Ethics vs. Aesthetics

Ethics vs. Aesthetics:

In light of the vehemence of rejection which met the publication of Woody Allen’s latest biography the question arises (once more and hopefully not for the last time) how to handle the fact that art is never made by good people only. 

What follows if one allows ethics to undermine aesthetics? It would mean that only art of morally impeccability of morally impeccable artists in morally impeccable institutes would be allowed to be seen, heard or read - this would be the end of art, such art, stripped of its core, would be worthless.

Artists are human beings, as prone to ethical and moral snares as everyone else. A number of artists come to mind whose personal conduct and believes are hard to reconcile with the admiration and inspiration their art generates.

Woody Allen’s personal conduct, for example, might not have been that of a saint and I am sure there have been situations in his life, as in everyone else’s, in which he made dubious decisions. This should not affect our reception of his art. I personally like most of his movies, their fascination with the absurdities of life.

Emil Nolde, the German expressionist painter, was an antisemite and nationalist. And yet his art deeply moves me on more than one level. Pablo Picasso would not have survived the #MeToo movement, he would have been considered a swine. Richard Wagner, not really one of my favorites, but undoubtedly a good composer, also was an antisemite. And the list could continue, with Klaus Kinski, James Brown, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson… Art is being made by assholes, too. This is the sorry truth we have to recognize.

We also have to recognize that there is no Black/ White, no absolutes, no overall valid morale. It is always dangerous to rely on morale only. Where moralization rules, sanity and reason tend to go down the drain. Morale is the continuance of religion with different means, a very subjective endeavor. As long as we continue to think morally (simplistic) we divide the world in friend and foe, in good and bad, in rules and interdictions.

Should we allow ourselves to be fascinated, moved, inspired and touched by art who’s creator does not meet our moral approval? The answer to that dilemma might lie in a space beyond morale. Maybe it is more about the question which contradictions we should learn to endure. Not all of them are solvable, some of them we just have to learn to live with and thus continue living the absurdity of life.

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