Yes it’s ‘diminishing’ to interpret art according to set principles, especially if the art demands that you join in a kind of mental congruence, and enter the artist’s mindset. You can’t deconstruct Cindy Sherman like that – you have to ‘get’ her whole outlook.

And although it makes sense at a very elementary level to point out the most obvious features of any one of her works, her real 'art' is much more interesting than a mere collection of details.