what's the purpose of reflecting something that's happening in society in art? What does it accomplish?

It can reach the minds and emotions of people better than printed reports can.

Visual Arts Purpose and Overview

Purpose of Visual Arts. The K-12 visual arts program in the public schools: ... assessment includes describing, analyzing, interpreting, judging and reflecting. ... in every society as the desire to acquire a system of spoken symbols. ...
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/artsed/scos/visualarts/index

The Evolution of Art
In traditional societies even today, the primary purpose of art is religious or ... However, throughout the course of history as society has changed, ...
http://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/introart.htm

It adds a different perspective.

Have you ever seen the Editorial cartoons in a Newspaper?

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Art talks to the imagination, the senses, the inner person. It lets you make personal associations that words may not trigger. Words have a tendency to become "noise", and often bend the "truth".

Reflecting something that's happening in society in art serves multiple purposes and accomplishes various goals. Here are a few reasons why artists choose to depict societal issues or events in their work:

1. Social Commentary: Art can act as a powerful tool for social commentary, allowing artists to critique, question, or challenge prevailing norms, values, and structures within society. By reflecting social issues, art prompts viewers to engage in critical thinking and sparks conversations that can lead to greater awareness, empathy, and understanding.

2. Raising Awareness: Art has the ability to bring attention to underrepresented or ignored issues within society. Artists often use their work to shed light on subjects that might be overlooked by mainstream discourse. By presenting these topics through the lens of art, they can reach a broader audience and prompt viewers to reconsider their understanding of certain societal matters.

3. Emotional Impact: Art has a unique capacity to evoke emotions and create empathy. By portraying societal experiences, challenges, or triumphs, art can elicit powerful emotional responses from viewers. This emotional connection has the potential to foster empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding of the human condition.

4. Historical Documentation: Art has historically played a significant role in documenting and portraying specific moments in time. Through visual or narrative representations, artists capture the essence of societal events or movements. This documentation serves as a visual record, preserving memories and allowing future generations to understand the historical, cultural, and social contexts of the past.

5. Cultural Reflection: Art often reflects the values, beliefs, aspirations, and struggles of a particular society or community. By depicting the shared experiences and identities of individuals within a specific cultural context, art acts as a mirror, helping us gain insights into our own social and cultural fabric.

In summary, reflecting something happening in society through art serves to provide social commentary, raise awareness, evoke emotions, document history, and mirror cultural realities. Through these accomplishments, art can inspire change, challenge the status quo, and contribute to important societal conversations.