Creative Thinking Cards

Interpreting Creative Pieces

Interpretations of creative expressions are always interesting. Just ask a dozen people about a painting or a song and you'll get a dozen perspectives -- or more! This is because an interpretation is part of an entire process. Just think: there's the artist, the inspiration, the medium of the art, the art piece itself, the context in which it was created, the interpreter, the interpreter's background and experiences, and the circumstances in which the art is being seen or experienced. All of these influence the overall interpretation of what that piece of art "means" -- at least, to that interpreter on that occasion. As a teacher, I don't think the important aspect of all this is whether students get an interpretation "right" or not. There are always multiple "right" answers, but I want my students to be able to justify their ideas, share their explanations, and come to understand that other people can see or experience the same exact thing but come to a very different interpretation. And that's fine! Encouraged even! It's what makes us different and provides us with opportunities for empathy and greater shared understandings.