Analyzing the Social Role of the Artist in Different Time Periods

This essay examines the multifaceted social role of artists, exploring how their contributions shape society across different time periods and geographic regions. The essay delves into the evolution of the artist's role, contrasting traditional perspectives with contemporary practices. It analyzes the work of visual artists like Ai Weiwei and Shirin Neshat to illustrate how their art reflects and influences societal values. The discussion covers the impact of art on cultural memory, the influence of technology, and the interplay between art and power structures. The essay also touches upon the changing role of artists in the modern and contemporary eras, highlighting the shift from classical artists to intellectuals. By focusing on specific examples and historical contexts, the essay provides a comprehensive understanding of the artist's significance in shaping and reflecting the world.

Running head: SOCIAL ROLE OF THE ARTIST
SOCIAL ROLE OF THE ARTIST
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1SOCIAL ROLE OF THE ARTIST
The functions or the role of an artist is always significant as it helps every individual
to see the universe in their way. Artists always create a chromatic record of every society,
places along with the events with their place and time. Art is the antagonism with nature. Art
is something that is an essential part of human life1 — art plays a significant role in every
society, whether it is ancient or middle or modern. There are different types of arts used by
artists. One of the most significant of the art is Visual arts which are the form of arts, such as
as-as ceramics, drawing, painting, Photography, crafts architectures and so on. This essay
will be discussing the role of the visual artists as well as the importance of the visual artist in
contemporary society.
This essay will focus on one of the most popular Chinese artist named Ai Weiwei in
contemporary society and how his visual arts are different from the early societies artist are
the following discussion of this essay. Mostly the Chinese artists are famous for emphasising
the issue of the viciousness of the human rights that have remained the same at the advanced
amounts within the society 2. On the other hand, Shirin Nishat, who was an Italian writer
famously known for his photography, videography as well as the making of movies. Her
work mostly focuses on the decreased self-esteem and the deprived social situation of
females in the state and intention to climax the dignity, forte and the social state of the
females.
From the ancient period, the changing role of the artist has been noticed. In ancient
society, the classical artist was the slaved labours. The skill or the potentiality did not judge
the artist. The association of the slaves and the former slaves are with manual labour becomes
a permanent feature of aristocratic culture. The artists became the slaves though they were
1 Pahl, Escott, Graham, Marwood, Pool, and Ravetz. "What is the role of artists”, 135.
2 Stenberg, "How is the artist role affected”, 11

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skilled labour. Contemporary art is the art of the present scenario which is produced during
the time of the 20-the century or 21-st century 3. The artist of the contemporary society are
well delivered, as well as they are globally influenced. Contemporary artists are also
advanced in the technological field. Their art is the amalgamation of materials, procedures,
ideas, perceptions as well as themes that endure that stimulating the borders that were
previously well on-going in the era of the 20-the century.
The earlier images that artist have created for the intention of referencing the early
historic moments 4. Most of the picture are designed in the community or the concealed
places which have numerous influences on what they try to purport for. Apart from that, the
images of power are equipped with the arts with which the societal or communal people rely
on. For example, the Muslim community believe that they gain the power from the mosque
and this becomes the strength of them. However, the nonappearance of these imageries
affects the most in the society which is awkward in the contemporary world.
On the other side, Yasuma Morimura’s art can be considered as visual art, where he
uses the term appropriation 5. In his work, he emphasises on the self- portrait as the history of
art. He confirms that his viewers would discover his art as an unaccustomed or unacquainted
art which is different from the original. In the contemporary world, every artist wants to
create a new thing through his art.
Modern art came before contemporary art. Most of the arts were historical,
monumental, sculptural and so on for the duration of the era of 1860 to 1970, the modern
occurred. Earlier in 1860, the work of the art was mostly narrative, although the modern art’s
3 Dahlberg, "When artists became intellectuals”, 67
4Rathwell, Armitage, "Art and artistic processes bridge knowledge”, 21
5 Marstine, “Critical practice”, 57

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viewpoint was dissimilar. All the Artists started bestowing their supposed in an additional
method which was termed as intellectual art.6 On the other hand, The modern artist also
started investigating new techniques or methods of sighting and instigated to work on fresh or
new inventive thoughts or ideas about nature and resources. Therefore, it was a vibrant
revolution of art technique, from the outdated description to modern intellectual.
Based on my investigation, I have discerned that the contemporary artist’s always
want to relate their work with the early arts, as the early provides them with the motivation of
thinking in their way. The traditional arts have a huge contribution to our contemporary
society. The research has shown that Art has influenced in the fundamental sense of self. The
painting of the artist, along with the music, sculptures are sometimes considered to be the
source of a society’s collective remembrance.
6 Røyseng, "The social contract of artists”, 162

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work life?." International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being 11, no. 1
(2016): 30549.
Dahlberg, Julia. "When artists became intellectuals. Female artistic persona and science as a
significant other." Persona Studies 4, no. 1 (2018): 60-73.
Rathwell, Kaitlyn, and Derek Armitage. "Art and artistic processes bridge knowledge:
Beyond impact (2017): 131-152.
Marstine, Janet. Critical practice: Artists, museums, ethics. Routledge, 2017.
Røyseng, Sigrid. "The social contract of artists in the era of cultural industries." International
Journal of Cultural Policy 25, no. 2 (2019): 154-170.