When art takes on a life of its own

As soon as an artwork meets its audience, it begins to take on a life of its own—often beyond the artist's original intentions. Art that initially had no political or social agenda can suddenly become a symbol for a movement or idea.

An example is Eugène Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People, which has long been associated with the fight for freedom, despite the artist not being an activist himself. According to Barthélémy Jobert—a historian of art and a specialist in 19th-century Romantic art—Delacroix saw himself more as an observer than someone actively involved in political movements. Despite this, the work has become an icon of revolutionary spirit. A more modern example is internet memes, where images and symbols are often taken out of their original context and gain completely new meanings depending on how they are used and interpreted. Just as Liberty Leading the People has lived on as a symbol of freedom and struggle, a meme can transform and adapt to new contexts, often in ways the creator couldn’t foresee.

In other cases, symbolism may emerge where the artist didn’t consciously intend it. A simple depiction of an object or a scene can evoke associations in the viewer, shaped by personal or cultural frames of reference or even by chance. Here, subconscious influence can sometimes appear stronger than intentional meaning. Once an artwork has been released, the artist’s intentions become secondary. It is now in the viewer’s hands and mind that the work lives on.

Vladimir Fokanov's Girl Carrying a Bull appears as a clear allusion to the myth of Europa and the bull, but according to the artist himself, there is no deeper symbolic meaning behind the work. Instead, the motif was born out of a fascination with the contrast between the woman and the massive bull. Despite this lack of intentional symbolism, audiences have still interpreted the piece based on the assumption that it depicts Europa and the bull. From this interpretation, connections are drawn to everything from Ukraine's status in Europe to themes of women's burdens and strength. In the public consciousness, the work becomes a symbol of complex issues and cultural tensions, where Fokanov’s own intentions are merely a footnote as the work takes on a life of its own.

For the Symbolists of the 19th century, this was an obvious concept. Art was meant to speak to the viewer’s inner self, and symbolism was intended to be interpreted subjectively. Their view was that meaning and emotion should emerge in the meeting between the work and the viewer, independent of the artist’s intentions.

This is markedly different from earlier traditions where art was “meant to be read” and was created by and for an educated elite. Symbolism was designed to be understood by a learned audience, where the artist’s intentions and a shared reference framework of myths and history were central to correctly interpreting the work.

The Symbolists broke away from this tradition, and we continue in their wake. Today, access to art—both creating and experiencing it—is greater than ever, and subjective interpretation has become a fundamental part of the art experience. It is unlikely that we will ever break away from this perspective, given this accessibility. Art today lives and evolves largely in the eyes of the viewer, with each new interpretation contributing to the work's ongoing life and development.

6 months ago