The artist in society : a qualitative study among young painters

Abstract

This qualitative study focuses on young artists' identities and tries to find out how these are mainly shaped through various social processes. In contrast to psychological analyses, which deal with the psyche and behavioral aspects of the individual artist, this study explores 'the artist' as a social type. The major thesis behind this research is that the concept of 'the artist' is socially constructed and that the traits that make someone an artist are essentially embedded in discourse and myths. This means that the role and status of the artist, and thus people's expectations of him as a social actor, change according to the collective ideas of the time.