Are Artists Liars?

Is it helpful or harmful to think of art as “a lie”? Ian Leslie, author of Born Liars, Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit, writes, “[Artistic lies] have a meaning and resonance beyond their creator. The liar lies on behalf of himself; the artist tells lies on behalf of everyone.” I see his point, but I also think of art as a perspective that has the capacity to be “true,” even if it is imagined.