Pictorial Communication

Whilst studying for a BA(Hons) Fine Art Practice I became interested in the use of art and Illustration as a means of communication. Well before human kind could string a few grunts together to form a basic sentence are ancestors wer communicating via cave paintings. The use of pictorial images are used to pass on the basics one would need for survival to this very day. When traveling in a country where there may be (or is) a language barrier for even the simpelest of everyday needs i.e. food,toilets or accomadation there are universal images that are in use. You dont have to know one single word of the language of the country where you may be to get by. Traveling down the Motorway, Interstate or Autobahn you come across a variety of signage showing a petrol pump, a knife and fork or bed. where ever you are you can find your way to the nesecerties of life and survive using a picture. So if you were in a situation where the person you were trying to communicate with (or viseverasa) did not have the language skills or had a problem (even if the spoke the same language as you)with expressing themselves or getting there point across due to emotional problems for instance them reverting back to are ancestors we could find common ground via Art & Illustration. A good example are pre-infant school children who way before they can read or write and do not posess the eleqution for direct communication can and quite often do communicate there feelings by drawings. Art IS, just like music a universal language and can be used in all sorts of situations to allow people to be able to get there point across.