42243
I am currently translating course descriptions in to English as part of my
job, and I came across this expression in a description for an Art class which
I found completely baffling. As far as I know, 「問う」means to ask, but to ask an
art piece? What does this mean, and why is it said in this way? Thanks in
advance for your answers!

Edit: My apologies, I should have included the original sentence. Here it is!

「芸術家は社会の中で創作活動を行い，社会に向けて作品を問う。」
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-04T04:44:39.107
42240
2017-01-04T06:46:09.520
2017-01-04T05:12:06.143
18608
18608
question
translation words
What does 「社会に向けて作品を問う」 mean?
This 問う is not about asking a question, but about asking for a
reputation/judgement from many people. What artists will get from the society
is not answers but reputations.

According to [a
dictionary](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/154854/meaning/m0u/), 問う has the
following meanings:

>   * 多くの人に **判断** を求める。
>   * 人の能力や物 **事の価値** などを改めて試す。
>

Perhaps "to test" is the closest single-word equivalent in English.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-04T06:09:06.813
42243
2017-01-04T06:09:06.813
5010
42240
answer
This 問う means "ask a judgment". 芸術家は、社会に向けて作品を問う means "Artists ask a judgment
about their art to society(people).

For example, Japanese politicians often say 選挙で民意を問いたい(I want to elicit the
public opinion in election).
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-04T06:15:24.540
42244
2017-01-04T06:46:09.520
2017-01-04T06:46:09.520
7320
7320
42240
answer