What is the significance of the artists intentions?
In cases when all objective forms of evidence (e.g. the measurable images in a movie or the printed words of a book) prove indecisive, then we may at last resort to considering the declared intentions of the authors and artists. Such evidence is subjective and therefore risky. It can be plagued by many problems. The artists involved in a project do not necessarily share the same intentions. Individuals can misrepresent or miscommunicate their intentions, either unconsciously or deliberately. Furthermore, an artist’s intentions can change over time, especially in retrospect after the source has been published and fans have reacted. Statements of authorial intent are less convincing if they are made in hindsight, but are more convincing if they are contemporary.
