Does the Art Excuse the Accused? challenges each of us to question our personal moral compass when listening to music, looking at art, or watching movies created by an artist who has been accused of sexual misconduct, or worse. This thorny question, among others, is raised in a series of street-front installations across Columbia College Chicago’s campus.

The Me Too movement was founded in 2006 by Tarana Burke to empower survivors of sexual assault. In 2017, #MeToo went viral with the case of Hollywood film mogul Harvey Weinstein, Me Too’s first high-profile man to be convicted of sexual assault and rape. Me Too has become a powerful social media force, raising awareness of the prevalence of sexual misconduct across nearly every industry, including the creative and entertainment sectors of film, music, fine art, and fashion.  

As consumers of culture, Does the Art Excuse the Accused? dares us to reassess our praise for "genius" or celebrity artists in a time where creatives are increasingly held more accountable for their past and present actions. The exhibition raises important questions, such as:  

• Should an entire movie’s success be negatively impacted by an individual’s #MeToo history?   

• Are music streaming platforms justified in the removal of music by “problematic” artists?  

• Do museums have a responsibility to re-interpret works by artists who have committed sexual misconduct, or worse?  

• How are contemporary artists reacting to the works of these problematic artists?  

Does the Art Excuse the Accused? empowers us to decide who or what we give our attention to. It reaffirms our influential position as consumers of culture.

Curator: Madison Pope

Can you separate the art from the artist?   

Can great art still be enjoyed if its artist has been convicted or accused of sexual misconduct, a crime, or another heinous act?  

Have you ever discovered information about an artist you enjoy that caused you to change the way you view  their work?  (It could be a musician, actor, director, photographer, painter, etc.)    

We want to hear about it!  

Be a part of an upcoming exhibition at Columbia’s Student Center by telling us if you think the art should excuse the accused.  

Submissions will be used to construct an interactive installation as part of the exhibit.