Separating the Art from the Artist

February 24, 2020

With the ever-evolving entities of social media and culture, the entertainment landscape has seen interesting changes when pertaining to an artist and their actions outside of the field. We have seen a variety of musicians, actors, and writers’ careers take drastic turns with the ever-looming threat of social media and the media analyzing every decision made and every word they’ve ever said. In this article, I will be dissecting the dichotomy of the artist and the art that they produce. I hope to provide insight on the dilemma of seeing an artist as a conglomerate of their character and music, or just receiving their music as is and disregarding any controversy behind them.

There is a never-ending dispute on whether or not we as consumers can morally participate in receiving the music, movies, or writings of a person who has crossed a line. Many even argue that there is no line and that actions are black and white, and when a bad choice is made they are fully prepared to completely separate themselves from the art form. Constance Grady, writer for Vox.com, reflected on her love for the movie Edward Scissorhands and her disdain for the main actor, Johnny Depp. “I can’t unfeel my teenage love for Edward Scissorhands, and I can’t unfeel my disgust for the current Johnny Depp. And for me, right now, my emotional reaction to the photographs of Amber Heard’s bruised face is stronger than my emotional reaction to one good performance from nearly 30 years ago. This is not a philosophical or ethical decision on my part; it is an emotional one” (Grady, 2018).

I see this as an appropriate take on the issue. In my opinion, there is no black and white when it comes to a topic like this. It seems that the middle ground of this spectrum is to enjoy the work of these controversial figures without advertising it because there is a public penalty in doing so. However, some see things differently. Heidi Stevens, writer for the Chicago Tribune, says, “I do know, for me, I can’t listen to music that, in the case of both [Michael] Jackson and R. Kelly, lured alleged victims into a life of trauma…I don’t see it as a slippery slope toward cutting myself off from the world’s great art. I see it as refusing to ingest poison” (Stevens, 2019).

With all of that being said, it is apparent that there are such cases where the actions executed by certain people are so heinous that it cannot be separated from them; thus, accountability actions must be taken. As aforementioned, R. Kelly partook in despicable acts involving child molestation, and many feel that any participation in his music is enabling such behavior. While I agree with that stance, I have found it hard to hold that same standard for everyone, especially if there are artists that I really enjoy such as Michael Jackson, who is held in high regard by most of the general public. However, in Jackson’s case, there was much psychological trauma from his childhood that festered into his actions as an adult. This is most definitely not an excuse for his behavior, but from human to human, it makes it much easier to reconcile with it all. Ultimately, one must dissect each individual and their circumstance to decide for themselves if they should personally support the artists. It is important to have discernment in cases such as this and to also develop your own opinions when it comes to rejecting or reconciling these artists and their art.

As a Christ follower, the lens with which we should view this debate is one with grace. The Bible says, “For judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement” (James 2:13, ESV). We must love artists the same no matter what and leave the judgement to God. Their fame does not supersede His word. With this mindset it provides a little bit more moral clarity, but still doesn’t fully answer the question. To be honest, I don’t think there is an answer. It ultimately falls to the receiver’s personal convictions. As for me, I see the art as not necessarily belonging solely to the artists, but instead to my own experience with it. When I listen to Michael Jackson I don’t think about his controversy, rather I feel the memories I have attached with his tracks. Even though the songs were made by the artist, the art is ultimately mine to decide what I do with it. To me, that is what makes art truly beautiful and unique. It is a culmination of our nostalgia and experiences that decide how we interpret it.

This debate will go on forever, but I hope this article has helped you all to form your own opinions and stances. I am so interested to keep this discussion going on and hear your insights, feel free to contact me!

Sources

https://theoutline.com/post/7070/separating-the-art-from-the-artist-isnt-so-hard
https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/10/11/17933686/me-too-separating-artist-art-johnny- https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/heidi-stevens/ct-life-stevens-wednesday-when-artists-use-art-to-prey-0306-story.html

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