Art plays an integral role in our society and has at times formed generations of people. When art is so important, it is necessary for us to consider who is making the art we are praising. One of the highest paying occupations is that of a famous artist. Their creative minds offer something that can only be provided by them, making them in high demand. In our current year we have seen a boom in ‘cancel culture’ and what it means to be an artist worthy of their reputation. Due to this boom, there has been a large exposure and resurfacing of the crimes committed by famous artists. Is it just for us to praise these creative minds even after the heinous crimes they’ve committed? 

The lives and personality of an artist has a great effect on what they create. It is often said that an artwork, especially in the realm of painting or sculpting, is a look into the soul of the creator themselves. When you are dedicating hours upon hours to your craft, it is impossible to not put yourself into the piece. What we create is a display of our thoughts and feelings put into a physical creation. Art can be created through many different means and comes in an array of forms, but all art has meaning behind it created by the artist. Some artists are so unique themselves that you can tell who it is made by without being told. Stylistic choices and the meaning behind it all are all derived from the artist. It becomes tricky when attempting to separate the art from the artist when this becomes known. Art is created through the artist and cannot be created on its own. Famous pieces such as the Mona Lisa are turned famous as an extension of the fame of the artist themselves. What is the Mona Lisa without Leonardo da Vinci? This is especially significant for artists such as Vincent Van Gogh who creates art as a display of his feelings and his mind. The paintings made by Van Gogh serve as a view into his world and his own feelings, to separate artworks such as Starry Night away from the artist cuts ties from the meaning behind it. An artist reflects themselves into their art and therefore cannot be separated from their creation. Art cannot be separated from the artist; this is why it is so important to consider the lives and personality of the artist behind the art. To gain a full understanding of the piece, you need to have an understanding of the artist. This brings to question, at what point then does the artist tarnish the art? When should we no longer be praising an artist?

Art cannot truly be appreciated completely without understanding the complexity of the artist themselves. An artist has a strong effect on how we view a piece and what we take away from the experience. A great amount of value is placed on art based on the value that we as the audience put onto the art. No matter the name behind the artwork, a piece only gains fame through the praise of the audience. The cruelty of an artist can become such a hindrance to the viewing of the piece that the artwork becomes a statement rather than what it truly should be, art. If art no longer has meaning to the audience further than the life of an artist, the artwork has lost all real value it can give to a person. 

Art is of high importance and of course an artist should be treated with the same respect, at what point must we conclude that an artist’s actions have gone too far. Art is the personification of the self that the artist points into. In every form of art, an artist must put themselves into the artwork and make it impossible to separate the two from one another. Not all artists are worthy of the praise deserving of the title artist nor the fame.