![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Kanye is without a doubt one of the greatest and most influential artists of our time. His work is universal; there is not one person on the street who won’t recognize “Runaway” or “Graduation.” Yet, without a doubt, he also holds the title of one of the most controversial figures in the mainstream from his stream of Twitter rants to his clothing to media antics.
How do you reconcile both aspects of a polar personality? His greatness is undeniable, but so are his racist and harmful remarks. But both come together in his art. Parts of his beliefs and opinions will inevitably seep into his work. This mesh of creativity and personality is what defines art as an expression of self, as a unique contribution.
By listening to Kanye’s music, I contribute to his platform to spout his rhetoric. In a way, we are the reason why he is even able to have an audience to speak to. His relevance makes his words impactful and hurtful, and as we build on the hype and clout of his music, we enable his ability to have an impact and implicitly support his remarks.
These factors contribute to the impossibility of separating art from the artist, but I still believe that it is vital to do so. To condemn a piece of art solely on the basis of an artist stifles creativity and imagination. Art builds off of itself; artists are inspired by others, musicians sample previous work, and writers learn from recognizing literature.
If we were to only learn from seemingly morally perfect artists, the world would be a bland place. If we cancel a piece of art, we hobble our own ability to expand off it. The intrinsic value of the art and its potential to improve the world around us should take precedence over a critique of an artist’s individual flaws and mistakes. Should JK Rowling’s transphobic views or Michael Jackson’s sexual assault accusations negate their work and impact? It diminishes my opinion of these artists but not my opinion on their art.
An appreciation of art does not necessarily mean support for an artist. I can credit Kanye’s genius or Rowling’s storytelling without condoning their actions. Great art deserves to be recognized as great art, but recognition does not equal support. A more nuanced approach is understanding the context and controversy behind an artist, building a deeper level of interpretation of a work.
While I generally take this approach to art, I do not believe that it’s a one size fits all tactic. Each situation bears its own unique fruits and pitfalls. In cases where the transgression is directly tied to the art, I can’t justify an appreciation of their work. Ultimately, I still listen to and enjoy Kanye’s music in spite of his actions, but I recognize his flaws as a person.
