What is the role of the artist in the postmodern era? Are we in the postmodern era? How do we know? And if we don't know, how do we know what the hell we are supposed to be doing?

My old art history teacher used to say that if we looked at a Renaissance painting we could get a feel of what it was like to live in that era? By that rationale it is fair to say that it is the artist's job is to give an impression of the era that we live in?

Problem - not many women got to tell us what it was like in the Renaissance so how can we take a male artist such as Piero della Francesca as being a good source from that time? Would we view art from that period differently if Piero had a female counterpart? (Don't get me wrong, I respect Piero, I'm just curious).