Art(ist)?

In class it was extremely evident that the topic of “art for art’s sake” is controversial and polarized. On one hand, some believe that you can separate the art from the artist, and on the other hand, others believe it is impossible to separate the two. I am (consistent with the title of my website) standing in the middle of it all wondering where I truly stand. 

So, what do I do when I am confused? I make a pros and cons list and hope I figure it out along the way. 

Pros of taking art at face value: 

• 
  You can enjoy every single piece of art and not have to think about the morals of the
  artist; you only have to think about the morals that are presented in the art.

• “Ignorance is bliss”- even though I don’t like 1984, I still think that sometimes this quote-contrary to the purpose of it being ironic- holds value. It is much less strain on the mind if you don’t have to think about who the artist is, or what they support, just to listen, observe, or read their art.

• Art is easy to consume if our “moral-o-meter” is shut off and we can enjoy it by actively separating the art from the artist to forget about how their actions affect us. 

Cons of taking art at face value:

• You might be supporting someone with ideals you do not agree with or stand by.

• Idolizing figures too much that their bad decisions are overlooked and not confronted. For example, MLK and Gandhi – as mentioned in class– are seen as huge revolutionists, but they also did horrible things in their personal lives that not as many people are aware of. 

• Without knowing the backstory of who created the art, you cannot fully comprehend and analyze the piece as it was intended to be made. The subtle hints of who the artist is are embedded underneath the surface of their art and are picked up once you know the entire story.

Now that I have made my list… I still am not swayed one way or the other. I think that sometimes it is a nice break to enjoy a piece of art, like listening to Thriller, without people whispering in your ear that Michael Jackson is a rapist and pedophile. On the other hand I think it should definitely be acknowledged that Jackson did those awful things and that there are artists today that still continue to mask their actions by their fame that need to be confronted and called out for. This constant struggle of knowing when to or when not to take art literally is a part of life’s journey. When people find out that their favorite artist is involved in shady business, they often ignore the accusations because it is easier to ignore than to face the guilt of continuing to admire their art.