Past Acting Upon Itself

What does it mean to be an artist at this moment in history? I pose this question to myself as a starting point for my written thesis in order to help layout what I have come to realize as the role of art and the artist is in these ever intensely changing times. By being aware of the current economic shortcomings of the United States, having knowledge of the atrocities being committed overseas, and watching the gradual decay of our infrastructure at home may leave one's brain little space for pondering the beauty and truth that art of the past has been typically concerned with. In the more recent past, artists have chosen to respond in ways that highlight or challenges the world in which we live and the causes of the dilapidated state in which we find ourselves. In dealing with subject matter that weighs heavy on people's minds, some artists use humor in their delivery. This approach is often successful at breaking down complex subject matter that may seem a bit overwhelming. I prefer an approach which has guided my art making and has given me the context in which to discuss, what I feel, is one of the obligations of the artist today. At times I have more questions than answers, but it all helps me navigate the current incarnation of the art world, the world at large and my place in both