In times of heightened ethical awareness, art and culture find themselves in a dilemma: can Michael Jackson's songs still be heard with a clear conscience? Should Nolde hang in the German Chancellery, can one still show Balthus and can one watch films by Dieter Wedel, Roman Polanski or starring Kevin Spacey without a bad conscience? A look at history shows that for centuries the deeds of artists could be excused with their talent alone, criticism was accused of being virtuous furor and the freedom of aesthetics was upheld. Those who created extraordinary art did not have to be measured by the moral standards that applied to the rest of the population. Is there a distinction between the evaluation of a work and its author? In his 1967 essay "The Death of the Author", Roland Barthes pleaded for the meaninglessness of authorship. According to Barthes, a text must always be viewed in isolation from its author. But is it really that simple?
WITH u.a. András Siebold (Artistic Director of the Internationales Sommerfestival Kampnagel) et al
MODERATION Bettina Steinbrügge (Director of the Hamburger Kunstverein)
An event by FILMFEST HAMBURG and Themis Vertrauensstelle gegen sexuelle Belästigung und Gewalt e.V.
