How Does New Music Help Us Resolve the Art vs. Artist Debate?
New music recs based on your problematic favorites, and a look at the spectrum of opinions on how you separate art from artist.
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In 1606, Caravaggio killed a man over a tennis bet. Or maybe it was over a prostitute. Regardless, he killed a man by trying to castrate him, lived on to achieve even greater fame for his art and notoriety for his violence, and earned a place in art history’s canon.
I’ll take a shot in the dark and say that you’re probably against murder.1 I also have a feeling you’re not in any sudden rush to call up the Uffizi and demand that they rethink their 17th century installations.
When we are far removed from an artist, we have no problem separating them from their art.
But Caravaggio can’t disappoint us anymore. Many other artists can and do.
