Irina Aristarkhova: #MeToo in the Art World

A new article by Stamps Associate Professor Irina Aristarkhova on Chuck Close, the #MeToo movement in the art world, and Pushkin’s arguments on the incompatibility of genius and evil is featured on The Conversation.

This May, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., was to showcase the work of two famous artists: one of painter Chuck Close and another of photographer Thomas Roma. Both exhibitions, however were cancelled due to allegations of sexual harassment.

The public debate sparked by the cancellations has centered around the question, is it possible to separate the value of art from the personal conduct of the artist?

As a scholar of aesthetics and gender studies, I believe, in the wake of #MeToo this is a good time to revisit the argument of Russian poet Alexander Pushkin about the incompatibility of genius and evil.

#MeToo in the art world: Genius should not excuse sexual harassment | The Conversation