Public art is art that is commissioned for display in public spaces, such as parks, squares and streets that are open to the general public. It is a genre that can take many forms and may be permanent or temporary; mobile or process-oriented. In contrast to private art, which is usually exhibited in gallery settings, public art is meant to be experienced repeatedly and over time by a wide audience.
The practice of evoking an atmosphere or emotion through an artwork is at the heart of public art, but it can also take on social or political content. This is particularly true of works that address issues of war, peace, and human rights, and can provoke strong reactions from the public.
Unlike the art-making of earlier centuries, which was often based on patronage and the desire to beautify a town or cityscape, contemporary public art is most commonly conceived as social commentary, institutional critique, and/or cultural exploration. As a result, it is often polarizing and controversial.
While artists who create work for public spaces must consider the interests of their audiences, they are also free to choose their own topics and approaches. This flexibility allows for the creation of a vast spectrum of provocative and evocative works, from purely abstract concepts to politically charged and emotionally raw installations.
Because public art is essentially an act of participation, it can be seen as a democratic medium. As a consequence, it can be a powerful tool for engaging communities and fostering dialogue, especially in times of political upheaval. However, the role of public art has not always been a positive one, and it is important for artists and project commissioners to be mindful of how the form can be exploited.
One way that public art can be abused is by allowing it to devolve into propaganda or titillation. This can be done by using the notion of public art to lull the public into accepting politically or socially challenging work that would not, by any other means, qualify as such. For example, the Olympia & York development in New York City dangled the lure of public art by prestigious artists such as Flaka Haliti and Richard Serra to entice the public into a site that did not, by any other standard, look or feel like public space.
Public artworks are typically integrated into a building, landscape or streetscape design to provide visual interest and to promote the idea of community. Often they are designed in collaboration with architects or urban planners. However, community groups have also been active participants in funding public art through grassroots donations.
A typical timeline for a permanent public art project is 2 to 5 years. This includes 6 months to 2 years for community engagement and the planning phase. After that, the artist will spend a year or so creating the artwork, and then install it in the public space. Examples of integrated public art include street paving, sculptural seating and artist-designed glazing (windows). For example, View Site 17 1995 by Ray Thomas is a bronze sculpture that is inlaid into the bluestone paving on Collins Street in Melbourne and depicts the Koorie creation story of the Karak Gurok, or Seven Sisters.