RQ-Barrett-Principles for Interpreting Art PDF

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ART332A - ART OF THE M ODERN WORLD

READING QUESTIONS

Terry Barrett, “Principles for Interpreting Art, Art Education 47:5 (Sept. 1994), pp. 8-13. Terry Barrett presents 17 “interpretive principles” that he believes are helpful in discussing works of art. Which 3 of Barrett’s principles do you think are the most important when interpreting a work of art and why? 1) “No single interpretation is exhaustive of the meaning of an artwork and there can be different, competing, and contradictory interpretation of the same artwork.” I believe that this principle is the most important of the seventeen. This is because art is so subjective, so trying to say that one viewpoint or interpretation of a piece is the only one is ridiculous. There may be one interpretation that follows what the artist was envisioning while creating it, but the point of art is to be interpreted by the viewer.

2) “An interpretation of an artwork need not match the artist’s intention for the artwork.” This principle is important in relation to the principle spoken about previously of art not having one solid meaning. The artist may have had something in mind while creating a piece of work, but if they say that their idea is the only way to view the piece, they are defeating the purpose of creating art: for others to view it and interpret it for themselves. Some artists refrain from sharing their intention with the work at all to avoid constraining the viewer.

3) “All art is in part about the world in which it emerged.” In my opinion, it is impossible for an artist to make a piece of work without it having any influence from the time period and environment they are creating in. Be it something as small as the medium chosen because it is what the artist has access to or something as bold as the artist creating a piece that relates to the politics of the time, it is impossible for outside influences to keep from creeping in....