Artists, Motives, and Morality

After reading an excellent post, at ART and ARCHITECTURE, mainly, about Oscar Wilde's involvement in France's notorious Dreyfus Affair, I decided to re-post this entry from August  2009. I have long been intrigued by our relationship with artists and by our expectations about them as moral (or otherwise) people.

In 1991, when Woody Allen began a relationship with Soon-Yi Previn, the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow (his long-time romantic partner), the media erupted with commentary for and against his morality. Some said that they would never again patronize any of his films; others made a special case for him because "artists are different," and we overlook transgressions because of what their art gives to us.

An even more heated debate about artists, their morality, and their contributions to the world, arose when Roman Polanski was arrested in 2009, decades after fleeing to avoid sentencing in a case of having forced sex with a minor - to which he had pled guilty. The same arguments circulated.

Hels' post about Oscar Wilde discusses two books about Wilde's involvement in the Dreyfus Affair, particularly about his motives, and it reminded me of this question about artists that surfaces again and again.



Here is the original post:



In October 1984, I saw an exhibit of Hitler's watercolours at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

I then knew nothing about Hitler as an artist and was shocked by the fact that he painted anything at all. The paintings were decent, some better than decent, and some were quite pretty, especially those of great architecture in landscape settings.

I would forget for a time that the paintings were done by Hitler and simply appreciate them; then with a mental start, I would remember whose work it was and feel guilty for enjoying it. At times, I was dual-minded, a critic watching myself enjoying the art of an evil madman.

It was one of those odd moments that stay with a person always.

Spiegel Online International has Ulrike Knofel's interview with German art historian Birgit Schwarz: "The Fuhrer's Obsession with Art."

Schwarz is an expert on Hitler's relationship with art and sees Hitler's obsession with art as part of his view of himself as a genius, and vice versa. She further connects his political and racial evils with his belief in himself as a genius - an idea of genius from the 19th century:

We define a genius on the basis of his talent. At the time, talent was not the main focus. A genius had to have a strong personality. He was a larger-than-life talent who was permitted to do anything, including evil things. The genius has outstanding ideas, and they must be implemented, even if they are completely amoral. Hitler admired the work of dour philosophers like Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Unlike many other historians and biographers who see the artist almost as footnote to the monster, Schwarz sees Hitler's ideas about himself as an artist as fundamental to his persona and actions as Der Fuhrer.

Schwarz has written "Geniewahn: Hitler und die Kunst" (Delusions of Genius: Hitler and Art) about these connections.

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The connections between artists and morality, between what society expects of us mere mortals as differentiated from what it expects, at times, from artists is a complex and fascinating question. Hels' post has added another dimension and another artist to my "collection."

A Real Northerner

Over the last twenty years, I have become a real northerner.

When I first moved north from Vancouver, I watched the weather channel every day with growing trepidation as October morning temperatures slid into the minus range. When it hit minus 4, I really bundled up for the eight-minute walk to work - leggings under jeans, down-filled jacket, scarf, and mittens. I sprinted to work so as not to freeze to death on the way (that's how it felt).

My colleagues were practically rolling on the floor laughing at me and wondered just what I would do when it was minus 40. Truth be told, I almost couldn't comprehend weather that cold. What would I do?

I took a lot of taxis during my first winter in the north and invested in an extra long, extra downy coat, heavier mittens, woollen scarves, and, something I hadn't worn in winter since childhood - a hat.  On the day after Boxing Day, it was minus 44 without windchill! Spring seemed so very far away.

A few days ago, the temperature was minus 33 in the morning (and probably rose to a "balmy" minus 29 later in the day). I still have not completely gotten over the bit of fear that accompanies such low temperatures - what if I become stranded and freeze?

But, it's workable, with cars plugged in overnight and warm clothes. Sometimes, it's this cold, and colder, periodically from November through March. We carry on.

I knew that my transformation to true northerner was complete when the early morning temperature on Thursday was ONLY minus 23. I felt real relief and happiness that it had warmed up!

Today it was minus 7 (with the heavy snow that always accompanies the rising temperature) - no leggings, no heavy coat, no scarf, and no hat. Just relief that it was warm.

How things have changed.




top photo credit -  http://www.insidestl.com/Portals/0/ladies/220_Bundled.jpg

Handy Hoarwall

Sometimes, what begins as a joke ends up as a good workout in Photoshop and begets another image into the bargain.

So, without further ado:

I never did get the above image quite right; it's a work in progress, but I am pleased with the "test" image created in trying to work things out.


Peppers Al Fresco

And on we go.