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Originally Posted by Charlatan
This issue is not really with the piece of art itself but with those who contexualize the work. Art historians, et al. make great efforts to control how we approach a work of art, frequently supressing opposing views. When this occurs a piece of art is rendered sterile and neutered (spayed?)...
Art should be a flow between the audience, the text, and to some extent the artist. To me, art ceases to be the artist's when he or she releases it into the world... at that point, the meaning of the work is strictly in the eye (and more importantly experience) of the beholder.
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The only way people can truly appreciate art is to study it, and gain an understanding of the context. Charlatan gave a good example of this with Les Miserables, and I've developed a similar love with Italian Renaissance Sculpture as a result of a class I took with the Curator of Sculpture at the National Gallery of Art. His guidance was immensely beneficial; he would provide the factual basis behind the work, and we would be allowed to develop our own interpretations of the piece itself. Art historians do have their place, but I agree that any attempt to railroad interpretation should be avoided.
Consider ART's approach though. If the work in question is destroyed or defaced, the audience will never be able to achieve that flow or connection.