To support your argument against Kyra's claim that the first piece of art ever created was a sculpture, you can present the following points:
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Cave Paintings Evidence: Some of the earliest known human-created artworks are cave paintings, such as those found in Lascaux, France, and Altamira, Spain. These paintings, dating back to around 30,000 to 12,000 years ago, showcase human creativity in a medium other than sculpture. This suggests that painting may predate sculpture as a form of artistic expression.
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Portable Artifacts: Archaeological findings also include portable art, such as the Venus figurines (like the Venus of Willendorf), which are small carvings that date back to the Upper Paleolithic period. These could challenge the notion that sculpture is the earliest form of art, as small carvings and other forms of artistic expression could have emerged alongside or even before large-scale sculptures.
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Defining Art: Consider discussing how we define art. If art is seen as the expression of human creativity and imagination, then many forms exist, including body painting, textile work, and even ritualistic practices that may not fit neatly into the category of sculpture.
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Cultural Variability: Highlight that different cultures may have developed their forms of artistic expression at varying times. There is evidence of art across various civilizations that do not rely solely on sculpture, suggesting a diversity of mediums that could precede it.
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Evolution of Artistic Expression: Discuss how artistic expression likely evolved over time, with early humans experimenting with various mediums—both two-dimensional (like painting) and three-dimensional (like sculpture). It’s plausible that different forms of art emerged simultaneously based on context and necessity.
By presenting these points, you can create a strong case that the origins of art are likely more complex than a single form, and that painting, in particular, may well have been among the first artistic expressions of humanity.
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