Is it Wrong to Like Good Art by Bad Artists?

A lecture for Extended Learning Opportunities (Learning for Life), Erin, Ontario, 21 March 2021.

In recent years, numerous artists, comedians, writers, and filmmakers have been in the spotlight, not thanks to their work but rather as a result of their politics, crimes, or treatment of others.

This lecture explores whether it’s possible to admire creations of artists we despise. Using three case studies from German culture – Leni Riefenstahl (filmmaker), Emil Nolde (painter), and Peter Handke (writer) – James Skidmore will address the thorny issues surrounding attempts to separate the art from the artists’ political views and moral attitudes.

To access the materials presented in the talk, just click on the painting.