Separating the Art from the Artist

I was thinking the other day, is it possible to separate an artist from their work? Suppose you had a personal encounter with an artist you once admired (be it a musician, actor, painter, writer, etc.) and it left a negative impression. Perhaps they were rude, dishonest, unscrupulous or exhibited bad character in some form. Would you then be able to go forward, enjoying their craft as you once did, or would knowing them in this new light mar your ability to appreciate it without bias?

I suppose for most it would depend on the seriousness of the offense, but for argument sake we’ll say it’s great enough to destroy your good opinion of them personally. But would it also destroy your good opinion of what you once considered quality work? I’d like to say I could rise above all that, put personal differences aside and appreciate their talent on its own merits, but I would have an incredibly difficult time enjoying the creation of someone I don’t respect. Sure, everyone makes mistakes which deserve our forgiveness, but if they were completely unapologetic in their offensives, it would prove very difficult.

Perhaps it’s because I associate art as being the heart of a person. How could I not be biased when I only see it coming from a dark place? Admittedly, one of my personal struggles is reconciling the true character of someone beyond my own personal interaction with them. Even if others give them a glowing report, I only see what my experience has revealed about that person. So, I am sure there could be times when my assessment would be unfair, but nevertheless it would be difficult to appreciate art that only brings to mind negative feelings. After all, the best qualities of art are similar to that of a friend…it is supposed to be life-giving, inspiring, uplifting, sympathetic, comforting and most of all, a privilege to be in its presence.

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. -Aristotle