Zee Jaipur Lit Fest 2019 Stories

Creativity and Conscience

Creativity and Conscience

Andrea di Robilant, Gurcharan Das and Veena Venugopal in conversation with Pragya Tiwari

Presented by DMI Finance

Juhi Matta, Official ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival Blogger

If there's one dilemma that has plagued every art enthusiast in the post #MeToo world, it's the question of whether or not a creation must be separated from its artist. As an increasing number of people grapple with this subject, the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival panel sat down to debate whether a metaphorical wall between the two should be erected.

Author and commentator Gurcharan Das advocated a distinction between the public and the private. He raised the pertinent question of whether one would still consume a piece of art if they found out that the artist had committed a legal or moral offence. To this, writer and editor Veena Venugopal responded, "No work of creation, whether it's art or literature, needs to be shunned." She emphasised the need for the bare facts to be laid down, so that consumers could make an informed decision on whether or not they would like to support a work.

So how much of the onus falls on the audience? Das was of the view that it is the consumer's problem if they disagree with the creator's beliefs or actions. The other panelists disagreed, noting that the situation isn't so clear-cut. Writer Pragya Tiwari joined Venugopal in making the argument that the life of an artist often becomes a part of the mythology surrounding them, which leads to people putting them on a pedestal.

Fans and supporters often try to defend the creators in question by saying that they were the product of their time, and therefore, not immune to the predominant beliefs and behaviour. Venugopal pointed out that there have always been people who challenged the status quo and stood up for the right thing. "Looking at the past through the prism of today is misleading," said Italian journalist Andrea di Robilant, noting that neither the artist nor their creation should be thought of in isolation.

It all came down to the question of whether an exemplary piece of art absolves its creator of moral responsibility. "Talent and morality are two different ideas," noted Das, with which the rest of the panelists agreed, adding that absorbing artistic works with context is what matters.

With its mix of ideas and opinions, the discussion offered plenty of food for thought for the audience. And while the question of separating the art and artist is not going to have a clear 'yes' or 'no' answer anytime soon, di Robilant had some sound advice: "Let us not separate the two; let us read both things," he said about looking at the artist beyond the art.