Does art have to have a meaning?
Great question—and one that artists, philosophers, and critics have debated for centuries.
Art doesn’t have to have a meaning, at least not in the conventional sense. Sometimes art exists simply to evoke a feeling, to explore beauty, or to create a sensory experience. Abstract art, for instance, might not tell a story or make a statement, but it can still move you, challenge you, or calm you.
That said, art can carry meaning—deep, symbolic, personal, political, or spiritual. For some artists, meaning is everything. For others, it’s more about the process, intuition, or pure expression.
In the end, maybe it’s less about whether the art has meaning, and more about whether it invites meaning—whether from the artist, the viewer, or both.
It is funny many years ago I recall seeing a Dan Flavin piece that was a single, everyday florescent light mounted on the wall diagonally on a white wall at The Modern art museum of Fort Worth. I didn’t get it nor did I really like it.
Then a few years later The Modern offered a full Dan Flavin exhibit and his work with commercially available fluorescent light fixtures. Seeing a full exhibit of his work offered new insight and meaning to that first piece I saw.
However, although the full exhibit shed more light on thing (ha!) it was still just lights and was there REAL meaning behind it? I am not sure the meaning per se, but I can tell you the feeling it delivered and it was awesome.
Watch this cool video to see a bit of his work. He was and is still misunderstood at times.
Does art have to be easily understood?
Not at all—art doesn’t have to be easily understood to be valid or powerful. In fact, some of the most profound works of art are meant to be mysterious, layered, or even confusing at first.
Art can speak in symbols, emotions, colors, silence, or chaos or even in minimalist light as Dan Flavin’s work did. Sometimes it takes time, reflection, or even life experience to “get it”—and sometimes, there’s nothing to get. It might just be about what it stirs within you.
Think of it like poetry or dreams: not always clear, but rich in feeling and open to interpretation.
Do you prefer when art speaks clearly, or when it leaves you wondering?
I think of Mark Rothko as another example of art that I was curious about and not sure I fully understood what he was going for with the large bold blocks of color I saw at the museum.
Early on I probably had no interest in his work but with time and exposure time-and-time-again, it moves you in different ways. Depending on the color blocks used depends on the emotions or feelings stirred by his work.
Here are some thoughts on his background and samples of his work.
Can art sometimes just be for the artist and their self exploration?
Absolutely—art can be entirely for the artist and their own process of self-exploration, healing, or expression. In many ways, this is one of art’s most sacred purposes.
Creating art can be like journaling with color, shape, and form. It doesn’t need to be shared, understood, or even finished. It can be raw, messy, intuitive, and deeply personal—a mirror of the inner world. Sometimes the act of creating is more important than the final piece.
Many artists find that when they create for themselves, free from judgment or audience, their most authentic work emerges.
Earlier this week I created this art via a meditative and intuitive painting experience for World Art Day. There is no real meaning. The purpose was my own personal intuitive painting experience and getting into a flow state.
This was maybe a foundational layer for a layered painting but I did found it fun and I think I’ll just keep it as is. What do you think?
Can art have secret personal or sacred hidden messages from the artist?
Yes, definitely—art can hold secret, personal, or sacred hidden messages from the artist, and this is one of the most beautiful and mysterious aspects of creating.
Artists often weave their inner world, emotions, memories, spiritual insights, or symbolic meanings into their work in ways only they fully understand. These hidden messages might be embedded in colors, shapes, numbers, textures, or even what’s left out of a piece.
Some artists see their work as a kind of visual spell, prayer, or meditation—quiet offerings to the universe or their own spirit. Others might include symbols that reflect a personal journey, ancestral connection, or deep emotion they don’t have words for.
Is it okay to NOT understand art or an artist?
Yes—it’s completely okay not to understand art or an artist. In fact, not understanding can be part of the experience. Art isn’t always meant to be explained or “figured out.” Sometimes it’s more about feeling, wondering, or simply being with it.
Just like we don’t always understand dreams, emotions, or nature—but still feel something—we can encounter art in the same way.
Every person brings their own lens, life story, and sensitivity to a piece of art. What’s confusing to one might be deeply moving to another. And sometimes, the mystery is what keeps the piece alive in us.
It’s also okay to walk away from a piece and say, “I don’t get it,” or “It’s not for me.” That doesn’t make the art—or your response—any less valid.
Has there been a piece of art you didn’t understand but still felt drawn to? Or art that you just saw and walked away from happy to NOT get it for whatever reason? Obviously, I shared a few of my disconnections with art and artists above. It is okay to not be ready or even to be offended or disinterested in some art.
Who are some of the most misinterpreted artists or pieces of art?
Art history is full of artists and works that were misunderstood in their time—or even that still are misunderstood today. Some were ahead of their era, too personal, too rebellious, or simply too different from what people expected. Here are a few famous examples:
Vincent van Gogh
- Misinterpretation: People often see his work as romantic or “just pretty” without realizing the deep mental anguish, loneliness, and emotional intensity behind it.
Example: Starry Night is often viewed as dreamy and beautiful, but it was painted while he was in a mental asylum, wrestling with inner chaos and longing for peace.
Frida Kahlo
Misinterpretation: Many see her as just a feminist icon or surrealist, but her work was deeply autobiographical—expressing physical pain, miscarriage, and heartbreak in very personal symbols.
Note: She didn’t even consider herself a surrealist; she said, “I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.”
Marcel Duchamp
Misinterpretation: His piece Fountain (a urinal signed “R. Mutt”) shocked the art world. People thought it was nonsense or a joke, but it challenged ideas of what art even is.
Legacy: He opened the door for conceptual art—where idea matters more than skill or beauty.
Edvard Munch – The Scream
Misinterpretation: Often seen as just a symbol of fear or anxiety, but Munch described it as a moment of overwhelming existential emotion—when the sky turned blood red and he felt the universe’s scream around him.
Georgia O’Keeffe
Misinterpretation: Her floral paintings were often sexualized by male critics, but she insisted they were abstract expressions of nature, emotion, and form—not metaphors for femininity unless she chose them to be.
Basquiat (Jean-Michel Basquiat)
Misinterpretation: His graffiti-like style led people to underestimate his intelligence and depth. But his work is loaded with cultural critique, Black identity, history, and coded messages that are still being unpacked today.
This video explores some of these and other misunderstood artists. Have a watch and share your thoughts. Can you see how in their time they may be misunderstood and then over time we find deeper meaning or understanding or value the works more than they were originally viewed?
Final Thoughts…
Art is kind of like poetry or music—you don’t always need to “get it” the way others do. Sometimes the misinterpretation says as much about the viewer as it does about the artist.
Although my first step in to painting was to create art related to my mindfulness practice and Buddhist philosophy and this early work was a bit of a spiritual practice for me, I’ve found new things that excite me. Some is basic and easy to digest or understand and beautiful while others are more based on abstract and intuitive exploration and following my gut.
Whitney Freya introduced me to the world of intuitive painting and it is something I am doing more of and find it a healing and practice focused on searching within to find what I create. This is partly what I am exploring within the Mindful Paint Club I am building currently.
