One of the things I'm always asking myself as I get deeper and deeper into appreciating cinema is whether or not the character of the person who made the film I'm watching matters. Now, I know many older movies don't hold up to today's societal standards because social issues change. But what about people who did undeniably evil things?
How do we justify watching and appreciating things done by problematic artists?
I wish I had a blanket statement, but I often find myself assessing things in a case-by-case manner. I'll be honest, I usually shy away from problematic artists, but maybe I shouldn't.
Ben Kingsley as Salvador Dalí in 'Dalíland'Credit: Magnolia Pictures
Harron said, “There are a lot of artists’ work that I do not want people to cut themselves off from. I love reading Dostoyevsky, who was anti-Semitic and had crazy political ideas. I was very influenced as a young person by Polanski, who did terrible things and really should’ve been in prison for them. But that doesn’t mean his films didn’t continue to inspire.”
These comments came off of making Daliland, where its subject, Salvador Dali, was known for embracing the horrible sides of his ego in pursuit of some interesting art.
Harron expanded on her ideas of this treatment of artists, saying, “So many of the artists and writers that I love, if you look at their personal lives, it’s very problematic. But I get so much from them. I’m most interested in where I can find something inspiring and finding the good I can take from somebody’s work.”
Recently, a discussion of artist Pablo Picasso went viral on Twitter for people "canceling" him or wanting to stop appreciating his art because of his personality and past misdeeds. At the time, I thought this was stupid (I still think this is stupid) because I think it's easy to separate painting from the painter.
However, I often find it hard to separate the movies and TV from the people involved because we see them on screen, and, usually, they do so many interviews showcasing their work.
Still, in a quest to be educated and well-read, I do think it's imperative to watch it all and sort the personalities out later. But with education also comes an idea of the kinds of art and kinds of people I want to support.
It's a conundrum for anyone who wants to appreciate art.
Let me know how you handle this and what you think in the comments.
Source: IndieWire
