I do believe that an artist can be both a social critic and an active member of their community, although I think that to be both, an artist sort of becomes more of a social observer than a social critic. To be a social critic I think you have to have some feelings of hate towards the community and you probably wouldn’t live there or even be a part if it. On the other hand to be a social observer, you might see things you don’t like in your community but you know that you must still live there, so instead of criticizing you are commenting. For example, you might live in one of the worst neighborhoods in the world, where violence and injustice roam around freely, and you might stand up against that and comment on the issues your community is facing through your artwork. Nonetheless, you are still going to be inhabiting there and making a living and in essence nothing would ever really change. You would be an observer and a citizen of your community at the same time.
Now, as I did some research on Andy Warhol I came upon something very interesting. According to a website, published by The Andy Warhol Museum, Warhol himself “rejected the idea that his work functioned as social criticism and instead described himself as an American artist who was merely depicting his environment”(Diversity of Voice). Warhol commented on various aspects of American society including religion, violence and our fascination with celebrities. I truly believe that he was just commenting on his environment like he said. I don’t think he was criticizing it since he was a celebrity himself.
My favorite artwork of his were the celebrities’ pictures on the magazine covers. I also like how the magazine was dedicated solely to celebrities and the interview he had with the young Jodie Foster was really interesting. It made me see a whole new side of her. The Interview made the audience feel closer to various celebrities which I think is great because it reminds us that they are not gods and goddesses. They are people, just like us.
I believe that Andy Warhol opened a whole new world to us. Through his artwork we got to experience a little bit of what it was like to be a celebrity. We got to live our “15 minutes of fame.”
“Diversity of Voice: Views on Guns in the United States.” The Warhol: resources and lessons . The Andy Warhol Museum, 2009. Web. 19 Sept. 2010. <http://edu.warhol.org/aract_guns.html#about>.
