Can you separate art from the artist ?

That is to say, can you appreciate art for its own sake, even if its artist is revealed to be despicable personally, for example, someone who was an excellent musician, actor ot producer but committed sexual assault, cheated on partners, was openly anti-Semitic or racist ?

If some ills are more acceptable to you than others, where do you draw the line ?

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Northwest · M

I separate the living from the dead. The distinction is whether my continued use/viewing, etc. contributes to their finances.

"I believe I can fly" is still a great song, but I can longer separate that from the artist. And while Woody Allen was never charged, I still can't get over the undisputed fact, that he taking nude photos of his step-daughter, having sex with her, and then marrying her.

bijouxbroussard · F

@Northwest I have a friend who sees it exactly that way too, and I can understand that. He says, "I won’t make a bad person wealthier. But a dead person can’t personally benefit."