Artistic expressions—whether in the form of literary fiction like a novel or poetry, performing arts like drama or opera, or visual arts such as painting and sculpture—embody and represent the cultural, philosophical, and political stage into which a society is ushered. However, a rampant debate persists: Does a work of art merely reflect the society in which it was produced, or do artists, using their powerful imaginations, create the world they believe society ought to be ushered into?

Artists are undoubtedly influenced by personal experiences, as well as theoretical and intellectual forces that shape their thinking and creative work. Yet, their personal convictions and intellectual formation serve as the inner drive that leaves an indelible print on their art. It is very difficult to imagine an artistic work that does not reflect the personal philosophy or convictions of its creator. At the same time, some critics of this theory argue for the agency of the consumers, emphasizing the role that the audience plays in interpreting and influencing art.

In my humble opinion, the most modest approach to this debate is to consider both the external environment in which the artwork is produced and the inner personal philosophy of the artist together to gain a proper understanding of the topic.

From Divine Order to Human-Centric Art

One of the most brilliant Italian Renaissance artists and scientists of his time, Michelangelo, is primarily known for his work in sculpture, painting, architecture, and poetry. His creations predominantly reflect a medieval, Christian-dominated society. As a product of that era, much of his premodern work is religious, focusing primarily on characters from the Bible.

For instance, the marble sculpture of David represents the biblical hero before his battle with Goliath, symbolizing human strength, courage, and ideal beauty. Similarly, his other works—including marble sculptures of the Virgin Mary and Moses, as well as ceiling paintings in the Sistine Chapel—exhibit both the deeply religious imagination of the artist and the broader social climate. It would have been unthinkable for the artist to imagine differently, as the Church would have sanctioned and discouraged such intellectual or artistic autonomy.

Because Michelangelo lived in a deeply Christian Renaissance society, his works predominantly reflected Christian values. Even when he produced art that was not explicitly biblical, he still dwelt on themes with strong spiritual connections. For example, some of his poems explored love, beauty, aging, mortality, and spirituality rather than simply retelling biblical stories.

Christian values were so deeply entrenched that when Michelangelo painted The Last Judgment on the Sistine Chapel altar wall, it contained many nude figures, drawing strong criticism from church officials. There were even calls to remove or alter the work, and after his death, another artist was hired to add drapery to cover the nudity. Even though Michelangelo did not always operate exclusively under strict Christian underpinnings, his art operated at the intersection of Christian theology, Renaissance humanism, and classical Greek and Roman aesthetics.

This controversy highlights a fundamental truth: art in the medieval period was expected to strictly portray Christian values and philosophical underpinnings to instill virtues such as truth, morality, spirituality, and mortality. These elements were considered essential to bring the medieval person closer to God and to aid in spiritual formation and devotion.

The Shift Toward Modernity and Postmodern Relativism

The intellectual evolutions that followed—such as the Renaissance and the Enlightenment—dismantled the old social structure where religion sat at the center, allowing alternative worldviews to compete for the artistic mind. This later fostered artistic works that defied traditional order, taking humanity itself as the center of artistic curiosity instead of theological themes. As philosophy changed, art changed.

By the 19th century, modernity embraced scientific explanations of reality, and religion was increasingly confined to the private sphere. Consequently, art began to follow suit: the mundane, daily life, and the regular person became objects of interest. The art world left the sacred setting of the church, wandering out to capture the ordinary member of society.

This departure became complete when postmodernism turned long-established philosophical and religious notions of truth upside down by proposing that truth is relative. The notion that art should reflect grander themes like objective truth, sacredness, and love was cast aside; instead, art was expected simply to allow the artist to express subjective beauty, truth, and individuality. The era was marked by a retreat from absolutism.

As the well-known American philosopher Francis Schaeffer wrote, under the backdrop of Renaissance humanism, enlightenment rationalism, and modern skepticism culminating in postmodern relativism, the Western mind, culture, and civilization gradually retreated from truth, moving away from the idea of objective, knowable reality. The art world has since been the battlefield where these opposing minds clash for the heart and soul of the masses.

The Evolution of Ethiopian Art and Modernity

When tracing the trajectory of Ethiopian art and literature, the narrative reveals a profound tension between deep-rooted indigenous traditions and successive waves of external ideologies. For centuries, Ethiopian artistic and cultural expression was heavily dominated by Oriental Christianity—so much so that some European observers historically mischaracterized Ethiopia as merely a periphery of the Byzantine civilization, overlooking its distinct autonomy and internal depth. The nation’s experiment with modernity, which began in the early years of Emperor Menelik II and intensified during the early 1960s, initiated a decisive shift toward modernist philosophies.

However, this evolution was abruptly fractured by the Marxist-Leninist government, which radically overhauled the existing intellectual currency and steered the nation headlong into the unchartered waters of socialist ideology. As prominent Ethiopian critics and philosophers—most notably Mesay Kebede—have argued, this massive departure and dislocation from local, indigenous, religious, and cultural foundations permanently damaged the psyche of the masses and fundamentally altered the natural course of Ethiopian history.

Operating within the shadow of these shifting philosophical underpinnings, modernist writers and artists navigated this turbulent landscape with distinct approaches. Figures like Bealu Girma engaged critically with the sociopolitical realities and power structures of the era, while Sebhat Gebre-Egziabher emerged as perhaps the most radical among them. Pushing stylistic and thematic boundaries through a unique fusion of realism and surrealism, Sebhat captured the raw, unconventional  texture of modern urban existence in sharp defiance of rigid orthodoxies.

The Global Spread of Modern Media and Cultural Impact

This trend has been consistent: a movement from the noble to the ignoble, from the sacred to the profane, and from the elegant to the vulgar—often marketed as marks of modernity and sophistication. Consequently, the art world has become saturated with works in the form of novels, movies, and paintings that reflect the moral bankruptcy and regression into which society has descended.

This continuous assault on the human mind—driven by “modern” education and secularization, and exacerbated by technological expansion and globalization—is no longer confined to small pockets of Western nations. Instead, it is served on the “golden plate” of the internet, social media, and global telecommunication companies operating under market-expansion models that promulgate values and lifestyles eerily unconfirmed by the rest of the world.

While this global expansion might be acceptable if it promoted healthy social interactions and local values that enhance social harmony, its aggressive spread is negatively impacting the youth, particularly in regions where media literacy is limited, such as Ethiopia. The widespread portrayal of gruesome violence in horror movies, ritualistic content, and sexual perversion—which completely misaligns with local cultures—acts as a subtle and indirect control over the minds of the young and innocent. Without broader media control mechanisms to check these influences, external media reigns freely to push its own agenda.

Art is a powerful tool. It can easily access the hearts and minds of people. When used to promote socially positive values, it can be a force for good. But if it falls into the wrong hands, artists risk being manipulated by individuals who will not back down from using God-given talents to exploit and manipulate the public.