How to deal with works by artists who beat and rape? And how can we resolve the conflict that we have revered someone who was or has become a perpetrator? US author Claire Dederer makes a few suggestions in her new book.
What do we do with the art of terrible people, especially men? Claire Dederer, writer and literary critic, explores this in “Genius or Monster”. And to get straight to the point: you can delete Miles Davis from all Spotify lists after reading it. But you can also doze off on the sofa in front of a Woody Allen comedy.
Many people are fans of artists who unfortunately turned out to be assholes. Some tap their foot to Michael Jackson, others can laugh at Bill Cosby’s jokes. Which musician will be exposed as a pedophile, rapist or Nazi next? We will have to cancel it immediately. Or we simply can’t let go of one, even though it has long since made itself impossible.