The Artist and the Art

Even though Christopher Columbus was heinous about a lot of things (slavery, mass murder, general brutality and more) he was a talented explorer. And that is part of what makes things a little tricky…should the character of the person be a part of, or a part from their accomplishments?  

I feel that if one digs deeply enough into any famous artist, explorer, or whomever’s past that there can be skeletons that give one pause. It’s tough to thread the needle between an explorer’s character and their achievements. But I think the Columbus anecdote is worth telling. 

At a banquet in his honor a guest rudely challenged Columbus saying something to the effect that if Columbus didn’t discover the New World, certainly someone else would. Thereby minimizing the accomplishment. Columbus waited a moment then asked the guests to make an egg stand on one end. Many tried, but couldn’t make it happen. Columbus took an egg, gently flattened one end with his knife and was able to make the egg stand on its end. The point was obvious: once someone showed the way, others could follow. 

The point may be about leadership and taking chances and making discoveries and showing the way so others can follow. However, I think the anecdote is more about followers. We can appreciate great works of art without appreciating the character of the artist, same with those in power. We should follow based on our morals and values, but only when leaders lead with integrity.