Welcome to another installment of the LIFESTYLE’s Talk of the Town series. This series consists of a platform for discussion. We strive for The Lifestyle to be a venue and we appreciate the love we get on this series, the Snapshots From the Collective series, and the Feature series.
When observing or experiencing crafts do we/ should we ignore the personality of the craftsperson? Collective member Megan sent this article in the Huffington Post that discusses painter Paul Gauguin’s exhibit on work from a period in Polynesia. The article cites a criticism that focuses on Gauguin’s activity during this period and how that can effect how some viewers see his work.
Excerpt:
“Decisions like impregnating a thirteen year old and giving her syphilis surely cast Gauguin in an unflattering light. And yet the artist’s unethical and perhaps delusional escape to paradise led to one of the most revolutionary shifts in the visual vocabulary of all time”
Can we ignore the craftsperson when experiencing craft? Should we ignore artists when looking at art?
We look forward to your responses below in the thoughts box!
-Reflection and Response
the LIFESTYLE 