How Art Made the World (5 Parts)

Synopsis

Fusing anthropology, politics, neuro-biology, archaeology and religion, this series of five programmes looks at how and why human beings create images and tells the epic story of how the images that we surround ourselves with today come from a world that is thousands of years old. Presented by archaeologist, art historian and classicist Dr Nigel Spivey, the series investigates the far-reaching impact ancient art has had on contemporary society. Encompassing everything from cave paintings to ceramics, pyramids to palaces, icons to artefacts, the series ventures across five continents and 100,000 years of history to unravel the mystery of why humans have always made art and uncover universal truths about why images have such a profound effect on us.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2005

Year of production

2005

Notes

Broadcast in five weekly parts on BBC2, beginning ?
May 2005

Subjects

Art; Classical studies; Psychology

Keywords

advertising; anthropology; art history; body image; cinema films; images; political campaigns; social psychology; story telling; Archaeology

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£19.99

Availability

Sale

Year

2005

Sections

Title

More Human than Human ...

Synopsis

One image dominates our contemporary world above all others - the human body. This opening programme in the series travels from the modern world of advertising to the temples of classical Greece and the tombs of ancient Egypt to solve the mystery of why humans surround themselves with images of the body that are so unrealistic.

Title

Day Pictures were Born, The

Synopsis

The discovery of prehistoric cave paintings in the last century led to the realisation that humans have been creating art for over 30,000 years. This episode reveals how the very first pictures ever made were created, and how images may have triggered the greatest change in human history.

Title

Art of Persuasion

Synopsis

The visual devices used by Tony Blair and George Bush to get themselves elected and maintain power come not from modern times, but a world that is thousands of years old. This episode ventures back to the creation of Stonehenge and the reign of Alexander the Great to reveal how imagery became an indispensable weapon in every leader’s political armoury.

Title

Once upon a Time

Synopsis

Each year over seven billion people across the world are drawn to see the latest feature films in the cinema. This episode reveals how the most powerful storytelling medium ever created exploits visual techniques invented by artists in the ancient world.

Title

To Death and Back

Synopsis

Today in the 21st Century people see fewer real dead bodies than at any time in history. Yet in the modern world we seem almost obsessed with images of death. In an investigation encompassing ancient Jericho, Aztec America and classical Italy, this programme in the series discovers what it is that has compelled human beings to surround themselves with images of death for thousands of years.

Production Company

Name

BBC Television

Distributor

Name

BBC Worldwide Publishing

Web

http://www.bbcworldwide.com External site opens in new window

Phone

020 8576 3560

Fax

020 8576 3570

Address

80 Wood Lane
London
W12 0TT

Notes

Since Spring 2005, for home video releases see BBC, 2 Entertain Video

 

Available from retail outlets