Jacques Maritain on the Morality of Art and Artists

Abstract

This article offers a solution to the debate whether art is within the sphere and bound of morality. One extreme position argues that art is amoral and cannot be judged morally; the other extreme says that art is within the complete control of morality, religion or the state. Jacques Maritain acknowledges that art and morality are two autonomous worlds. There is no direct and intrinsic subordination between them. But while it is true that art and morality are distinct and separate, Maritain says they are extrinsically and indirectly related to each other. We may not have the right and reason to judge the morality of an art, we can certainly judge however the actions of the artist. In this article I argue that there is another way of looking at this issue. I agree with Maritain that the first responsibility of the artist is toward creating an excellent work of art. Here the artist has complete autonomy. But her/his first responsibility changes if and when she/he decides to exhibit her/his artwork. Exhibiting one’s artwork is no longer art. It is a human act. Therefore, it is now governed by the virtue of prudence. This is even more important when the artworks to be exhibited are malicious, irreverent and blasphemous to some religious and cultural sensibilities. We may not be able to judge morally an artwork, we can judge the morality of the decision on the part of the artist to exhibit offensive film, song, cartoon or any work of art for that matter.