Public art comes in a variety of forms and functions. Some artists seek to beautify and leave their mark on a site, while others aim to engage with the public by encouraging interaction or questioning assumptions about urban life. Unlike the gallery setting, where the audience for an artwork is limited to a relatively small number of people, works installed in the public domain can be encountered by countless individuals on a daily basis. This wide scope of potential viewership makes public art an interesting field for critical and political commentary.
The idea of public art goes back thousands of years and is found across many cultures. While some of the earliest examples of public art were designed with a specific audience in mind (e.g. the colossal statues of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel) most later monuments and sculptures were designed to communicate a more abstract ideal such as national unity, cultural diversity or the power of a particular era’s technology.
In modern times, artists have competed to produce the most memorable, spectacular and thought-provoking work for public spaces. Conscious that traditional bronze statuary memorializing dignitaries and worthies had become commonplace, the 20th century saw a rise in new artistic forms that sought to engage the public in new and innovative ways.
An important component of public art is ensuring that the artwork remains accessible to the general public for as long as possible. Whether through education, community events, or the development of tools and apps that connect public art to information about the history and context of a neighborhood, art programs are vital for building a shared appreciation of a public artwork.
This might include the creation of a community mural that highlights historical figures or events, an educational video series on how to look at a public artwork, or the use of augmented reality software to bring artworks to life in virtual tours and exhibitions. Public artworks also need to be able to adapt to changing social, political and environmental conditions. As the political climate has become increasingly polarized and a rise of “cancel culture” has brought renewed scrutiny to some historic artworks, the role of public art in fostering shared understanding and civic pride is being redefined.
Some forms of public art seek to promote a deeper theoretical contemplation about the environment around them. This might be a painting or sculpture that features geometric patterns and colours, a garden installation that incorporates natural elements, or a work that encourages interaction through sound, light or movement such as a musical instrument or fountain.
Other forms of public art are temporary, and exist only for a predetermined amount of time. This might be as short as a few hours, or several years as with Nick Selenitsch’s ephemeral drawing project Linemarking 2009-12, which consisted of chalk markings on the pavement in public locations. These were then photographed and documented, and at the end of their lifetime washed away.