Rock art, perception and the subject/object binary

Abstract

In what perceptual circumstances does a representation qualify as a 'scene', i.e. something we 'see' as a scene? There is a common assumption that we see subjectively and therefore need to bypass everyday intuitive seeing in order to see objectively. This paper outlines a reception theory approach to perception based on phenomenology. It examines problems generated by attempts to apply objective criteria to rock art classifications, as well as by a subjectivist appeal to 'original intention'. In so doing, it offers a new and detailed definition of 'scene' and associated concepts, arguing for a view of perception as neither subjective nor objective. Show more