New Delhi, April 22 -- The problem with artist Anita Dube's use of lines from a poem by activist Aamir Aziz has been best articulated by the aggrieved poet himself in his posts on social media on 20 April. As facts stand, there is no wiggle room for any ethical debate about 'good intentions' versus 'poor outcomes.' But there is a scope to look at this controversy as a symptom of a deeper malaise that's only going to get worse with time. But first, the facts.

At her ongoing show at Delhi's Vadehra Art Gallery (VAG), titled Timanjila Ghar, Dube used several lines from Aziz's poem, Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega, as part of some of her artworks. While she attributed her source, she didn't seek Aziz's consent to use his poem. Any self-aware artist, l...