Artistic license

Re “Have piano, will walk,” editorial, April 28

Krystian Zimerman again makes us ask “should an artist’s politics matter” when he announced that he would no longer play in the U.S. because our military seeks to “control the world.”

We have lived with this issue for years -- think of Vanessa Redgrave and her patronage of the Palestinians, or Jane Fonda in Hanoi -- and we must attempt to deal with it. How can we be politically independent and still enjoy artistry? The two need not be mutually exclusive.

A performer should not use his art to promote his politics. Zimerman should not have accepted the engagement at Disney Hall and then used it to scold his hosts; Academy Award recipients should not use the presentation of their awards as a platform to preach to a huge television audience. When an artist crosses that line, he is betraying both his politics and his art, and we should have no guilt in walking out.

Louis A. Lipofsky

Beverly Hills

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Zimerman was a witness for justice and peace in a powerful, probably sacrificial way. As The Times points out in mentioning Leonard Bernstein’s refusal to accept an award at the White House, there are many with great talent who have spoken truth to power through their talents. One might include the Dixie Chicks in that category.

I have admired Zimerman for his incredible virtuosity and sensitive musicianship; now I admire him even more for his courageous condemnation of this country’s military policies.

Larold Schulz

Claremont

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Those who think Zimerman should have expressed gratitude for the U.S. “rescue” of Poland from the Soviets apparently never heard of Solidarity, nor of the Polish Pope John Paul II.

But, more fundamentally, they forgot that it was the U.S., along with Britain, that at Yalta gave Poland to Stalin in the first place.

Roman Zawadzki

Los Angeles

The writer is vice-chair of the Polish American Defense Committee.