From a societal point of view, how does an artist serve humanity through his or her works? Many artists simply get rich and famous, but is there more to it than that? What about those lesser known musicians, painters, filmmakers and such that make profound statements through their creations and performances? What makes an artistic performance profound in the first place?
Many artists are misunderstood and that is the problem, you 'll only understand an artists if you, yourself are a true artist. Sadly most artists don not get the recognition they deserve until after they have passed away. – petergeoff219 years ago
The poem "Portrait of the Poet as Landscape" by A. M. Klein could shed some light on this topic. – JennyCardinal9 years ago
This is sort of like the question asked in every art history/fine art class, "What is Art". It usually sparks a lot of heated discussion. However, finding out what it means to be an artist today vs perhaps in the renaissance could be an interesting point to start from – hmsnow8 years ago
I agree with the commentator above, it is a broad question. However, as a visual arts student on the cusp of graduation I would say being an artist in the contemporary art realm means being defined by other artists. Often in class I will hear comparisons being drawn between a learning artists work and a famous artist. We are constantly searching up artists who have already developed a unique subject matter that has defined them as worthy of attention within the art world. I am an artist however I am defined by the artists of the past and present, their techniques and subjects, and their successes and failures. – melpetrinack8 years ago