Should We Separate the Art From the Artist?

Author’s Note: This article was written before Kanye West’s December 1st interview on alt-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s show. In light of the many incendiary comments (see: “I like Hitler”) Ye made during the interview, I find it increasingly difficult to keep supporting his work. The explosion of “But he made graduation!” memes across the internet reflect the desperation of Ye’s community and fanbase to continue defending him after all of his actions. I still stand by my argument that the art consumer should be able to decide for themselves whether they continue to consume and support the art; however, I urge Kanye’s listeners to exercise extra caution in making their decisions by considering the impact of his words on numerous communities.

Kanye West’s 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a complex and richly layered narrative masterpiece, is considered by many to be his magnum opus—and arguably one of the greatest mainstream hip-hop albums of all time. So what should we as consumers do when its so-called “genius” creator—with a substantial history of anti-Black views, I might add—expresses a multitude of antisemitic statements on a social media rampage? Should we continue to listen, or should we boycott the works of a problematic artist? How about other creators in pop culture—consider, for example, R. Kelly’s sexual activity with minors and child pornography charges, or the countless artists whose old racist Tweets have resurfaced? Should we continue to enjoy their art? Where do we draw the line between the art and the artist?

Though many believe that the two are inseparable and the works of problematic creators should not be supported, I argue that the decision to continue to appreciate art on the basis of the artist’s character is a decision that one has to make personally, rather than a one-size-fits-all choice that people must make based on the opinions of others.

Despite this issue’s recent rise to the limelight, controversial artists with beautiful art extend far beyond the modern sphere. Take, for instance, surrealist artist Salvador Dalí, renowned for his artwork that pushed the boundaries of structure and consciousness.

Flaccid, melting watches drape across the landscape; a distorted profile of Dalí lies limp; the cliffs of Catalonia, his home in Spain, appear in the distance.

Dalí’s La persistencia de la memoria (“The Persistence of Memory,” 1931) is one of his most well-known works, as well as one of the most genre-defining and recognizable works of the Surrealist movement. As Dalí himself said about his eerily beautiful painting, the soft watches were inspired by the surrealist perception of a cheese melting in the sun.

Without a doubt, Dalí was an incredible artist and an iconic figure of Surrealism. However, he was also a cruel man—a fascist and a necrophiliac who hit women and animals. Author Lauren Oyler writes that it is “particularly egregious to try to separate Dalí's personality and behavior from his paintings because ’s [sic] works are explicitly engaged with the preoccupations (masturbation, necrophilia) he claims in his autobiography.” However, I argue that although it is important to be aware of an artist’s flaws, it should be up to the personal liberty of the viewer to choose whether they support them or not.

Art often arises from circumstances that are far less than perfect, and if we scrutinize every artist, every creator, we may find that we have no art left to behold. Of course, we must be careful to not idolize artists; however, we must also consider that it is easier to boycott some art over others. For instance, I would be okay with never watching a single episode of The Cosby Show. But to lose MBDTF? Not to mention Kanye’s ten other masterful studio albums, along with countless more projects made by other talented artists with moral fallacies. Such art is worth preserving, which is why I believe it should be at the discretion of the art consumer to choose whether they separate the art from the artist. After all, as Intelligence Squared contends:

If we disregard all great art for the sins of the artists, we risk losing many of the world’s greatest cultural touchstones and masterpieces.

by JANET LIU