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Debate: How far can an artist be separated from their art?
| Example: H.P. Lovecraft. Created what is basically my favorite subgenre of fiction, cosmic horror, and wrote stories which kept me on the edge of my seat. As an author, he was truly amazing, ahead of his time and largely influential in some of my other favorite works of fiction nowadays, such as games Bloodborne and Darkest Dungeon.
Also, a racist, homophobic, and overall extremely shitty person, who if I met today in real life, would scowl at and consider to be scum of the Earth.
| Another example: Datsik, a largely influential dubstep artist in the scene, who made tunes which were legitimately well produced and had what felt like real emotion behind them.
Also, accused of sexually assaulting multiple women by feeding them copious amounts of alcohol and drugs and fucking them while they were blacked out.
| Which is something that if it actually happened (because he hasn't been tried in court and none of the accusers have actually come forward themselves to testify with any actual evidence to support their claims, but that's another topic entirely) is worthy of a death penalty in my book.
However, there some things which I don't see people talking about:
| For one, are we supposed to instantly demonize all of an artist's works as shitty or terrible, simply because they were shitty people? Am I supposed to act like the actual works of fiction he wrote themselves were written poorly, just because he was a shitty person?
Furthermore, by enjoying the works of H.P. Lovecraft, am I supposed to automatically be condemned as a racist homophobe myself, even though I am none of those things and hate people who are?
| And, a less important but still important part of the issue: How much of H.P. Lovecrafts works were influenced directly by his character as a person? Would the stories even have been as good, purely from a narrative standpoint, were he not racist or homophobic? Would he ever have even written them, and thereby, would the entire genre have ever been created, were he not exactly the shitty person he was who went through exactly what he did?
| Would Bloodborne or Darkest Dungeon ever have even existed, were H.P. Lovecraft not a racist piece of shit person?
Which brings me to the debate and topic which I bring you today:
How far is a work of art allowed to be separated from an artist?
By supporting these works of art, am I thereby supporting the artist and what they stand for, or am I simply enjoying art subjectively as art, and thereby not supporting the artist's character directly?
| And am I supposed to condemn these works of art as terrible, simply because I disagree with the artist's character, even if the art itself is truly well written and amazing?
Lastly, how much of a work of art is a result of the experiences and personality of the artist, and with that, am I supposed to somewhat appreciate the person H.P. Lovecraft was, simply because it was that personality which lead to the creation of the art?
Please, let's have a regular conversation about this.
| You enjoy what you enjoy, simple as that.
The guy who made Samurai X is a pedophile but his Manga is too good and passes so many positive messages to pass up, so I'll keep reading as long it keeps the quality.
Wizards of the coast apparently don't like white straight males but I like MTG so they're still getting my money, even though I am a straight white male.
In your case it's even easier because Lovecraft is dead and won't even see the money you throw at things he made.
| It's almost the same stuff as "playing a nazi in videogames"
If the game is good you enjoy it and it doesn't make you a nazi
| >>580896 Ooh, you brought up another interesting point I didn't even think about: Is it possible to glean positive messages from artists which are shitty people, like you said with Samurai X, or were the messages somewhat tainted when you figure out how the author is in real life?
| >>580903 he seems to be pretty careful not to let his kink slip into his work, most characters are adults and most kids are boys
| They can't, and shouldn't be. If you're not racist, you don't get to read Lovecraft. Period.
| >>580937
I say take it a step further. If you're not a racist from Providence, RI, you don't get to read Lovecraft. Period.
| As long as the artist isn't actively funding group's I personally consider harmful with the money I give them, I do not care.
| You don't separate an artist from their piece.
| you can enjoy a piece of art in spite of ideas presented in it that you find distasteful.
also its futile to judge artists of the padt by the ideals and morals of 2019.
on lovecraft: i do think he believed blacks were inferior, but i dont believe he hated or wished ill will on them. im not aware of his homophobia and have not seen anything like that in his works. (i did notice racism in his works). i think his stories would be just as good if the author didnt hold these views.
| Example: Wagner and Bruckner
Made fantastic work, hated Jews and was a pedophile (respectively)
| The longer they've been dead the easier it is to ignore shity opinions
what's this some guy born in 1890 was racist and didn't like The Gays? what a fucking surprise!
| Simple answer: as much as your willing to care
If you are up and arms about personal value of the creator, then say goodbye to anything created by asians. Because, unless it is blatantly reflected at their work, most of them would be against LGBT, or at the very least, indifferent about it.
Don't ever use chinese phones because you are indirectly supporting china comunist party to persecute muslims and harvesting their organ without consent.
| Don't travel to any muslim country because most of them openly hate jews.
Even if the author is a decent person, you sure the publisher is not a shitty compay (you sure they don't publish bigoted/racist books)? Bible is printed in china, who knows where the book is printed.
Suddenly reading a book become a herculean task of researching the tid bits!?
Well if you think so, then just enjoy the book.
| If they're alive and supporting their work will perpetuate the shitty opinions then probably dont buy their shit.
Im quite fine with appropriating bad peoples good ideas and doing them my way (or the bloodborne way). And its important to highlight where these things come from as you have done OP. People source creativity from unpleasant things alot of the time, so its an interesting thing to reconcile.
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| In this modern age of cancel culture, where everyone wants to instantly demonize someone when they do things which are not considered morally correct, it has become difficult to tell the line of enjoying a work of art from someone who is a shitty person to supporting that person by enjoying their art.