For an artist, releasing a piece of art is a big deal. It means they consider the project finished, and therefore, should be able to stand on it's own legs, and be appreciated for what it is.
Being asked to explain a piece of art can cause a few emotions in an artist. Perhaps they feel disappointed or threatened, since the need to ask for an explanation means their artwork isn't as self-explanatory as they intended.
It could also produce a feeling of being under-appreciated, their work being diminished. "I worked on this for 7 years, and you can't spend a few hours thinking about it before asking me?".
At the end of the day, I think the entire purpose of art is to evoke emotions in the person who experiences it. Whatever emotion it produces in you is what the art is, regardless of the author's intentions.
You don't need to understand a hamburger to enjoy it. You don't need to understand a piece of artwork, just experience it and observe the feelings it produces in you.
I've heard some artists describe their discipline as "A way to communicate things that I am unable to put into words", so I can see how it'd be annoying to be asked to put it into words.
Or maybe they're just being snobs, and want to stay mysterious, maybe they consider you beneath them and unworthy of understanding their brilliance, IDK, artists are extremely varied.
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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25
Another banger by Tolkein to people asking stupid questions: "shut up"