution.
