“Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change – it can not only move us, it makes us move.” — Ossie Davis, actor and activist
October is Art and Humanities Month in the United States, a celebration that provides the perfect opportunity to consider how art helps shape society. Our societal norms and values have an inextricable link to the arts, and here we’ll discuss some fascinating aspects of that connection.
Providing Foundations
Modern political systems, including the US federal government, drew their structure from ancient civilizations. The Greeks conceived a democratic system with a written constitution, while the Romans formed a republic with a senate. These systems helped shape American society largely because they were preserved in the literature, frescoes, architecture, and sculptures these cultures produced.
Recording Events and Inciting Action
The grim reality of the Spanish Civil War was brought to light for much of the world through Pablo Picasso’s painting “Guernica,” which depicts an incident that might never have been known outside of Spain and could have been largely forgotten by history. Now, it’s immortalized on canvas.
The masterwork depicts an attack ordered by Francisco Franco on a small town called Guernica, which was a historical symbol of democracy for Spain. With help from Germany, Franco bombed the town, killing hundreds of people, including many women and children. The painting was sent on tour and was used to raise money in support of refugees who left Spain during its civil war.
Reinforcing Beliefs
Why are central figures from Christianity often depicted in clothing and settings from the Middle Ages? Gerard David’s 16th-century painting “Virgin and Child with Four Angels” is an example of a work in which the artist painted ancient subjects with a more modern look. Period images of these religious figures were scarce, and painting them in more familiar medieval contexts made them more relatable to people of the 16th century, thereby reinforcing their faith.
Creating a New Normal
What is normal, decent, and acceptable? This varies with time and geography, but changes to societal norms are often spurred by works of art. For eons, art was used primarily to depict the familiar: people, objects, settings, and scenarios that were recognizable and situated in the known world. Then abstract art appeared on the scene.
Abstractionism received its share of resistance from art critics and the public. It represented a radical, shocking shift away from traditional art style and subjects, which tended to focus on religion or history. But it also opened our minds, changing our perceptions of what could be deemed art.
Promoting Social Change
Art is a form of commentary with the power to draw attention to serious social issues, spark sympathy and outrage, and change attitudes in a way that’s necessary to bring about social change. At the very least, it can start some important discussions. While we may think of social activism as a recent phenomenon, political cartoons created during the French Revolution are but a few historical examples of art that calls for change.
Moreover, art calling attention to social concerns sometimes came from unexpected sources. Even Norman Rockwell, most closely associated with Americana images of baseball games and barbershops, took on serious social issues with his painting “Golden Rule.”
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Sources:
https://www.americansforthearts.org/events/national-arts-and-humanities-month
https://thedailyguardian.com/the-impact-of-art-on-society-role-of-art-in-shaping-culture-challenging-societal-norms-and-sparking-social-change/
https://www.montenagler.com/art-affect-culture-society/
https://artificialpaintings.com/blog/2024/07/10/the-influence-of-abstract-art-on-public-opinion-2/
https://www.britannica.com/art/abstract-art
https://artsproutsart.com/creating-art-for-social-change-how-art-can-inspire-activism/