Should Your Art Serve A Social Function? Does It?

The more social function it serves the less people will buy it at least not the Wall Art crowd (no offense meant). Didn't Hitler try this (he did), also the old Soviet Union tried....forced artists to glorify the working man and woman.

But lots of good work comes from this type of art as well. FDR had out of work artists creating murals in Post Offices, etc....

It should serve one if you wish it to. I have a couple of pieces that do.

Thanks Ronald. The new "social art" requires a whole new way of thinking about what art even is. It is generally gallery or museum sponsored and often the end result is the documentation of the activity. Some "art" is ongoing as in the Please Touch Garden in San Francisco, which turned an abandoned lot into a community garden and art space specifically designed for the blind and visually impaired. It has been used by groups as divergent as school children and corporate execs from Silicon Valley. It is non-profit and no it does not hang in a gallery. But it does/has performed an important social function and served as an art portal, as well.

Social Practice is a new MFA degree from a few colleges. It has developed from what formerly was Public Art.

Thanks Kevin, it will be interesting to see where this thread heads!

Thinking about my own work and if it has some social function for the good of humanity. Nope, not really! Art does a lot of things for both the artist and the viewer, I. E. Brings beauty to the drab world, stimulates thought, blah blah blah. However as you can tell from the information Kevin gave this is a much more direct approach. There must be some artist on this site who are working in this manner, who can talk about what they are doing!

Went and checked out the garden site online, very cool! Even if the social art thing is not your cup of tea it is nice to see such useful and beautiful projects going on. Well worth going online to take a look see!

I think a good extension of your question might be... If you feel your art serves a social function, what function would that be?

In previous generations, public (or social) art was understood to "decorate" public space. often with the idea that a city (or corporation) could demonstrate their sophistication. To raise the level of public discourse. One of the first and certainly most recognizable artists to move that bar higher has been Maya Lin. Lin designed the amazing Vietnam Memorial Wall in D.C. but at the time it was initially rejected, and very controversial.

Well phrased!

Ronald: Although your work is not exactly as ratical as Bunksy's, it serves as social awareness via visual satire. :) (simply my opinion; huge fan of your work)

When shooting humanitarian photography, there is an unexplainable and incredible dynamic created while shooting.
I have shot documentaries on homeless soldiers with addictions and mental illnessess, runaway girls, criminals living under the radar, etc... A woman named Marie who was diagnosed with HIV, cancer, trichotillomania and epilepsy was one of my first subjects. She was thrown out of a moving vehicle by a John because she was having a seizure. She lost her children because of her drug use. She had two failed marriages. At age 9 her mother turned her over to the state. Marie was a product of an affair her mother had had with the town's sheriff. Marie had an incredibly high IQ and wonderful sense of humor; her heart was golden. A few years had passed since the documentary and I ran into Marie at our church; she was attending a recovery program. She looked so good, healthy and beautiful; restored.

I must agree with Robert. There is little about humanitarian photography that calls out to an interior decorator (absolutely no offense intended) but a different story if your dealing with philanthropists.

There are wonderful visual art institutions and organizations that promote socially beneficial and edifying works.

There is something about the camera when used by a skilled photographer when it comes to documentation that is just awesome! Part of it comes from the viewers realization, "Oh my god this is real!" I have always loved Diane Arbus and her work. Diana, thank you once again for the kind words, also thank you for the wonderful, if not somewhat disturbing story of of Marie!

Your welcome Ronald. I second guessed myself briefly in regards to sharing Marie's story. The depravity that exists as part of the human condition creates a ghastly underbelly in societies. Diane Arbus' work is notable, I just looked her up. When I first started shooting documentaries, I came across Sarah Bones; incredibly talented photographer. Her Sierra Leone and Cuba series are excellent.

Just checked out Sarah Bones work, wonderful! Thanks for that I was unaware of it!

This is one of our locals.

http://www.100facesofwarexperience.org/

Roseann: What a fascinating share! Reading each one.

I am the director of Faces Not Forgotten. We paint portraits of children who were killed by gun violence and donate the portraits to the victim's family. We have over 40 portraits of children who were murdered in the St. Louis, MO area and hope to raise awareness on gun violence in this country by exhibiting the portraits in cities all over the country. Currently our project is exhibiting in Chicago.

If you know of anyone who has a child under the age of 18 who was killed by gun violence and would like a portrait painted free of charge, please have them contact me at janelinders@sbcglobal.net.

If you are an artist who would like to contribute to this project, please contact me.

Faces Not Forgotten has a gallery on Fine Art America if you would like to see examples of our work.

We feel that the portraits serve a social function by raising awareness and providing a memorial to children who were killed by gun violence.

Ms. Linders,
Just looked at the portraits of Children. Wow, quite powerful.

I don't know much about social art, but if my art brings a smile to someone, that is helping make the world a more joyful place, if a piece I make is telling a story like, stop killing, or war is cause of much suffering, and someone get's it, it's a benefit to society as it creates awareness, so if that is what social art is than yes I do it.

It can, it might, it doesn't have to - it can be pure decoration.

Jane what an awesome group and idea! Thanks for sharing!

My town that I lived before where I am now has been doing this for some time. They choose a charitable organization and where ever the venue is its part of there marketing plan

I believe in this new direction.. And I do produce art which is intended to have a social impact by helping people to see the world from a different perspective..

This type of art doesn't lend itself well to POD sites like this where gallery "eye candy" is where the money is.. I have put forward a few social art projects on here but they seem to have been actively discouraged by the site..

Hard to market, Earth art came from the anti gallery and marketing mode as well. Several people figured out ways to market it after all, for better or for worst! Guess the positive here if someone can market it is there would be more money to help others.

If we consider decorating an interior wall as a "social function", then, to answer your question, "yes", my art POTENTIALLY serves numerous social functions.

I am guessing that you mean something like does my art stand for some great cause, or is intended to send or symbolize some deep social concern over some focused issue. In this case, I would answer, "Maybe". My images might accomodate select social interests, movements, philosophies, etc., but I have not intentionally made them so.

As for SHOULD they? Of course not.

Oh wait, I forgot that I have done several series specifically for Christian greeting cards and Eastern religion/philosophy greeting cards. So myself stands corrected - I HAVE, in fact, produced art to serve specific social functions (i.e., religious faith affirmation, NOT my own).

The project I just finished has social value. I have submitted it to several calls so we'll see if others agree. I'm hesitant to share the work here for a few reasons:
1. It may anger some people.
2. I assume that it is not marketable.
3. I picture it being in a gallery space.
Just have to wait and see! I really believe in the work and what it has to say though.
Great discussion!!

I've tried a few times, to voice my depth of despair about issues current, for women's rights, especially. Being not a joiner, that was what I did! Made the Art, to express my self.....never thinking that I could 'change' anything, much. Am sorry in a way that I didn't press the issues more via the organisations which do reach out publicly.....I did approach the UN, ..., they thanked me for contributing......what good did it do?
Glad others, more committed, do see their projects through to real change for the better....thank you, especially to those who shared here, to raise our awareness.

The responses to these did give me great satisfaction.....to have struck a humanitarian chord...............slightly....the Description /award gladdened my heart , on the self/portrait.

Vivian, believe it or not you do have an audience. I have listened for many years. Not just on this forum but also on other we have shared.
You recognize that art gives you a voice and you use it. Bravo :-)

Drew, thank you very much.....Vivian

Well it seems to me that art could incidentally serve a social function, and that might help or hurt it being fine art; but do think fine art should have a social impact. It should 'speak' if it's art.
-- mary ellen anderson