Dualities

Art is made by an individual and comes into a culture. The individual artist can reflect the culture or transform the culture. The artist can decorate the culture or blow it apart and attempt to rebuilt it. The artist can measure the past or prophecize the future. The artist can be now or be eternal. The artist can give us sight or insight.
Of course, these dualities are not fair, but they do point to the range of possibilities of art in culture.