{"id":21822,"date":"2019-03-29T11:15:32","date_gmt":"2019-03-29T11:15:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/?p=21822"},"modified":"2019-03-29T11:15:32","modified_gmt":"2019-03-29T11:15:32","slug":"is-it-possible-to-seperate-the-art-from-the-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/index.php\/is-it-possible-to-seperate-the-art-from-the-artist\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Possible To Seperate The Art From The Artist?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Nicky Anderson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Leaving Neverland is the latest documentary to grace our screens to have taken on a life of it\u2019s
\nown.<\/p>\n

The HBO documentary, which aired in the UK and Ireland on Channel 4, follows the stories of
\ntwo men – Wade Robson and James Safechuck \u2013 surrounding their childhood and the sexual
\ngrooming and abuse they received from the \u2018King of Pop” Michael Jackson.<\/p>\n

The two men told of their childhood and their time spent with Michael Jackson \u2013 a lot of time
\nwhich was spent in Michael’s house which he called \u2018Neverland’ after the Peter Pan fictional
\nworld where children \u2018never had to grow up.<\/p>\n

Throughout the two-part four-hour documentary, the two men graphically recall the sexual abuse
\nand grooming which they experienced at the hands of the pop star from childhood to teenage
\nyears.<\/p>\n

\"Image
\nAccusations of sexual crime followed Jackson throughout his life, and he stood trial for a charge
\nof sexually abusing a minor in 2004, was found not guilty in June 2005.<\/p>\n

Jackson died in 2009, days before he was due to embark on a sold-out 50-night residency at the
\n02 in London.<\/p>\n

Since the airing of the documentary, there have been decidedly mixed reactions to the allegations
\nfrom both the public, media outlets, and fellow celebrities.<\/p>\n

Similarly to the allegations against R. Kelly, it has raised the much-debated question \u2013 is it
\npossible to separate the art from the artist?<\/p>\n

Michael Jackson was a singer, songwriter, and dancer.<\/p>\n

Born in 1958 he was the eighth child of the Jackson family.<\/p>\n

He made his professional debut in 1964 with his elder brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and
\nMarlon as a member of the Jackson 5.<\/p>\n

He began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records, and in the early 1980s, became
\narguably the most prevalent figure in Western society.<\/p>\n

\u2018Smooth Criminal’ \u2018Beat It’ and \u2018Bad’ are all songs written, sung and performed by the artist that
\nwas Michael Jackson.<\/p>\n

\"Image
\nThose were three of Jackson’s most successful songs and have, since the airing of Leaving
\nNeverland, started climbing the charts again, and on streaming services like Spotify and Apple
\nMusic.<\/p>\n

So \u2013 what do you do when the art you love was created by an alleged monster?<\/p>\n

If a painting was painted by a murder, would you still hang it on your wall?<\/p>\n

If your hand-made jewelry was created by a rapist \u2013 would you still wear it?<\/p>\n

If Woody Allen or Roman Polanski made an Oscar-winning film despite the allegations levelled against them \u2013 do
\nyou still watch it?<\/p>\n

Some may argue that once art is born \u2013 it has its own right to its own individual value \u2013
\nregardless of the creator, the life the creator led or in any way in which he or she changed or
\nharmed others or their lives.<\/p>\n

In an interview, Ryan Tubridy has said it is unlikely he will play Jackson’s music on his RT\u00c9
\nRadio One programme ever again.<\/p>\n

“The chances are, you won’t hear one again on this programme being played again, because it
\njust leaves one very queasy at the thought” he said.<\/p>\n

“If a quarter of what those say happened to them at the hands of Michael Jackson, then we all
\nhave to sit down and reassess our approach to that pop star and that icon, and probably, I have to
\nsay, his back catalogue”<\/p>\n

In contrast, BBC Radio 2 stated to NME that they would not stop playing Jackson&#39;s music.
\nIn wake of the growing #MeToo movement and Time’s Up movement it raises the question:<\/p>\n

Why is it that certain controversial celebrities are immune to career-ending disapproval \u2013 while
\nothers are just immediately eradicated?<\/p>\n

For the average person, consuming art with no professional obligation but merely because they
\nlove it and it gives them pleasure is something that doesn’t take too much thought.<\/p>\n

So how much thought should someone put into something that is supposed to be carefree and
\nenjoyable?<\/p>\n

Is there ever going to be an answer to the question?<\/p>\n

Is there any conceivable way of appreciating art while also condemning the artist?<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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By: Nicky Anderson Leaving Neverland is the latest documentary to grace our screens to have taken on a life of it\u2019s own. The HBO documentary, which aired in the UK and Ireland on Channel 4, follows the stories of two men – Wade Robson and James Safechuck \u2013 surrounding their childhood and the sexual grooming […]<\/p>\n

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