Q. Does art actually have a function?
A. Art is a manifestation of the emotional centre of the Earth.
Q. Does art necessarily have a sense of mystery about it, so people have to seek for something?
A. It depends on where the particular piece of art comes from. Suppose we're talking about painting: painting from the ego would be moon influenced, the next highest quality of painting would be from the Earth, while painting from the Sun, which is higher again, we would call objective painting. Occasionally Earth painting can also be objective. It would be possible for painting to be done from Ahura Mazda, the centre of the galaxy, though as far as we know this hasn't happened. All art can be from these different places.
Q. What is required from the observer in order for him to be able to recognise objective art?
A. He would have to recognise it from the highest part of himself, whatever that happened to be. If he was well developed spiritually and had a strong soul, it would be the soul that would recognise objective art. Moon-type painting, from the ego, would be recognised by the ego. Painting from the Earth would be recognised by the name part.