I also didn't mean monetary value. I meant the value you can assign to an object or performance by itself, with no context. For example, you can look at an Imp

I also didn't mean monetary value. I meant the value you can assign to an object or performance by itself, with no context. For example, you can look at an Impressionist painting, and most people would agree that by itself, it has some aesthetic value. Knowing the context of that painting might make it even more valuable, in other ways. However, the pile of trash you mention does not hold any intrinsic value by most standards (you can find lots of those in any alley), but knowing the context, the commentary and the intention, makes it valuable. Think of it like an inside joke.