1 . The question of whether it is possible to dissociate the artist from their work has been debated for a long time. Even though positive critical reviews about an artist’s behavior can improve their artistic accomplishments, people should treat artists as individuals who have lived apart from their work.
One of the reasons is that even artists have shortcomings. Like any other human being, an artist can err, and we cannot be severely judgmental of every person that falls into error. Cancel culture with endless criticism is concerned more with how we should disregard the artists when they make mistakes than with how their weaknesses can be used by the artists to create art that is unique.
Perhaps Kevin Hart’s words support this thought. He asks, “When did we get to a point where life was supposed to be perfect? Where people were supposed to operate perfectly all the time?” When people start seeing artists as human beings, they’ll see them for who they are and review their behavior not on the basis of their art but on the basis of their humanity.
It should be also noted that there are works of art that are inspired by the artist’s experience. For example, the themes in the Harry Potter books are so connected with J. K. Rowling’s wicked worldview that it is virtually impossible to distinguish the two from each other. Since canceling artists based on their worldview would mean the reception to their art will suffer, artists become tense and unwilling to express themselves, which will kill creativity, eventually leading to the death of art. Comedians, singers or painters who should be integrating contemporary issues with their works become boring, and art stops functioning as the social mirror it ought to be.
An artist who makes mistakes still has art with intrinsic (内在的) value, benefiting entire communities or cultures. For instance, when Kendrick Lamar launched his album and frequently used the F-slur in one of his songs, there was much-heated discussion. He was entirely mistaken in using the F-slur, but as an artist, he still had a wide-reaching impact on society. Similarly, one can respect the late Michael Jackson because of how he impacted pop music and the inclusion of black musicians in mainstream media despite his personal weaknesses, opinions, worldviews and associations.
While these artists may engage in their terrible behavior, the art they produce today may serve as an example for others to produce outstanding work in the future. Some would refer to this process as a cycle. Good art should, therefore, be judged due to its value and not the value of the artist.
1. Which would Kevin Hart probably agree with?| A．People should perform perfectly all the time. |
| B．Artists’ shortcomings might be their inspiration. |
| C．If artists have weaknesses, we’d better cancel them. |
| D．Artists should be evaluated based on their humanity. |
| A．Artists will be unwilling to create any artwork. |
| B．Artists will stop concerning with contemporary issues. |
| C．Artists will lose their desire for expression and creativity. |
| D．Artworks are unavoidably inspired by artists’ experiences. |
| A．The artist may make some new words popular. |
| B．The artist’s opinions may provoke heated discussion. |
| C．The artist will benefit entire communities or cultures. |
| D．The artist’s art may give others ideas of artistic creation. |
| A．Judge Art Due to Its Value |
| B．Separate the Art From the Artist |
| C．Regard Artists as Human Beings |
| D．Stop Criticizing Artists’ Behavior |
2 . There is more to Vincent Van Gogh’s body of works than sunflowers. His complete painting life as an artist, short as it was, can be seen on June 27 during an exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts(MFA) Texas.
This exhibit leans heavily on the Kröller- Müller Museum’s lending Van Gogh’s works. The Kröller- Müller Museum, which is in Otterlo, Netherlands, is well-known for its works by Van Gogh in the world. The MFA, Texas serves as the only site for the exhibit presenting more than 50 works from Van Gogh’s early sketches(素描) to late oil paintings.
“There has been no major Van Gogh exhibition in Texas for decades, and few of this degree and ambition anywhere in the country. ” David Bomford said. “The upcoming exhibition covers the whole of Van Gogh’s all-too-brief ten-year career. It offers people in Texas and even people all over the country a chance to step into the world of Van Gogh. The works selected for exhibit shows Van Gogh’s career which began in dark, realistic style reflecting mid-19th century France and concluded in the wild, psychological paintings of his final years. ”
Van Gogh successfully experimented with artistic techniques from the Barbizon-school’s (巴比松画派的) representative, Millet, whose works he liked above all others, to Cezanne. Van Gogh didn’t care for Cezanne before landing on Cezanne’s unique style which continued amazing audiences for more than 125 years after his death. Cezanne’s style is hard to ignore in many of Van Gogh’s works.
Van Gogh wasn’t a lone talent working in isolation(隔离). He was influenced. He was a great student of art. In order to enable visitors to have a good knowledge of his private thoughts about the works he created, the exhibit will present the extraordinarily rich letters which existed between him and his brother Theo. “In some 820 letters, Van Gogh described his projects and his whole attention. All letters were dotted with sketches of his paintings, ” a worker said. “The MFA uniquely admits us to the workings of his mind and his motivations. And this has inviting appeal to us today. ”
So, take the chance and go to buy a ticket for the upcoming exhibition.
1. What can learn about the MFA’s exhibition on June 27?| A．It is specially held to show many great painters’ works. |
| B．It will present all the works of Van Gogh. |
| C．It will soon be held in Otterlo, Netherlands. |
| D．It gets big support from the Kröller- Müller Museum. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Critical. | C．Neutral. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．they created a painting style with Van Gogh |
| B．they played a big role in Van Gogh’s paintings |
| C．they admired Van Gogh’s paintings |
| D．they learnt painting techniques from Van Gogh |
| A．To express the public’s admiration for Van Gogh’s talents. |
| B．To show Van Gogh’s good relationship with his brother. |
| C．To help the public better understand Van Gogh’s paintings. |
| D．To search for the cause of Van Gogh’s short painting career. |
