Behind the beauDy, maybe the beast?

I've often wondered if you could appreciate some art and not the artist behind.
I would first answer "no" (and that's what I believed 10 years ago), you can't dissociate the artist from his work.

But at the same time, if you take the question in the other way, it's not because you appreciate a lot someone that you will enjoy his/her art. It would be stoopid to associate both this way.

Then there is that question... If an artist goes against your values or ideas, will you still enjoy his/her art?
And supporting his/her art is finally supporting the artist himself/herself, no?

I have a few examples in mind (I won't mentioned the extreme ones though)

... I remember gossips around John Irving, that I enjoy a looot, and who's said to have some baaaaad attitude towards women (gosspis, ya know...)

And a few years ago, I discovered Air, that I luuuve... But I really couldn't stand their attitude in interviews and I've never enjoyed their videos for some reasons (as if what they showed never corresponded to what their songs inspired me).

Oh and yesterday while watching this Metallica's dvd, my supa favorite James appears holding proudly photos of the bear he's killed during his lil holidays in Russia!!!
Suddenly his sex-appeal has vanished a lil bit , huh. Yet, when he starts to sing...

Oh shit, I dunno. I believe the art will remain while we'll forget about the men behind.
That still bothers me when my favorite ones are not as purrrfect as I want them to be. Better not knowing the private bits, if I may say ;-)