Public art may conjure up images of historic bronze statues of soldiers in a park, but this genre of artwork is far broader than that. It refers to any work created for a public space, and can encompass murals, sculpture, integrated architectural or landscape architectural work, digital new media, community-based projects, performances and festivals. It can be located indoors or out, and it can be temporary or permanent. It often interprets the history or culture of a place and its people, and may address a particular social issue.
The development of public art is a process that takes into account many different issues, including aesthetics, budgetary limitations, political concerns and societal changes. Many public works are commissioned to reflect distinctive qualities of a public space or to interpret local history or cultural heritage, encourage pride of place and serve as economic development tools. Whether through purchase or through a “percent-for-art” ordinance, where 1 percent of the cost of a project is reserved to create a piece of public art, these projects can have far-reaching effects.
Although many public artists seek to beautify and leave their mark on a space (such as the monumental steel ball sculptures of Jeff Koons), some are concerned with raising questions about our relationship to our urban environment. The Minneapolis-based artist Siah Armajani, for example, has created sculptural installations that encourage viewers to interact with their natural surroundings, such as the movement of wind around the branches of a tree in Bridge Over Tree. Other artists, such as Montreal street artist MissMe, use provocative and often graphic imagery, for example of female genitalia and rage-filled women shouting obscenities, to support feminist and anti-racist activism.
Static public artworks include sculptures carved in marble, cast in bronze or welded from metal, as well as murals painted on walls. The major muralism movements of the twentieth century, such as post-Revolution Mexican muralism and WPA-sponsored murals in the United States, sought to communicate messages of national pride and assert core values of a nation following devastating events such as war and civil unrest.
Integrated architectural and landscape architectural public artworks, such as gardens, walkways or plazas designed to embody or interpret themes of historical significance, are usually designed by professional architects. However, they also can be designed by artists working in collaboration with architects or landscape architects.
Performance-based public artworks are those that involve live performers and are typically temporary. Artworks that take place in public spaces can be interpreted using choreography (for dance or theatre), direction or musical scores. For example, ACCA In The City presented the work Training Ground by Israeli performance group Public Movement in 2015. The work was devised in response to the unique features of Melbourne’s public space, and it took inspiration from the training drills of AFL players.
Many facets of the public art arena have widened as political developments and changing societal attitudes have challenged traditional definitions of what constitutes art. For example, the art created in response to civil rights movements of the 1970s has radically reshaped ideas about sculpture. Today’s public artists seek to engage in a dialogue with the public, and to make a difference through their art.