Written by Separating art from the artist is a concept that refers to the idea of appreciating or evaluating a work of art independently of the personal characteristics, actions, or beliefs of the artist who created it. This concept arises from the recognition that an artist’s personal life, behaviour, or views may not be associated with their artistic output. And that the value or merit of a work of art should be assessed based on its own qualities rather than the character or actions of the creator.
Some people believe that art stands on its own and has its intrinsic meaning, which is not impacted by an artist’s actions. They find it easy to enjoy the work put out by artists whose actions they disagree with, treating them as two separate entities. Other people will say it’s impossible and morally incorrect to bear the idea of said separation, saying that art fundamentally must reflect the artist’s beliefs and ideas, that being an artist is a deeply intimate experience, and to remove an artist from their creations, is to decontextualize their work and leaves it devoid of meaning. Another worry is that if we are too rigorous towards which art to consume, we would be reduced to a very limited number of creations.
Where did “separate the art from the artist” come from?
From a historical standpoint, the idea of separating art from the artist was first introduced under the New Criticism of the early 20th century, a time when English literature was heavily analysed and prioritized over classical literature.
The New Criticism was a formalist Movement in literary theory that dominated American literary criticism. It emphasized close reading, particularly poetry, to discover how a work of literature functioned as a self-contained, self-referential, aesthetic object. The method of New Criticism is a close reading and concentrates on such a formal aspect as rhythm, theme, imaginary metaphor, etc.
The essence of New Criticism lies in the analysis and interpretation of literature solely through the text itself, without considering the influence or intentions of the author, or the historical and cultural context that might have shaped the work.
Examples of influential people with controversial histories
Chris Brown
Musician Chris Brown has been known and talked about for his documented history of violence towards women, and, in 2009, musician and businesswoman Rihanna was a victim of his abuse. Since then, assault and battery charges (battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault, which is the act of creating apprehension of such contact) have been recurrent in the last several years of his public image, particularly accusations from women who have filed police reports against the singer and dancer.
Despite his violent actions and behaviour toward women, Brown releases music regularly. This type of situation made some people ponder if they should keep on streaming Chris Brown´s songs because by supporting his career and ability to create more content they are directly benefiting him.
Caravaggio
Caravaggio’s “Judith Beheading Holofernes,” 1599
This painting, like many others by Caravaggio, is probably familiar to most. The Baroque artist is renowned for his grim and violent depictions, such as the one represented above. However, Caravaggio´s notoriety extends beyond his artwork. In the early 17th century, he faced trial at least 11 times for various offenses.
His life was marked by a pattern of recklessness and conflict. As his fame grew, so did his reputation for indulging in vices such as drinking, gambling, and brawling. Between 1598 and 1601, he faced legal troubles for yielding a sword without a permit, assaulting a man with a stick, and allegedly attacking another with a sword. Additionally, he found himself embroiled in a bitter rivalry with fellow painter Giovanni Baglione, who accused Caravaggio of hiring assassins to kill him.
The artist´s run-ins with the law were numerous and varied. He was taken to court for acts ranging from throwing a plate of artichokes at a waiter to breaking a window shutter in his rented room. He even spent time in prison for offenses like pelting stones at policemen and verbally abusing a woman and her daughter. Then, in May 1606, he killed a man named Ranuccio Tomassoni.
This type of action makes one question whether they should worship his art and be indifferent to what was previously expressed or take a stand against such faults and not contribute to his further recognition as an artist and person.
Rex orange county
The 25-year-old British singer and songwriter, whose real name is Alex O´Conner and is well known for being the creator of songs that touch and inspire his fans carrying them through dark phases, was charged with sexual assault accusations by a woman who alleges he assaulted her in London on six separate occasions in two days, leaving some fans devastated. Some of them, who had tattoos in honour of some of his songs, stepped forward and claimed their disappointment in social media “My heart immediately broke for the alleged victim,” Kayla Ellis told BuzzFeed News “I started crying almost instantly because I knew nothing was going to be the same after hearing this.” Eventually, the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence, but during that time, die-hard fans were struggling with separating the art from its artist, especially the ones that shared they had been through similar experiences related to sexual abuse.
R. Kelly
Chart-topping R&B singerRobert Sylvester Kelly had, for more than two decades faced allegations of sexual and child abuse. In 2022, Kelly was convicted of three child pornography charges of enticing a minor. He was sentenced to serve 31 years imprisonment in a combination of concurrent and consecutive sentences.
He was convicted of child sexual abuse in a second federal trial in Chicago and faced charges due to sexual misconduct charges in Minnesota.
Some examples of people who came forward are Tracy Sampson, who sued R. Kelly, accusing him of inducing her “into an indecent sexual relationship” when she was 17. The woman, a former intern at Epic Records, said she was “treated as his personal sex object and cast aside”. Patrice Jones is a woman from Chicago who claimed he impregnated her when she was underage, and that she was forced to have an abortion.
In June 2002 he was charged over child abuse videos. He was charged with 21 counts of making child sexual abuse videos involving various sexual acts. In 2002-2004 arrest prompted further charges. Kelly was charged with further 12 counts of producing child sexual abuse images in Florida, where he was arrested at his holiday home.
Additionally, allegations depicted an organized effort from the singer and his associates to recruit and transport underage girls over state lines for illegal sexual purposes, including the production of child sex abuse images, as well as conspiracy to obstruct justice by destroying evidence and bribing or threatening witnesses.
There are several reasons why people might choose to separate art from the artist:
Artistic appreciation, some individuals believe that the intrinsic qualities of a work of art, such as its aesthetic beauty, technical skill, or emotional impact, should be evaluated independently of the artist´s attributes or behaviour. Artistic legacy, in cases where an artist’s personal conduct or beliefs are controversial, separating art from the artist may allow the artwork itself to be preserved and appreciated for its cultural or historical significance, even if the artist’s reputation is tarnished. Artistic freedom, being able to absorb art independently can also support the idea that artists should have the freedom to express themselves creatively without fear, censorship, or judgment based on their personal lives and beliefs.
Conclusion
For some people, in modern days, it´s unbearable to shy away from accusations, trials, and skeletons in closets, as we become ubiquitous in the media. This debate made the term cancel culture (the mass withdrawal of support from public figures or celebrities who have done things that aren’t socially accepted today) emerge. Cancel culture is adopted by those who find it hard to manage the difference between art and its creator. They state that we, as consumers, can have a momentous impact and can no longer claim ignorance of what is constantly in plain sight, leading us to the question that plots this article, is it morally correct to separate the art from the artist?
Sources: New York Post, BBC, Biography, RollingStone, English Literature Zone
Laura Casanova
theawarenessnews.com 