The meaning of a work of art is constantly changing depending on the time and the viewer’s interpretation. This blog post explores how the interaction between the work and the viewer creates new meanings.
We often say that we enjoy artworks or that we appreciate artworks, instead of saying that we value artworks. To enjoy or appreciate a work of art is to derive pleasure from it or to judge its value. This implies that a work of art is something that a viewer, the subject of appreciation, is waiting to receive, and that it is a fixed object whose value is measured. However, a work of art is not something whose value is fixed or something that waits to be received by the viewer.
Works of art are created in relation to the creator, the time in which they are created, and the cultural environment. These elements related to the creation of art include social norms, artistic traditions, and the personality of the artist. However, these things cannot determine the meaning of a work of art. They are transformed into text by the creator and exist only in the background as a reference system.
The meaning of a work of art is interpreted by the viewer who encounters it at a particular moment in history. In order to interpret meaning, however, there must be a frame of reference. Without a frame of reference, interpretation is difficult to escape the subjective understanding of the viewer. The frame of reference for interpretation is the system of reference. The reference system of the historical moment when the viewer encounters the artwork creates a new relationship that is different from the past, and based on this new relationship, the viewer produces new meaning from the artwork.
Therefore, as long as the artwork continues to be transmitted, it will continue to be transformed and given new meaning through new reference systems. In essence, the meaning of a work of art is infinite. It’s like the saying, “Shakespeare didn’t say everything. At this point, “not saying everything” does not mean that the meaning comes from the artwork itself. The meaning of the artwork comes from the infinity of the reference system that exists outside the artwork. The text is constantly seeking new viewers, acquiring new reference systems from them, and constantly forming new relationships and producing new meanings.
The process of appreciation is a dialog between subject and object. In the process of appreciation, the artwork and the viewer have an open attitude, asking and answering questions and correcting each other’s perspectives, just like two individuals with different perspectives and personalities. They do not draw the other person into their own field of vision, but move toward the truth through dialogue. The viewer does not gain the truth that exists in the artwork, but creates a new truth by communicating with the artwork through dialogic appreciation. Instead of using works of art as examples of their own prior understanding, they transcend, expand, and transform them through external works of art to gain new perspectives. In the process, works of art also transcend their meaning through viewers who are different from themselves.
Appreciation is a process of aesthetic experience in which the viewer and the artwork transcend each other. The work of art is open to the viewer, and the viewer is open to the work of art. This process of openness and communication negates the fixed meaning of the artwork and opens up the possibility of new meanings being created through the viewer’s interpretation. This shows that artworks have the potential to be constantly reinvented beyond fixed meanings and values, and to be constantly rediscovered through different interpretations.
This interaction between artworks and viewers goes beyond simple appreciation and shows how artworks can be newly understood and reinterpreted in social and cultural contexts. Works of art continually create new meanings in the cultural and historical context of their time, and the viewer expands his or her understanding and perspective through them. This process ensures the continued vitality of works of art and helps the viewer gain new insights and enlightenment through them.
In conclusion, the meaning of a work of art is not fixed and can change infinitely depending on the interpretation and understanding of the viewer. The viewer creates new meaning through dialog with the work of art, and the work of art is continually recreated through this communication with the viewer. This shows the true value of the work of art and confirms its infinite possibilities.
