Intellectual Rights of Artists

"Contemporary art and art history is full of misunderstanding between creators and viewers about the meaning that work itself communicates. Both sides can be responsible for speaking past one another. True, many academics or critics exploit art's "messages" for self-interested methodological or political ends. But many excellent artists leave themselves defenseless against such hijacking because they cannot articulate persuasively why they do what they do." - The Guardian (UK) 01/26/07

At what point is the artist's work no longer their intellectual property? I’ve been witness to gallerists that purposefully mis-hang work; non-profit arts funders that misquote artist statements and critics that superimpose their own agendas on the “meaning of a work” – all in the name of furthering the art or artist. – DN