Must I collect my artist friends work even if I don't like it?
MAGAZINE | NYTIMES
The Ethicist
By Kwame Anthony Appiah
A good friend of ours is an aspiring painter. Recently she held an exhibition at her studio of her latest efforts. We love her, but we’re not fans of her art, which is definitely a work in progress.
Friendship and sympathy might make you want to help her, but they don’t oblige you to pretend to admire her paintings. Indeed, if she’s struggling, it may be because no one is a fan of her art — and she may never progress to the point where she’s making a living from it. Buying art and suggesting you think it’s good denies her the feedback she needs to make a reasonable decision. In this respect, false support may not be so very friendly or sympathetic. [link]
The Ethicist
By Kwame Anthony Appiah
A good friend of ours is an aspiring painter. Recently she held an exhibition at her studio of her latest efforts. We love her, but we’re not fans of her art, which is definitely a work in progress.
Friendship and sympathy might make you want to help her, but they don’t oblige you to pretend to admire her paintings. Indeed, if she’s struggling, it may be because no one is a fan of her art — and she may never progress to the point where she’s making a living from it. Buying art and suggesting you think it’s good denies her the feedback she needs to make a reasonable decision. In this respect, false support may not be so very friendly or sympathetic. [link]