Hmm, I don’t think the game brings this up in my view. The game doesn’t have the time to reiterate on its jarring imagery, so I never associated it with escape.
I also would have difficulty accepting art as a partial escape, but my ideas on art are not that relevant to what the game is doing. Maybe, another time.
I can see that, but I think the mazes have enough variation that the busywork becomes paradoxically stimulating.
If the intent of the game is to explore how art allows a small reprieve from the real world, then yeah I agree it doesn’t work out. The “reward” after all the maze gameplay is the ending. This tension is, for better or for worse, what makes the game a rather unique interpretation on the composition.