Does intentionality really have a say in whether something is art or not?
In other words, is there such a thing as accidental art, free from meaning or subtext, purely based in unintentional aesthetics? I would say both yes and no -- Art can be created without intention, in the same way that anyone can stumble onto a good idea or accidentally invent penicillin. But just because it begins free of intention does not mean it stays that way, and as for things that are thought to go along with authorial intent -- theme, subtext, overarching idea -- they tend to worm their way into any work produced because they are often representative of the creator's personal views.
It is very difficult to picture art free from intention. How could you ever write a novel without first thinking that you would, at the very least, like to write a sentence, or a story? Even the decoration of a useful device, in which the point of the device is not specifically to look good but to do something, involves some aesthetic preference and planning. Art, at least, art created by a human being, requires some level of forethought.
The question of how to create art without intention still puzzles me. Yes, you could splash paint onto a canvas and realize you like the pattern. This could happen accidentally, or be observed, and so there would be no intention to create. However, if you wanted to improve on it, or maybe even label it as art, intention would instantly enter into the picture.
Maybe the problem lies with humans rather than with the concept of intent.
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