The Role of the Artist in the Modern Era and beyond or It's All About Me

In the Renaissance the artist became the “master.” Artists were no longer only craftsmen, but they had now reached the status of celebrity. In this period, while each artist had their unique style, the art was still about the outside world; about the subject matter. In the Modern period art turned inward and it could be argued that the subject of much art was the artist himself. While art could still be about the outside world it was now filtered through the artist and became more egocentric. It was about the way the artist felt and the way he saw the world. Art no longer tried to illustrate the facade of the world, but attempted to peer behind the curtain and to reveal the driving forces beneath the surface. This was 180 degrees removed from the goal of the, Realists who attempted to show only the physical reality of the subject. There was much experimentation and diversity. Because of this it became harder to place art in neat little boxes or categories.
The world outside of art was also in flux. The second scientific and technological revolution was in full swing and the world was being ravished by war. Sigmund Freud and others were beginning to explore the recesses of the mind and artists began exploring their own psyches. It was this energy, both positive and negative, that drove the Modern era. Photography also played a role in painting’s turn inward. Painting was no longer the only means in which to illustrate what something looked like. Painting went off to find a landscape where, at least at that time, photography could not follow.
This individuality has survived to today. While styles come and go, the idea that art is about the artist’s own vision of world seems to be an enduring tenet in the art world.