Hermeneutic Interpretation of Art: Shared and Divergent Views in the Thoughof M. Hiedegger and H.-G. Gadamer

Abstract

The article explores the contributions of                  M. Heidegger and H.-G. Gadamer to the foundations of hermeneutic interpretation of art. The purpose of the research is to reveal the commonalities and differences in the philosophical approaches to the interpretation of artworks in the hermeneutic aesthetics of M. Heidegger and H.-G. Gadamer. The methods used in the article include: hermeneutic analysis, comparative and textual analysis, and critical discussion. Heidegger views art as a fundamental means of revealing truth and the world, asserting that it opens up a space where the essence of being is disclosed. For him, works of art are not mere representations, but they actively shape our understanding of existence by bringing hidden truths into the open. Gadamer, on the other hand, emphasizes the importance of the interpreter’s role in the process of understanding art. He argues that the act of interpretation is always situated within historical and cultural contexts, with the “prejudices” of the interpreter influencing how a work is understood. Unlike Heidegger, who focuses on the event of truth unfolding within art, H.-G. Gadamer sees art as a dialogue between the past and present, where meaning is negotiated through engagement with the artwork. Both philosophers reject the notion that art is merely about beauty or enjoyment, instead positioning it as a process through which truth is revealed and understood. The study concludes that while both M. Heidegger and H.-G. Gadamer emphasize the ontological dimension of art, their views diverge in terms of the role of the interpreter and the temporality of the art experience. For M. Heidegger, the work of art reveals the truth in a singular, almost event-like occurrence, where the essence of being is disclosed through the artwork itself. The focus is on the “happening” of truth, and the spectator’s role is more passive, as a witness to this disclosure of truth. In contrast, H.-G. Gadamer sees the interpreter as an active participant in the process of understanding, where the act of interpretation is shaped by the historical and cultural, as well as the personal interpreter’s traditions. The meaning of art, for H.-G. Gadamer, unfolds in a continuous dialogue between the artwork and the interpreter, reflecting the temporality of historical consciousness. In this way, the artwork is not a static entity but a dynamic process, where understanding evolves over time through interaction with the work.