Personal lives of artists

Started by Esper November 29th, 2011 12:45 PM
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  • 4 replies

Esper

California
Seen June 30th, 2018
Posted June 30th, 2018
I'm sure a topic like this existed once. Can't remember what exactly it asked though so I'm just going to make it up as I go along.

Think of some of your favorite artists (musicians, actors, writers, etc.). Do you know much about their personal lives? Does it affect how you enjoy their work positively or negatively? Would you rather not know anything about them? Would you give an artist you might have passed on a second chance if you learned something good about them as a person (but not necessarily as an artist)? I would be very happy if you didn't use bullet points for your answers, but I resent you understand if you do.

~~~*~~~

For me, I don't normally know much about the lives of the people who make my books and music and I like to keep it that way - out of a kind of respect and a fear I may learn something I don't really want to know that might taint their work for me. Every once and a while though I hear about something that makes me curious, like when The Dixie Chicks got into a lot of trouble with their country fans for saying something against G. W. Bush. That made me want to give their music a chance. It was like an excuse for me to try some country music that I hoped I wouldn't immediately dislike. (And I didn't, though I still don't like country music.)
Age 29
Seen November 5th, 2017
Posted November 5th, 2017
3,499 posts
14.9 Years
I do always try to find out about their personal lives. Although a lot of my favourite artists are very private people and don't make their personal life very well known. I think it helps put their work into context, knowing why they create what they do; the story behind the lyrics, sound, novel, whatever. A lot of the time, the art they create comes from their most intimate thoughts and feelings, and really getting to grips with them as a human being often lets you understand their work a lot better.

For example, Amy Winehouse's lyrics wouldn't nearly be as touching to me if her hectic, self-destructive life wasn't so public. If all the people that thought she was a good for nothing, chav crack-*****, actually read her words, or some interview quotes, then maybe they'd understand her a little better. Ian Curtis' entire personal life adds to the legacy of Joy Division and makes their lyrics even more meaningful. David Bowie it's almost compulsory you read about his personal life because it adds to his entire persona which made him so successful. I could go on...

I don't really want to know that might taint their work for me.
What could do that? All humans are inherently flawed, we all have our dark side and our secrets. I'm not sure what could be so terrible that it taints someone's art, especially art that you've already appreciated. This isn't someone you're becoming friends with, it's someone you're analysing based on their creations alone. What does it matter if they're a racist, or something similar? There's a reason for it, and it will have affected their work as well. Sometimes the most mentally ****ed up people are the most interesting to learn about.

Artists are usually prime examples of extreme opinions and it's nearly always reflected in their creations. If you enjoy their work then it's likely you'll like them as a human being too, and even if you don't, I think it is worth while finding out just to get some contextual knowledge about your favourite works of art; I am sure most of the time it will only supplement your appreciation.

Mr Cat Dog

Frasier says it best

Age 32
Male
London, UK
Seen September 29th, 2017
Posted July 12th, 2017
11,344 posts
19.1 Years
I don't really care that much about the personal lives of artists. If I like their work, I'm not really going to care if the person behind it is a drug addict or a religious wing-nut or a "normal" person or any of that. With stuff like music, knowing more about the musician can often make subsequent songs illuminating with the new knowledge. With film and TV, I guess I feel like the finished product should be able to hold up completely even if you know nothing about the writers/directors in each. Indeed, a lot of stuff I don't like in this regard are works that almost require you to have an understanding of the director in order to appreciate them (I think The Tree of Life suffers dramatically if you don't know that's it's basically autobiographical).

Esper

California
Seen June 30th, 2018
Posted June 30th, 2018
All humans are inherently flawed, we all have our dark side and our secrets. I'm not sure what could be so terrible that it taints someone's art, especially art that you've already appreciated. This isn't someone you're becoming friends with, it's someone you're analysing based on their creations alone. What does it matter if they're a racist, or something similar? There's a reason for it, and it will have affected their work as well. Sometimes the most mentally ****ed up people are the most interesting to learn about.

Artists are usually prime examples of extreme opinions and it's nearly always reflected in their creations. If you enjoy their work then it's likely you'll like them as a human being too, and even if you don't, I think it is worth while finding out just to get some contextual knowledge about your favourite works of art; I am sure most of the time it will only supplement your appreciation.
These are all good arguments, but depending on how vested I am in a particular artist knowledge of their personal lives will affect how much I can enjoy their work. It's less a principal of "Oh, that person is bad. I'm not going to support their work" (though I'll do that sometimes) as much as it is an unfortunate association I can't forget. So whenever I see/read/listen to someone I'll have that other knowledge with me and it can diminish my enjoyment if, say, they're someone who beat their wife.

Not saying that I can't or won't learn about some people, but the more removed I am from them the better. If forehand knowledge about them is necessary for me to enjoy their work in the first place it's probably not something I'll be interested in anyway.

Shining Raichu

Expect me like you expect Jesus.

Age 32
Male
Australia
Seen October 17th, 2020
Posted December 21st, 2017
8,958 posts
12.3 Years
A lot of the artists (read: actors) I love are the incredibly mainstream ones whose lives are plastered all over the tabloids, and I do read the stories and watch interviews they give which seep into their personal lives. Though the fact of the matter is, nobody knows much at all about the lives of these people other than what they tell us themselves, because about 90% of what the tabloids print is a whole load of crap. I tend not to believe anything unless it's announced by the person or their reps. Now, I can't deny that I'm interested in their personal lives, but I'd rather hear it from them than the people who are trying to invade their privacy. Certainly they don't owe us any explanations about their private lives, but I'm always fascinated at any tidbit they'd like to tell me.

Ultimately, though, it does not affect in the slightest the way I see their work. The only thing that affects the way I see their work is when they're in an interview and they say that ever since having babies their lives have changed and now they just see acting as a job and all they want is to get home to the kids. That really irks me - it makes me feel like their passion isn't in it anymore, and I like to think that they are passionate about the job they're putting so much effort into.

Other than that, I don't see how knowledge of their personal lives affects perception of their craft. The example I'll use for this is Angelina Jolie. Like her or hate her, I don't care. I've always been a huge fan and I think she's an amazing actress (just watch her performance in 2008's Changeling or 1999's Girl, Interrupted for proof of this). In 2004-5 when the whole Brad Pitt/Jennifer Aniston/Angelina Jolie news exploded, the media demonised her and if I remember correctly, there were even people boycotting her work (Mr & Mrs Smith, at the time). All of a sudden nobody liked her and she'd always been ugly and weird and a terrible actress and oh my God what a *****, how could Brad choose her over Jen? She can't even act!

Now, it's nearly seven years later, Jennifer Aniston has well and truly moved on with her life, and yet my mother and sister still refuse to see any movie with Angelina in it. And I've spoken to several other people who feel the same way. It seems no amount of fantastic performances and no amount of foreign aid work will make up for the fact that she stole Jennifer Aniston's man. If Jennifer can get over it, so can the rest of the world.

I just don't understand it. Even if she is an adulteress, why does that make her a less worthy actress? It's always bugged me.
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