National

Can We Ever Separate Art From The Artist?

As this issue was being printed, Outlook is no longer operating from its HQ at AB-10 in Safdarjung Enclave.

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Cover August 11
Can We Ever Separate Art From The Artist?
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After reading the painful essay by Andrea Skinner, about how her late mother, Canadian short story writer and Nobel Prize winner Alice Munro chose to stay in a relationship with Gerald Fremlin who abused Skinner and also pled guilty to indecent assault, this question becomes even more difficult to contemplate: Can we value the art without sitting in judgement on the artist?

The author, who died at the age of 92 earlier this year, was one of the many celebrated short-story writers in Canadian history whose stories were mainly about family and women. The recent allegations detailed by her daughter have reignited the debate on whether art can be separated from its artist. Outlook’s next issue asks you this question – Would you read ‘Dance of the Happy Shades’ – a book written by Munro, now? Not just Munro, several renowned artists in history, although might have been celebrated for their work, were later on found to be involved in questionable actions.

As this issue was being printed, Outlook is no longer operating from its HQ at AB-10 in Safdarjung Enclave. This was the office where Outlook began its journey. A place of fun and laughter, and of serious work. In the next issue, Outlook’s employees also bid a warm farewell to this office, while also looking forward to what’s next in the new premises.