The Social Responsibility of the Artist and the Critical Function of Art in the Face of Natural Disasters The Case of Art Programs in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the United State

Every year, natural disasters affect the lives of millions of people around the world and cause significant damage. In many crises, the social dimensions of the disaster are far more tragic than the economic dimensions and can cause major problems for society for a long time. For this reason, one of the most important goals of crisis management is to rebuild the crisis-stricken areas not only physically, but also socially and culturally. Art is one of the most effective means to reduce the social damage to the victims and to rebuild the society.
This descriptive-analytical study was conducted using library resources with the aim of investigating the critical function of art and the social responsibility of the artist in the face of natural crises, and answering the question of the role of art and artists in critiquing crisis management. As a case study, the artworks after Hurricane Katrina in the United States were analyzed.
The results of this study indicate that social concepts such as sustainability, the spirit of collective reconstruction, hope for the future, etc., manifested in the deepening of the artworks, can restore the meaning and collective identity of society and lead to a new direction of social action. In addition, “artists” as a group of elites can use artistic media to critically question social issues such as social justice, class inequality, racial discrimination, etc., and raise knowledge and awareness in society.