6 Artists That Have Influenced Society Today | Eastern North Carolina Now

Throughout history, several artists continue to change the world because of their unique approach, style, and beliefs. These are some of the artists that have influenced society today who challenged traditional concepts and urged us to continue redefining modern art.

    Various art forms make an impact on our lives. From dancers, photographers, musicians, visual artists, writers, and theater artists, these are among the key figures in the world of art who inspire movements, notions, and generations.

    Diane Arbus

    Diane Arbus was a New York-based photographer notable for her work to normalize the inclusion of society's marginalized groups. Her black and white images aim to highlight and show the importance of proper representation of people from all backgrounds.

    Arbus is among the world's most well-known photographers who left a legacy on urban street photography. While she produced pictures that often depict sorrowful, conflicted, or physically abnormal states, her subjects didn't hide their insecurities or conditions.

    Dante Alighieri

    Regarded as the greatest Italian poet, Dante Alighieri made significant contributions to Renaissance art, letting generations of thinkers, writers, and artists develop his ideas. Even today's students continue to take interest in learning the classics because of him.

    Alighieri is best known for The Divine Comedy, which is among the world's most important literary works. The epic poem contributed to the development of humanism, allowing people from different countries to use their vernacular languages to make cultural and intellectual changes.

    Anna Pavlova

    Known as the first ballerina to tour around the world, Anna Pavlova was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. She also plays a role in paving the way for small and thin dancers to flourish in ballet.

    The world of dance credits Pavlova as the designer and creator of the modern pointed shoe. Her legacy continues to live in spreading ballet as a respectable art in America, with performing arts companies employing 27.6% of dancers and choreographers.

    Jimi Hendrix

    As one of the greatest guitar heroes of all time, Jimi Hedrix cemented himself as an icon of changing the way we hear and make music. He pioneered the wild possibilities of playing an electric guitar by combining fuzz, controlled distortion, and obscure blues techniques.

    Hendrix valued the freedom of expressing music and even played the guitar unconventionally by putting the instrument behind his head or creating the illusion of picking it with his teeth.

    Frida Kahlo

    Frida Kahlo is a powerful Latin American art figure who had the tenacity to express her identity, sexuality, and experiences. The feminist and LGBT icon is famous for surreal self-portraits that exhibit power and beauty using bold colors.

    Despite experiencing tragedy and hardship in her teenage years, Kahlo used those moments as inspiration to produce vibrant, and albeit, disturbing works of visual art. Since Kahlo's death, she has become a symbol of empowerment and resilience against patriarchal oppression and adverse conditions.

    Andrew Lloyd Webber

    Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer of some of the theater world's highly-acclaimed musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Evita, and The Phantom of the Opera. He continues to support several artists through his foundation and theater group.

    Moreover, Lloyd Webber set the record as the only person since Rodgers and Hammerstein to have four Broadway shows running concurrently back in 2017. He also bagged several honors throughout his career, including a knighthood, an Oscar, 3 Grammy Awards, 7 Tony awards, and a Kennedy Center recognition.

    Conclusion

    Each of these artists influences people to use different art mediums, innovate, and challenge perspectives. Whether you're a budding or seasoned artist, may their stories inspire you to continue producing art and make a mark in your chosen art form.