This is much less to do with the painting than the feelings it might evoke. In actuality YOU are the art.

Imagine yourself on the edge of a lake on an evening walk. As the sunsets, you look out into the water and you see a bird flapping it's wings in the middle. It's legs have got caught in the lines of fishermen in the past and it's gotten trapped, panicked, trying to get loose... but it can't... and you can't help it. 

The bird slowly but surely physically exhausts itself until it drowns and dies.... and all you can do is watch.