When the Work Is Finished

This chapter examines the relation between the ‘second moment of authorship’, in which the author ratifies the work as his or her own, and another crucial but often overlooked aspect of authorship, which is artwork completion. These two moments are logically separate but often collapsed, both in theory and in practice. The chapter explains what is at stake for authors, audiences, and philosophers in determining whether an artwork is finished or not. Finally, it turns to the philosophical debate surrounding the necessary and sufficient conditions for artwork completion. While it finds much to agree with in their work, the author finds that both Hick and Livingston, the chief interloctors in this debate, commit a fundamental error in ontology when reasoning about artwork completion. The chapter argues, contrary to the prevailing theories, that artwork completion is ultimately provisional.