When experiencing art, are you bothered by the artist's views/actions?

[Martinus]

Roman Polanski. Eminem. Prince. Sean Penn.

All hold views and opinions, and/or engage in activities that many people may find questionable. At the same time, all are recognized artists in their field.

I wonder to what extent your judgement of the artist enters the picture when you appreciate his or her art?

[The Brain]

Yes, but only if the aspect of the artist (e.g. his views or past behaviours) you disagree with feature in his art.

Most Swedish artists are Communists so if I couldn't look past that I would be locked out of some good stuff.

[Rasputin]

Insofar as an artist uses his celebrity as a political soap box I will use my power of the purse to not indirectly support the artist.

[Martinus]

For me it largely depends on the type of art. I am less likely to be annoyed by a painter's or an actor's views than I am by someone who writes his own lines (whether lyrics or poems or novels). I guess this would fit with the second option, largely.

But I have also reacted quite strongly (i.e. boycott) if some artist I actually used to enjoy suddenly came out of woodwork with some horribly disagreeable views (this is the case of Prince).

I guess my reaction would also depend if we are talking about boycotting a "one man show" (a concert or a book, for example) or a cooperative enterprise in which that artist is just one of many (e.g. a movie).

[Tonitrus]

Meh, I don't care for the "art" of those three examples anyway.

A real lighting-rod would be Wagner.

[The Brain]

I make a point of only sending postcards painted by A. Hitler.

[Ed Anger]

I make a point of only sending postcards painted by A. Hitler.

Awesome. I'd buy a box of 50.

[DGuller]

Option 4 for me.  I also disagree with all artists.

[Neil]

What the hell did Prince do that was objectionable?

Oh wait, look who's posting.  I bet I can guess.

[grumbler]

Roman Polanski. Eminem. Prince. Sean Penn.

All hold views and opinions, and/or engage in activities that many people may find questionable. At the same time, all are recognized artists in their field.

I wonder to what extent your judgement of the artist enters the picture when you appreciate his or her art?

I think Polanski as a person is much less honest and moral than, say, Oliver Stone, but I don't see his dishonesty in his films, so don't consider that his direction when I choose a film to watch.  Stone tries to pass off his lies as truth in the films, and so I won't watch them, by and large.

Ditto for the difference between, say, arch-conservative novelists like Mark Helprin and Ayn Rand (though the qualitative difference between their styles would make Helprin infinitely better in any case) or arch-liberal historians like Arthur Schlesinger and Michael Ignatieff.

[The Brain]

Meh, I don't care for the "art" of those three examples anyway.

A real lighting-rod would be Wagner.

The Wipeout co-host? I approve.

[Razgovory]

Meh, I don't care for the "art" of those three examples anyway.

A real lighting-rod would be Wagner.

The first thought that went into my mind, is that Marty considers these people artists.  Jeez.  What a fucking philistine. 

[Ideologue]

Roman Polanski. Eminem. Prince. Sean Penn.

All hold views and opinions, and/or engage in activities that many people may find questionable. At the same time, all are recognized artists in their field.

I wonder to what extent your judgement of the artist enters the picture when you appreciate his or her art?

No, the art exists independently of the artist.  Example: Tom Cruise is a good actor (stfu, just accept it for the sake of argument), and I enjoy and will pay to see films with Tom Cruise in them if they seem otherwise cool, despite the fact that Tom Cruise is probably batshit insane.

[Eddie Teach]

What the hell did Prince do that was objectionable?

Well, there was that time he dropped his name and went by some weird symbol.

[Fate]

What the hell did Prince do that was objectionable?

Have you seen Purple Rain?