Can/Should we separate the art from the artist
Whenever I get into a book series I make sure never to know what the author looks like. The second I find out what the author looks like, or what he/she is like in person, the work is almost always changed for me. I used to love the Game of Thrones books, but once you get a glimpse of George R. R. Martin and imagine him sitting down and actually writing these stories, all of those sex scenes begin to feel a little more uncomfortable. Other times, I find out the author is a total asshole, and simply liking his/her work makes me feel like I'm personally inflating their ego (this is what happened to me with The Witcher series). This week, I came across a similar dilemma. John Lasseter is famous for reviving and saving Disney animation, which is great for those in the animation field. However, a quick google search will reveal he was an INCREDIBLY creepy and unprofessional guy. Can/should we enjoy the work of people like this, regardless of its quality?
I think for Disney/Pixar films we have to. A film is very different from something like music or a book. The musician/author is the one, the book/song is theirs and theirs alone. In terms of a movie, there were a number of professionals that worked day and night to get those films out. Yes his name is at the top of the company and many of those films; however, there are far more names below his in the credits. At the end of the day it is their movie of his vision, they created it.
ReplyDeleteI think for me the line comes from endorsing behavior. If you want to like a piece of art, that doesn't hurt anyone. It doesn't even particularly help the artist. But when it comes to giving money to someone who is behaving in a way you don't approve of, you kind of have to think about voting with your dollar. Or something like going to events where you meet them. Things that show the world that you accept their behavior. The art itself should be able to stand on it's own.
ReplyDeleteGood point about films being collaborations, too. That sort of blurs the idea of an artist creating a personal work.
I feel you! This issue has so much nuance and complications. For myself personally, I think it depends on case by case scenarios and how egregious an artists wrong-doings are.
ReplyDeleteOn one hand I disagree with the cultural idea within the US that our celebrities and artist are also our moral compasses. Because I think the reason someone gets famous is totally separate from what makes someone a good person.
But when humanity comes into question and abuse comes into play, I think that it is irresponsible to put a your own fun and entertainment over your responsibility as an informed consumer.
But just saying that is so much easier than actually executing sometimes!! And sometimes you also have to consider the idea that humans are humans and can learn from their mistakes. So I think it really depends on the situation and pure judgement calls because I do think it's half-way impossible to separate an artists from their art. Most artists put their hearts and souls into their work.
And yes they are just one person in a collaboration, but these are the leaders of that collaboration. Who is chosen as a leader is very telling of the organization as a whole.
Art and the artist is in my mind mostly separate. I agree that the endorsement of behavior is what throws everything out the window, but an artists work should almost always stand alone. You can despise the artist, but if the work they do is influential, powerful, or beautiful, there's a level of respect that the work deserves, and should be able to receive that praise separate of the artist. Roman Polanski is a terrible individual, and absolutely no one can endorse his actions. That doesn't make Rosemary's Baby or Chinatown any less incredible as films. However, continuing to give these individuals work is where I think a line can be drawn. Polanski escaped the United States and continues to make films, and that is where things get shaky. That is an endorsement of someone who has done terrible things and got away with it and then continuing to privilege him as a result.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can separate the art from the artist, and I think whatever media you consume you should understand some basic things about the context of the time period it was created in. With the Me Too movement, a lot of well-respected people in entertainment were suddenly revealed to be really horrible people, and though we may love their art, you can't ignore that they directly profit from you consuming it.
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