Public art refers to any artwork that is displayed in a public space, whether indoors or outdoors. It can be sculptural, murals or paintings, interactive installations and even conceptual or process-oriented works. Public art seeks to portray concepts that are of general interest and is generally not personal, partisan or commercial in scope. It uses a wide range of everyday and natural materials, often reflecting the cultural or topical context in which it is situated.
Unlike works in museums or private galleries, public art must be made to withstand harsh weather conditions and the physical and social impact of daily human use. In addition, it must be designed to encourage a dialogue between art and the public.
It is important to remember that public art, while not confined by the same limitations as gallery or studio artwork, must still be accessible to a wide audience in terms of cost and scale. Public artists often work in association with government agencies, non-profit organizations, community leaders and fundraisers to raise the money necessary for creating large scale artwork.
A large part of public art funding is derived from a percentage of construction budgets that must be allocated for the arts, or through specific public art commissions. In many instances, a committee of experts in the field is assembled to select an artist or group of artists to create a specific project. The process is often long, with many meetings between the commissioning body and the art selection committee.
Once the artist is selected, a contract is drawn up specifying the nature of the work and any special requirements that must be fulfilled. This includes a description of the intended location, a timeline for completion, payment schedules, liability and insurance concerns and maintenance responsibilities. It should also stipulate whether the artwork is to be permanent or temporary.
The most successful public works are ones that elicit an emotional response from the viewer. This can be achieved through the use of scale, color, form or texture. The most common forms of public art are sculptural, but murals and other painting techniques are also used. In the past, public art often served a functional purpose, like the big bronze statues of generals and politicians that were erected to remind people of their country’s rich history or the murals on public buildings that told a story of a city’s culture and values.
More recently, public art has been more conceptual and less literal in its subject matter. A few examples include Douglas Coupland’s pixelated sculpture of killer whales that playfully explores the intersection of nature and technology, or Yue Minjun’s colossal bronze statues that depict a single figure in different stages of uproarious laughter. These works evoke a sense of wonder in the viewer by challenging them to think about the concept of beauty, time and place.