History may have begun with writing, but art didn't wait that long. Consider efforts to reconstruct the earliest cave art. Then, discuss: is there a difference between painting and documentation—or between drawing and doodling? Were these early people artists? Does it matter what their intentions were?

France's famed Lascaux Caves became so crowded with tourists there to see their breathtaking cave art that visitors risked suffocation. The French arrived at a solution: a replica next door. Is it misleading to present such recreations as valuable enough to visit in place of the original? Does it matter whether they were made by human hands or a 3D printer? And is such a replica a better solution than just limiting the number of visitors per day?

Some art requires not replication but reconstruction every time people want to exhibit it. The Japanese Mono-Ha art movement was inspired by the collision of the natural and the mechanical worlds; many of its works were designed to deteriorate over time. Consider Phase - Mother Earth 1, by Nobuo Sekine, along with this recent recreation, then discuss: why would artists create works that aren't meant to last as long as possible? If new technology allows us to make permanent versions of them, should we?