This is a question that was asked in our Concepts II class. It is a question that I feel as artist we constantly ask ourselves. What role do we play in our society? Is it our personal responsibility to inform the public about the horrors and evil of our world? Isn’t that a news reports job? But don’t we publish our own thoughts and feelings about issues that are sometimes the most personal and intimate to ourselves? Are we not essentially reporting how we feel or are we informing?
As artist we have the ability to choose a medium, a process, a way to create our ideas and communicate them to whom ever we choose. How we communicate and express these ideas often have an impact on society. The work from ancient past such as the Egyptians and Greeks expressed a message to there culture. Was it there purpose and intent or did the artist that created these particular works create them for there own personal pleasure? Was it there responsibility to create work for society? In the past the church and religious beliefs helped to propel the role of the artist to a great importance. Today the thought of the two working together can be a rather terrifying idea, unless of course you are Thomas Kinkade. Is it the role of the artist to impact society? Is it the role to communicate and make a change in our world?
Andy Warhol was credited for creating the 1960’s. He was an artist that had a major influence in the arts and society during his time. Warhol’s work helped to change the way we view art and question again “What in the hell is Art?” Just as Duchamp had done in the 1920’s and so many artist continue to do today. The labels of soup cans, the photos of famous celebrities, the logos of famous companies all could be presented as art. Was it Warhol’s role to change a culture of people and artist to create and produce new forms of artwork? No. Warhol created because he was driven by his own desire to create. The result of his work helped to influence society and culture around him.
As artist we have our own personal “message” that we choose to express and communicate. Artist, like Kara Walker and William Kentridge, deal with themes and personal beliefs that are translated into incredible works of art. They choose to use images that engage the viewer in a narrative and question the role of racism in our society. The role they play is informative and expressive in their artwork. Compared to Andy Warhol they are not changing a particular time in society, but bringing awareness to the realities of the world. Warhol was doing the same thing in his artwork, but it was more playful and translated in a different context. Where these roles that they assumed or giving?
I think before we can ask the question of what an artist plays in our society, we must ask how do you define an artist? Every where we look there are various forms of artists, there are painter, sculptures, photographers, printmakers and the occasionally basket weaver. Look further and we can realize that we are surrounded by political artist, musicians, teachers, the all American business man, the computer geek, the scientists that are trying to discover the meaning of life and etc...Etc... Are theses individuals not artist? Yes. They create and express a message, a statement, and a purpose that can be looked at from various people in different societies. What role do they play? A major one that includes the diversity that helps to create our society.
As artist are role to the society is to be true and honest to ourselves. We provide an outlet to some and aggression to others. We shake the “tree” and push some to open their eyes and see the world in a different way. We are not always understood and sometimes we don’t want to be. We play in our own playground and by our own set of rules. We change things around us and rethink the same damn things over and over because it’s what we do as artist. We offend people and often we please others. We communicate a message, sometimes loud and clear and other times we leave people wondering what is it and is that art? Our role in society is to create and keep creating. Some of us choose to make “pretty” pictures and stay in our comfort zone, while others piss in a jar or shit in a can and call it art. Either way we are artists who have a great impact in our world and society.
So create...make great art...and love being an artist.
