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This is an article that examines if cancel culture is actually useful, cancel culture in different scenarios, and how cancel culture works. It works best when the community the canceling is occuring in is clearly defined, the person being canceled is on a similar social level as those doing the canceling, and there is a chance for the person to attone and be reintegrated back into the social circle they were outcast from.

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Is There Anything Useful About Cancel Culture?

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The practice of public shaming has been around for a long time—because, under the right conditions, it serves a purpose in a democracy.

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This highlights Kanye's erratic behaviors and the consequences of them. Begs the question of why people would support this type of behavior. Is it ever too much?

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Kanye West poses before Christian Dior 2015-2016 fall/winter ready-to-wear collection fashion show on March 6, 2015 in Paris. PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP via GI

Ye (formerly Kanye West) is facing very public reckoning. The "Hurricane" rapper made headlines at his Yeezy Paris Fashion Week show on Oct. 3, 2022, for wearing a shirt emblazoned with the phrase "White Lives Matter" on its back, and featuring Black models in the shirt. The phrase is one that was adopted by neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, and the rapper has been facing backlash from both fans and celebrities online.

But the controversy did not stop for there for Ye, who has doubled down on his comments on Instagram and later took to Twitter (now X) to use antisemitic rhetoric in his posts, then continued to amplify his hate speech in interviews. The reaction from the public was swift, with several companies - including The Gap, Balenciaga and more - terminating their relationships and brand deals with the rapper.

Forbes reported that Ye has lost his billionaire status after Adidas announced Oct. 25, 2022, that it was dropping his deal, and that the brand does not tolerate hate speech. The move, according to the publication, put Ye's net worth at $400 million and resulted in his removal from Forbes ' billionaires list.

Since then, Adidas has opened an internal investigation after several former employees accused West of inappropriate workplace conduct during meetings with Adidas employees. People in his orbit, from former girlfriend Julia Fox to collaborator Pusha T, have also distanced themselves from him. Furthermore, Ye's Nov. 22, 2022, dinner with Donald Trump and white nationalist Nick Fuentes was widely denounced, even by Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence.

From brands and scrapped documentaries, to airplay declines of his music catalogue and more, here are the consequences Kanye West has faced due to his "WLM" and continued antisemitic remarks and hate speech.

*Editor's Note: After an Oct. 8, 2022, tweet in which he announced he was going "death con [sic] 3 on Jewish people," Kanye West (Ye) has repeatedly doubled down on antisemitic hate speech, even going so far as to praise Hitler, a man responsible for the systematic murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust. This arrives at a troubling time when antisemitism is on the rise, with the Anti-Defamation League noting a 34% year-over-year increase in antisemitic incidents (assault, harassment and vandalism) in America in 2021. Many companies have cut business ties with the rapper/fashion designer, while numerous musicians, friends and politicians have condemned his comments.

Oct. 3-9, 2022: Celebrities Condemn His Shirts & Hate Speech

Celebrities quickly shared their concerns over the rapper's "White Lives Matter" shirts, and later, his Oct. 8 tweet saying he'd go "death con 3 on Jewish people."

Jaden Smith was among the first to speak out. The young rapper, who was in attendance at Ye's Paris Fashion Week show, left the Yeezy event early. He tweeted afterward that he didn't care whose show it was: "If I Don't Feel The Message I'm Out. Black Lives Matter."

Diddy also spoke out regarding the shirts in a video. "All America has planned for us is poverty, incarceration and death," he said. "So before I can get to any other lives matter ... Black lives matter, don't play with it."

Jamie Lee Curtis was one of many celebrities who spoke up loudly after Ye's tweet. She first responded with her own message on Twitter, noting, "The holiest day in Judaism was last week. Words matter. A threat to Jewish people ended once in a genocide. You are a father. Please stop." She later went on the TODAY show and reiterated her concerns, condemning his hate speech as "just abhorrent."

See how musicians reacted to his antisemitic comments and WLM shirts.

Oct. 8-9, 2022: Instagram & Twitter Restrict Ye's Accounts

Image Credit: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

After Ye posted comments on Instagram that were considered by many to be "anti-Jewish," the social media platform restricted the rapper's account due to a violation of the company's rules and guidelines. That led Ye to end his two-year hiatus from Twitter to not only air his grievances with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the suspension, but to also continue making antisemitic remarks.

"I'm a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I'm going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE," he tweeted Oct. 8. "The funny thing is I actually can't be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda." The tweet was later taken down and the account suspended for violating community guidelines.

Oct. 10-17, 2022: Decline in Radio Play

In the days following Ye's antisemitic rants on Twitter and Instagram, the rapper faced a decline in radio play. According to Luminate, West's daily spins declined 21.1%, from 325 in the eight days preceding his social account restrictions to 258 in the eight days following them, while his average daily radio audience fell 21.4%.

Oct. 19, 2022: Ari Emanuel Calls on Ye's Business Partners to Cut Ties

In an op-ed published in the Financial Times, Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel encouraged several of Ye's business partners - which includes Apple, Spotify and more - to halt their business with the rapper. In his piece - which referenced a similar 2006 op-ed that he wrote calling entertainment companies to stop working with actor Mel Gibson for antisemitic remarks - he urged Parler to not go through with the rapper's acquisition of their platform.

"West is not just any person - he is a pop culture icon with millions of fans around the world," Emanuel wrote. "And among them are young people whose views are still being formed. This is why it is necessary for all of us to speak out. Hatred and anti-Semitism should have no place in our society, no matter how much money is at stake."

"Those who continue to do business with West are giving his misguided hate an audience," the CEO added. "There should be no tolerance anywhere for West's anti-Semitism."

Oct. 21, 2022: Balenciaga Ends Relationship

Image Credit: Edward Berthelot/GC Images

Though Ye had the privilege of walking in Balenciaga's Summer 2023 show for Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 2, the brand still made the move to sever ties with the rapper.

Balenciaga's parent company issued a brief statement (which did not mention Ye's antisemitic remarks or his "WLM" shirt) on Oct. 21, stating that they would no longer would be working with him. "Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist," Kering told Women's Wear Daily.

Oct. 24, 2022: Kim & Khloé Kardashian Speak Out

After several stars let their opinions be known regarding Ye's antisemitic comments, the rapper's ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her sister Khloé Kardashian both shared statements in support of Jewish people, though neither called out the rapper by name.

"Hate speech is never OK or excusable," the SKIMS mogul - who shares four young children with the rapper - tweeted on Oct. 24. "I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end."

Meanwhile, Khloé reshared a message on Instagram Stories from cookbook author Jessica Seinfeld's account: "I support my Jewish friends and the Jewish people."

Oct. 24, 2022: Documentary Scrapped by MRC

There's a completed documentary about Kanye West that the world will never get to see, MRC said on Oct. 24. The company - which is also Billboard 's former publisher - issued a statement regarding the rapper's antisemitic marks, stating it can no longer support the rapper and his actions.

"This morning, after discussion with our filmmakers and distribution partners, we made the decision not to proceed with any distribution for our recently completed documentary about Kanye West," CEO Modi Wiczyk, CEO Asif Satchu and COO Scott Tenley wrote in a joint statement. "We cannot support any content that amplifies his platform."

"Kanye is a producer and sampler of music," their statement continued. "Last week he sampled and remixed a classic tune that has charted for over 3,000 years - the lie that Jews are evil and conspire to control the world for their own gain ... Kanye has now helped mainstream it in the modern era."

Read MRC's full memo.

Oct. 24, 2022: Dropped by Creative Artists Agency

A representative for CAA confirmed to Billboard on Oct. 24 that Ye is no longer a client of theirs. The rapper joined CAA in 2012 to follow agent Cara Lewis, but chose to stay represented by the agency, even after Lewis' 2016 departure.

Rival agency UTA had also took a stance. On Oct. 23, CEO Jeremy Zimmer sent a companywide email titled "Rise of Anti Semitism and Hate" that stated West's comments will "embolden others to amplify their vile beliefs," and added that "we can't support hate speech, bigotry or anti-Semitism. Please support the boycott of Kanye West."

Oct. 25, 2022: Adidas Ends Brand Partnership

Image Credit: Jonathan Leibson/GI for ADIDAS

After facing calls to end its relationship with Ye, Adidas also made the decision to cut ties with the rapper on Oct. 25, ending a nearly 10 year partnership that saw the launch of the popular - and lucrative - Yeezy sneakers.

"Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech," the company said in a statement. "Ye's recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company's values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness."

Adidas revealed in its statement that it conducted a "thorough review" and would cease production of all Yeezy products, as well as payments to Ye and his respective companies. The sportswear company added that the move would cost it $246 million in profit, while the deal cost Ye his billionaire status and dropped his net worth to $400 million, according to Forbes.

Oct. 25, 2022: Gap Pulls All Yeezy Products

Image Credit: Chris Hondros/GI

Ye and the Gap initially went their separate ways in September, but on Oct. 25, the brand took it a step further. In a statement, Gap shared that it is taking "immediate steps" to remove the rapper's products from all its retail stores, and had ended operations of Yeezygap.com.

"In September, Gap announced ending its Yeezy Gap partnership," the company wrote in a statement. "Our former partner's recent remarks and behavior further underscore why. We are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap product from our stores and we have shut down Yeezygap.com."

"Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values," the Gap continued. "On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organizations that combat hate and discrimination."

Oct. 25, 2022: Foot Locker Drops Yeezy Products

Keeping in line with Adidas and Gap, Foot Locker issued a statement stating it will no longer carry Ye's products in stores or online.

"Foot Locker, Inc. does not tolerate any form of antisemitism, or hateful and discriminatory behavior," a company spokesperson said on Oct. 25. "We will not be supporting any future Yeezy product drops, and we have instructed our retail operators to pull any existing product from our shelves and digital sites."

Oct. 25, 2022: Spotify CEO Blasts Ye's Comments

In an Oct. 25 interview with Reuters, Spotify CEO Daniel Elk described Ye's remarks as "awful" but noted the rapper's comments did not violate Spotify's anti-hate policy as they were made off of the music streaming platform. Several individuals have called for streaming giants to pull Ye's music, but Elk asserted that Ye's music will only come down if he or his label requests it.

"It's really just his music, and his music doesn't violate our policy," Ek told Reuters. "It's up to his label, if they want to take action or not."

Oct. 25, 2022: UMG & Sony Denounce Ye's Hate Speech

Universal Music Group, who previously worked with Ye under its Def Jam label and merchandise company Bravado, clarified to Billboard in a statement on Oct. 25 it had ceased relations with the rapper in 2021, and denounced his antisemitic comments.

"Def Jam's relationship with Ye as a recording artist, Def Jam's partnership with the GOOD Music label venture and Ye's merchandise agreement with Bravado all ended in 2021." The spokesperson continued, "There is no place for antisemitism in our society. We are deeply committed to combating antisemitism and every other form of prejudice."

Sony Music Publishing has been the publishing administrator for Ye's catalogue for years, but the deal expired in early 2022. Last week, the publisher issued a memo to employees that read, "At Sony Music Group, commitment to tolerance, inclusion and equality for all are at the heart of who we are as a company. Consistent with these values, we denounce antisemitism. Through our partnership with the UJA Federation, we work to combat prejudice against the Jewish community."

Oct. 25, 2022: Aaron Donald & Jaylen Brown Part Ways With Donda Sports

L.A. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald tweeted on Oct. 25 to announce he is severing ties with Ye's Donda Sports in light of the rapper's antisemitic remarks.

"Our family has made the decision to part ways with Donda Sports," read a statement from Donald and his wife, Erica Donald. "The recent comments and displays of hate and antisemitism are the exact opposite of how we choose to live our lives and raise our children. We find them to be irresponsible and go against everything we believe in as a family."

Jaylen Brown, a Boston Celtics shooting guard who previously stated he would be sticking with Donda Sports, shared he had a change of heart. "In the past 24 hours, I've been able to reflect and better understand how my previous statements lack clarity in expressing my stance against recent insensitive public remarks and actions," Brown tweeted in a statement. "I have always, and will always, continue to stand strongly against any antisemitism, hate speech, misrepresentation, and oppressive rhetoric of any kind."

Oct. 26, 2022: TJ Maxx Announces It Will Not Purchase Yeezy Products

Celebrities quickly shared their concerns over the rapper's "White Lives Matter" shirts, and later, his Oct. 8 tweet saying he'd go "death con 3 on Jewish people."

Jaden Smith was among the first to speak out. The young rapper, who was in attendance at Ye's Paris Fashion Week show, left the Yeezy event early. He tweeted afterward that he didn't care whose show it was: "If I Don't Feel The Message I'm Out. Black Lives Matter."

Diddy also spoke out regarding the shirts in a video. "All America has planned for us is poverty, incarceration and death," he said. "So before I can get to any other lives matter ... Black lives matter, don't play with it."

Jamie Lee Curtis was one of many celebrities who spoke up loudly after Ye's tweet. She first responded with her own message on Twitter, noting, "The holiest day in Judaism was last week. Words matter. A threat to Jewish people ended once in a genocide. You are a father. Please stop." She later went on the TODAY show and reiterated her concerns, condemning his hate speech as "just abhorrent."

See how musicians reacted to his antisemitic comments and WLM shirts.

Image Credit: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

After Ye posted comments on Instagram that were considered by many to be "anti-Jewish," the social media platform restricted the rapper's account due to a violation of the company's rules and guidelines. That led Ye to end his two-year hiatus from Twitter to not only air his grievances with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the suspension, but to also continue making antisemitic remarks.

"I'm a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I'm going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE," he tweeted Oct. 8. "The funny thing is I actually can't be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda." The tweet was later taken down and the account suspended for violating community guidelines.

In the days following Ye's antisemitic rants on Twitter and Instagram, the rapper faced a decline in radio play. According to Luminate, West's daily spins declined 21.1%, from 325 in the eight days preceding his social account restrictions to 258 in the eight days following them, while his average daily radio audience fell 21.4%.

In an op-ed published in the Financial Times, Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel encouraged several of Ye's business partners - which includes Apple, Spotify and more - to halt their business with the rapper. In his piece - which referenced a similar 2006 op-ed that he wrote calling entertainment companies to stop working with actor Mel Gibson for antisemitic remarks - he urged Parler to not go through with the rapper's acquisition of their platform.

"West is not just any person - he is a pop culture icon with millions of fans around the world," Emanuel wrote. "And among them are young people whose views are still being formed. This is why it is necessary for all of us to speak out. Hatred and anti-Semitism should have no place in our society, no matter how much money is at stake."

"Those who continue to do business with West are giving his misguided hate an audience," the CEO added. "There should be no tolerance anywhere for West's anti-Semitism."

Image Credit: Edward Berthelot/GC Images

Though Ye had the privilege of walking in Balenciaga's Summer 2023 show for Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 2, the brand still made the move to sever ties with the rapper.

Balenciaga's parent company issued a brief statement (which did not mention Ye's antisemitic remarks or his "WLM" shirt) on Oct. 21, stating that they would no longer would be working with him. "Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist," Kering told Women's Wear Daily.

After several stars let their opinions be known regarding Ye's antisemitic comments, the rapper's ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her sister Khloé Kardashian both shared statements in support of Jewish people, though neither called out the rapper by name.

"Hate speech is never OK or excusable," the SKIMS mogul - who shares four young children with the rapper - tweeted on Oct. 24. "I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end."

Meanwhile, Khloé reshared a message on Instagram Stories from cookbook author Jessica Seinfeld's account: "I support my Jewish friends and the Jewish people."

There's a completed documentary about Kanye West that the world will never get to see, MRC said on Oct. 24. The company - which is also Billboard 's former publisher - issued a statement regarding the rapper's antisemitic marks, stating it can no longer support the rapper and his actions.

"This morning, after discussion with our filmmakers and distribution partners, we made the decision not to proceed with any distribution for our recently completed documentary about Kanye West," CEO Modi Wiczyk, CEO Asif Satchu and COO Scott Tenley wrote in a joint statement. "We cannot support any content that amplifies his platform."

"Kanye is a producer and sampler of music," their statement continued. "Last week he sampled and remixed a classic tune that has charted for over 3,000 years - the lie that Jews are evil and conspire to control the world for their own gain ... Kanye has now helped mainstream it in the modern era."

Read MRC's full memo.

A representative for CAA confirmed to Billboard on Oct. 24 that Ye is no longer a client of theirs. The rapper joined CAA in 2012 to follow agent Cara Lewis, but chose to stay represented by the agency, even after Lewis' 2016 departure.

Rival agency UTA had also took a stance. On Oct. 23, CEO Jeremy Zimmer sent a companywide email titled "Rise of Anti Semitism and Hate" that stated West's comments will "embolden others to amplify their vile beliefs," and added that "we can't support hate speech, bigotry or anti-Semitism. Please support the boycott of Kanye West."

Image Credit: Jonathan Leibson/GI for ADIDAS

After facing calls to end its relationship with Ye, Adidas also made the decision to cut ties with the rapper on Oct. 25, ending a nearly 10 year partnership that saw the launch of the popular - and lucrative - Yeezy sneakers.

"Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech," the company said in a statement. "Ye's recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company's values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness."

Adidas revealed in its statement that it conducted a "thorough review" and would cease production of all Yeezy products, as well as payments to Ye and his respective companies. The sportswear company added that the move would cost it $246 million in profit, while the deal cost Ye his billionaire status and dropped his net worth to $400 million, according to Forbes.

Image Credit: Chris Hondros/GI

Ye and the Gap initially went their separate ways in September, but on Oct. 25, the brand took it a step further. In a statement, Gap shared that it is taking "immediate steps" to remove the rapper's products from all its retail stores, and had ended operations of Yeezygap.com.

"In September, Gap announced ending its Yeezy Gap partnership," the company wrote in a statement. "Our former partner's recent remarks and behavior further underscore why. We are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap product from our stores and we have shut down Yeezygap.com."

"Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values," the Gap continued. "On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organizations that combat hate and discrimination."

Keeping in line with Adidas and Gap, Foot Locker issued a statement stating it will no longer carry Ye's products in stores or online.

"Foot Locker, Inc. does not tolerate any form of antisemitism, or hateful and discriminatory behavior," a company spokesperson said on Oct. 25. "We will not be supporting any future Yeezy product drops, and we have instructed our retail operators to pull any existing product from our shelves and digital sites."

In an Oct. 25 interview with Reuters, Spotify CEO Daniel Elk described Ye's remarks as "awful" but noted the rapper's comments did not violate Spotify's anti-hate policy as they were made off of the music streaming platform. Several individuals have called for streaming giants to pull Ye's music, but Elk asserted that Ye's music will only come down if he or his label requests it.

"It's really just his music, and his music doesn't violate our policy," Ek told Reuters. "It's up to his label, if they want to take action or not."

Universal Music Group, who previously worked with Ye under its Def Jam label and merchandise company Bravado, clarified to Billboard in a statement on Oct. 25 it had ceased relations with the rapper in 2021, and denounced his antisemitic comments.

"Def Jam's relationship with Ye as a recording artist, Def Jam's partnership with the GOOD Music label venture and Ye's merchandise agreement with Bravado all ended in 2021." The spokesperson continued, "There is no place for antisemitism in our society. We are deeply committed to combating antisemitism and every other form of prejudice."

Sony Music Publishing has been the publishing administrator for Ye's catalogue for years, but the deal expired in early 2022. Last week, the publisher issued a memo to employees that read, "At Sony Music Group, commitment to tolerance, inclusion and equality for all are at the heart of who we are as a company. Consistent with these values, we denounce antisemitism. Through our partnership with the UJA Federation, we work to combat prejudice against the Jewish community."

L.A. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald tweeted on Oct. 25 to announce he is severing ties with Ye's Donda Sports in light of the rapper's antisemitic remarks.

"Our family has made the decision to part ways with Donda Sports," read a statement from Donald and his wife, Erica Donald. "The recent comments and displays of hate and antisemitism are the exact opposite of how we choose to live our lives and raise our children. We find them to be irresponsible and go against everything we believe in as a family."

Jaylen Brown, a Boston Celtics shooting guard who previously stated he would be sticking with Donda Sports, shared he had a change of heart. "In the past 24 hours, I've been able to reflect and better understand how my previous statements lack clarity in expressing my stance against recent insensitive public remarks and actions," Brown tweeted in a statement. "I have always, and will always, continue to stand strongly against any antisemitism, hate speech, misrepresentation, and oppressive rhetoric of any kind."

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A Timeline of the Consequences Ye Has Faced for His 'WLM' Shirts & Antisemitic Hate Speech

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Kanye West has faced a series of consequences since repeatedly making antisemitic comments in October 2022. Here's a timeline of the backlash.

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This article is about how separating art is a messy thing. There is not one true answer and it all comes down to interpretation. Some may say that it depends on the certainty of what the artist did, while others say that it comes down to what the other person did.

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Can you separate the art from the artist? - The Observer

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Can you separate the art from the artist?

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The Observer is a student run daily print online newspaper serving Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s, and Holy Cross.

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Kanye West claims he’s worth $2.77 billion — Forbes begs to differ

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Kanye West claims he’s worth $2.77 billion — Forbes begs to differ

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This article discusses how Kanye West’s net worth has massively decreased in recent years. It touches upon some scandals and circumstances that resulted in him losing money, such as his removal from Adidas. It also questions Kanye’s future and whether or not he will “bounce back” from his losses.

“In 2022, Adidas announced it was axing its Yeezy partnership with West, saying in a press release: “Adidas does not tolerate anti-Semitism and any other sort of hate speech.”

“Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.” - Adidas

“...the artist has been hit with several lawsuits from former employees who have accused West of sexual harassment, using racist language, unlawful termination and more.”

“...the fallen genius has delivered another sub-par album that fails to capture any of the brilliance of his earlier works, or make amends for his antisemitism…”

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Kanye West claims he’s worth $2.77 billion — Forbes begs to differ

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In 2022, it was estimated that the rapper lost his billionaire status overnight after he was dropped by Adidas

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Can you separate Art from the Artist? - Bill Cosby

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Can you separate Art from the Artist? - Bill Cosby

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This passage appeals to ethos since it presents Bill Cosby as once beloved and respected, and thus his crimes are all the more despicable as well. It also appeals to pathos since it shows the saddening content of his crimes and the gravity of these crimes, which will most likely make its readers angry or disappointed. The logos is in the statement though Cosby's conviction was overturned, shows how his reputation is permanently damaged, concluding that his actions in this case have consequences that cannot simply be erased, regardless of the outcomes of the trial.

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What do we do when the art we love was created by a monster?

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What do we do when the art we love was created by a monster?

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This article discusses the dilemma of separating art from artists accused of wrongdoing. It describes the dilemma that audiences face in enjoying artwork by those with dubious pasts and covers the larger question of what it means to still support this kind of art.

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What do we do when the art we love was created by a monster?

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What do we do when the art we love was created by a monster?

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This article addresses the potential problems with ignoring art created by immoral artists and emphasizes using critical thinking skills when consuming art.

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How should we engage with books, songs, or other works of art created by artists, dead or alive, who have done bad things or hold morally problematic views?

The list of artists who have been accused of doing or saying disparaging, criminal, or morally reprehensible things is long. Paul Gauguin. Michael Jackson. Woody Allen. J.K. Rowling. Kanye West. Pablo Picasso. R. Kelly. Louis C.K. Bill Cosby. Many more.

It's one thing to firmly condemn their actions and reject their beliefs. But what should we do with their art-as individuals and as institutions?

The Kenan Institute of Ethics recently held a conversation to discuss exactly that issue. The discussion was moderated by Jesse Summers, Ph.D., and featured speakers Erich Hatala Matthes, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Philosophy at Wellesley College and author of " Drawing the Line: what to do with the work of immoral artists from museums to the movies," and Tom Rankin, Professor of the Practice of Art and Documentary Studies and Director of the MFA in Experimental and Documentary Arts at Duke University.

Why should we care about morality in art, anyway? Why not just appreciate the art and separate it from the artist?

Matthes believes that in some cases, "to not engage with the moral dimensions of a work would be to not take the work seriously." He thinks Shakespeare's works belong in this category. "Trickier cases," he adds, "might come from works that aren't explicitly engaged" with morality, but even in those cases, "the moral life of the artist can actually become a lens through which to read aspects of the work."

We already consider context when viewing art, not just "formal features of the work." What was the artist responding to? What were the politics at the time? Matthes believes it makes sense to consider the "moral life" of the artist, too. That "doesn't mean the artist's moral life is always going to be relevant" to engaging with the art, but he thinks it's worth at least acknowledging.

According to Rankin, "When we look at a piece of art or hear something, what we hope is that it propels us" to consider moral issues. How, he asks, can we not look at a painting or photo and wonder, "Where did this come from? Who made it? What was their agenda? What is their point of view? What was their background?"

So where does that leave us, Rankin asks, when it comes to "work that was made a hundred years ago but is really powerful... and yet when we look at it a hundred years later it has all kinds of flaws?" Should museums remove paintings by famous artists if racist or sexist views come to light? Should individuals boycott books, songs, and video games created (or inspired) by artists who have made harmful statements toward individuals or groups of people? How should college classes address works by immoral artists?

Matthes says the term "immoral artists" in his book is intentionally provocative. "I don't actually think it's productive" to think of people as good or bad, moral or immoral, he says. "There's a huge range" in the morality or lack thereof in artists' actions, and Matthes believes there should also be a range in our responses, but he doesn't believe that "great art can ever just excuse immorality." He wants to reject the idea that "artists need to be a little inhuman" and "outside the norms of society." He thinks that mindset encourages us to think of artists as not subject to the same rules. They should not be "immune to moral criticism," he says.

Rankin agrees: "I do balk a little bit at having to be the one to decide who's bad and who's good," but at the same time, he believes that "artists make work in response to who they are." So "What do we confront first? The life of the artist or the work itself? It's not one or the other," he says.

Both speakers believe that context is often key to interpreting and evaluating art. Matthes says that it might be "really obscene" to choose Michael Jackson music at your wedding if you know one of your guests has experienced child abuse, given the child sexual assault allegations against Jackson. However, Matthes doesn't believe that completely " cancelling " Jackson's music is the solution, either.

Similarly, Matthes doesn't believe that "we should necessarily continue with big exhibitions honoring Paul Gauguin," a painter who had sexual relationships with young girls and employed racist terminology. According to Matthes, Gauguin "represents a paternalistic energy of a particular time" that we should "interrogate." As for the notion that we should extend a degree of lenience to historical artists and view them as a product of their times, Matthes is "disinclined" to think of morality as relative to time period. The time when a work of art was created might affect how we engage with it or assign blame, but "Gauguin did a lot of morally horrific things, and the fact that it was in a different time and place doesn't change that."

Nevertheless, Matthes thinks we can and should still engage with and respond to the work of "immoral artists." His concern, he says, is that taking art off of walls and bookshelves and not talking about it "isn't reckoning with the legacy." He also doesn't "see a reason to put certain types of art on a pedestal and treat them differently.... Artistic expression is a fundamental part of human life."

What if an individual doesn't want to engage with such art at all? What if the actions of an artist, dead or alive, are so objectionable to someone that they want nothing to do with it? Matthes is okay with that attitude, though he does think it's "missing an opportunity."

Completely disengaging from art on account of its creator's moral life "feels like a way of not taking the moral criticism seriously," Matthes says. "It's not something you would be wrong to fail to do," but he believes in engaging with moral issues, even those that "it would be easier to just ignore."

But he acknowledges that personal identities can play a role in how or whether we engage with the work of immoral artists. Matthes believes it's important to consider "the position you're coming from" when you read or think about these issues. On the other hand, people and groups who may be more directly impacted by an artist's problematic views "also have really thoughtful, nuanced ways" of engaging-or not engaging-with the art.

Matthes believes that "we have a lot of moral latitude when it comes to our individual engagement" with art. He finds it difficult to make the argument that reading, listening to, or viewing art in your own home is directly harmful to others, even if the artist in question is still alive.

Summers, meanwhile, points out that if someone is upset by an artist, there could be cases where "you're taking it out on your friends... when you should be taking it out on the band."

Institutions like universities, however, might need to take further considerations. "Different moral norms might apply," Matthes suggests, "based on the positions of power we occupy." Classrooms, for instance, are a "semi-public" space. They can help provide context in conversations about "morally problematic art" and encourage people to "think really carefully and critically." If a class is going to engage with such topics, though, Matthes thinks it's important to spell that out to students beforehand.

Powerful conversations can take place outside of classrooms, too - in book clubs and even informal conversations with friends. "You don't want to let the moral concerns completely drive the bus" when engaging with art, Matthes says, "but I think it's important not to ignore them."

Rankin concludes by reminding us that it isn't just artists who face decisions about how to respond to the world. For instance, even among those who don't think of themselves as photographers, anyone who carries a cell phone is making choices every time they take a photo - about what they're presenting and why.

Post by Sophie Cox, Class of 2025

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What Should We Do with the Works of "Immoral Artists"? - Research Blog

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When artists hold morally problematic or downright reprehensible views, what should we--as individuals and institutions--do with their art?

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Reasons of separating the art from the artist

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Reasons of separating the art from the artist

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This article has opinions from people who both agree or disagree with supporting the artist and the art. They give examples of people with public negative behavior but shows an example of how the art could still be supported.

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Should We Separate Art from the Artist? – Adarsh Badri

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This essay discusses if we can separate art from the artist. Here, I argue that we elicit three divergent responses to the art-artist conundrum: