Kat Rosenfield: Separating art from identity politics

Kat Rosenfield doesn't write Jewish fiction. Her forthcoming book, How to Survive in the Woods, is a thriller set in the wilderness of Maine—not very Jewish. But that hasn't stopped random internet users from noticing her surname and making the link, sometimes with prejudice. The idea that an artist must be inextricably linked to their identity politics—and that Jews are inherently Zionists—is not exclusive to Rosenfield, though it is a topic she has touched on often, both as a columnist with The Free Press and as a podcaster on Feminine Chaos, alongside The CJN's own Phoebe Maltz Bovy. Now the podcasting duo is hopping onto The CJN's network to talk about the role of Jews in this neverending conversation, particularly in light of controversies in Canada and Australia. The Art Gallery of Ontario declined work by acclaimed Jewish photographer Nan Goldin because of her anti-Zionist (antisemitic?) views, while in the Southern Hemisphere, a literary festival in Adelaide, Australia, was forced to cancel its entire program after it retracted an invitation to a Palestinian author—sparking the cancellations of 180 other writers in solidarity. What do we risk when art becomes stringently political, and institutions only accept art from certain people on certain sides of the political spectrum? Rosenfield joins to discuss. Credits Host: Phoebe Maltz Bovy Producer and editor: Michael Fraiman Music: " Gypsy Waltz " by Frank Freeman, licensed from the Independent Music Licensing Collective Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The Jewish Angle