Using objects, images, or written material from the past, artists create a window into our present. Whether a few days or centuries ago, personal or public, considering prior events and people illuminates how we live and think today.

Why might artists use existing Hollywood genres, like horror, slasher, or murder mystery, to create new narratives? What do these new narratives suggest?

While some artists may intentionally create works that respond to political circumstances, others may do so by default. Protesting policy, war, or social norms, artists challenge the status quo and give voice to a movement.