Who decides what art means? - Hayley Levitt
868,864 Views
21,630 Questions Answered
Let’s Begin…
There is a question that has been tossed around by philosophers and art critics for decades: how much should an artist's intention affect your interpretation of the work? Do the artist’s plans and motivations affect its meaning? Or is it completely up to the judgment of the viewer? Hayley Levitt explores the complex web of artistic interpretation.
Knapp and Michaels claim that artists' intentions completely define the meaning of their work. Can you think of any scenarios in which artists could wrongly interpret their own work, or overlook a valid interpretation?
Sign in to answer questionAbout TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
Meet The Creators
- Educator Hayley Levitt
- Director Avi Ofer
- Narrator Bethany Cutmore-Scott
- Animator Avi Ofer
- Illustrator Avi Ofer
- Compositor Marcos Tawil
- Sound Designer Marcos Tawil
- Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
- Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
- Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
- Associate Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
- Fact-Checker Francisco Diez