Kant defines art as purposiveness without a purpose. An artwork is definitely meaningful, but no definitive meaning can be derived from it. And there are as many interpretations of a book as there are readers of it, perspectives on a painting as there are onlookers and so on.
The purpose of criticism is to offer a well-founded interpretation of a work of art.
The purpose of criticism, therefore, is to offer a well-founded interpretation of something that is purposive without a purpose. Criticism cannot be the purpose of art, criticism delineates its purposiveness.
But by showing whereto it tends, criticism introduces purpose into art’s without purposiveness. In other words, it strips art of its ‘without.’
Criticism without art: not devoid of aristry but bordering, touching on its limits.
Thoughts fallen by the wayside 