Arts & Culture
The Aesthetics of Ambiguity and Interpretive Pluralism
Quick fact
Umberto Eco coined the term ‘open work’ to describe artworks that gain meaning through the active participation of the interpreter, like a musical score that leaves room for improvisation.
Why this is interesting
You’ve probably argued with a friend about what a movie or poem ‘really’ means—and both of you were right. Why do some works seem to invite endless interpretations?