>[I]f the artist decides that the piece of art serves a
>particular purpose, then it serves a particular purpose.
I stongly doubt the veracity of that claim. Artists very often fail to
foresee how others will interpret and use their works. Case in point: Bruce
Springsteen hardly expected that his brooding complaint, "Born in the USA",
would surface as a Republican rallying tool! Intent bears a relation to how
a work functions--especially with better artists--but does not determine it.
T.0. Morrow