Skip to main content

Who decides what art means? - Hayley Levitt

800,490 Views

20,887 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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.

WatchThink 6 Multiple Choice &
3 Open Answer Questions Dig Deeper Learn More Discuss 1 Guided Discussion &
4 Open Discussions
Imagine you're walking through an art gallery and see a painting of what appears to be the Garden of Eden. You research the painting and find that the artist intended to create a replica of his backyard. If your views aligned with those of Steven Knapp and Walter Benn Michaels, how would you interpret the painting?

About 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

More from The Artist's Palette