The Art or the Artist: Which Matters More?
Today, I stumbled upon a short clip of two people debating: What’s more important- the art or the artist? Anyone can look at a piece of art and get a deep spark of any emotion. But can we fully digest a piece of work without knowing the artist behind it?
Would Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven haunt us so deeply if we didn’t know about his life of tragedy? Would Tupac’s lyrics hit my heart and soul if I didn't know his whole background? Or would I appreciate Shel Silverstein's uncle-like comedic charm with stories like- Uncle Shelby's ABZ's- without knowing that he started his career making comics and satire poems for Play Boy?
The answer is absolutely not.
Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s a reflection of the artist’s mind, heart, and soul. The artist’s life experiences, their pain, their joy, their unique perspective. It all seeps into their work and knowing the artist’s story adds that extra little flavor to their creations. Like a little window or glimpse at the world through their lens.
So in my opinion, the question what’s more important- the art or the artist? Is like asking about the chicken and the egg. They don't exists without one another. -Keep On Pushing-
What do you think? Can art stand on its own?