Should you feel guilty about owning a Rolf Harris paining?
For crying out loud! Of course not. The man’s art is still what it was before his conviction. If you have one, enjoy it as before.
While auction site eBay is still listing private sales, it is coming under pressure to pull items associated with him – although it continues to sell items associated with other disgraced celebrities including Jimmy Savile and rock band Lostprophets – whose former singer Ian Watkins is serving 29 years for serious child sex offences.
And so it should. While these individuals have been convicted their art and other items are what they are. Can’t say I was ever into the Lostprophets, but I wouldn’t suddenly stop listening to the music, nor would I junk my CDs. And if I wanted to sell them, I wouldn’t expect eBay to stop me because of the conviction. What is it with the world that somehow we all have to wear hair shirts and tear our hair out because we own something that may be related to a convicted person? The art did not carry out the crime and we do not have to engage in some sort of self-loathing guilt trip because of it.
But can art ever be separated from the artist? And what about people who already possess a piece of the entertainer’s work – should they feel guilty about owning and displaying it?
Yes and no. Next?
One woman, whose painting of Bonnie Tyler by Harris was estimated to be worth up to £50,000, has said she might burn it as it is “a horrific reminder”.
Stupid cow. Did he touch you up as well? Mind you, there’s a queue developing to make just that accusation as I write, so maybe you had better get in line.