¶ … artists be given free rein in the producing and displaying of works that are offensive, objectionable, or disparaging of certain people's beliefs and values? What responsibilities do artists have to their society? What responsibilities does the society have to its artists?
The job of artists is to hold up a mirror to society and comment on both the beauty and ugliness that exists in the real world. It is easy to showcase things that are beautiful. The museums of the world are full of pretty pictures which depict landscapes and lovely people in fancy dresses. However, there are also works of art in museums or galleries which are controversial, unsettling, and perhaps even downright ugly. Some works of art show things that most people do not want to see, such as material which is offensive, or objectionable, or even disparaging of the beliefs and values of others. Such works are not meant to be appealing...
Rather, they are supposed to make the viewer think about what they see and to make them feel uncomfortable. This makes them reflect on what it is they are really uncomfortable with beyond what is presented in the artwork. If a painting or a sculpture depicts racial or ethnic stereotypes it should not be because that is how the artist sees the world, but that the artist wants people to question these stereotypes and think on them more seriously than they might have before. So long as the artist is making a comment on aspects of society then the objectionable material should be allowed to be shown in works of art. If, on the other hand, the artist believes in these objectionable things and is using the first amendment and the cause of free speech to further hate and propagate stereotype and negative belief, then the motivations behind the work should make those creating and attending the exhibit…
