A public artwork is any art that exists in a space open to the general public. It can be found in outdoor spaces, such as parks, street corners and malls, or indoors at libraries and museums. Public art is also sometimes found in the form of murals and other decorative elements in buildings, such as moldings and relief sculptures. This type of art is often designed to beautify and entice people to visit specific places.
Public art can be temporary or permanent. It can be created by professional artists or by members of the community. It can also be interactive in nature, or use other forms of media such as light, sound and video. Some art scholars are interested in examining the social impacts of public artwork. This includes how it can inspire and influence new generations of artists, as well as its ability to create what urban designer Mitchell Reardon calls “community fingerprints,” which help to create a sense of ownership in the city for both local residents and visitors.
Many public artworks are commissioned and managed by a city or other government agency. Those that are large and permanent in nature can take years to plan, fund and construct. The process often involves the artist, a community arts agency, architects, designers and others who are involved in creating a larger public works project.
These projects typically follow an overall timeline that is set forth by the agency responsible for overseeing the larger project. They may also be impacted by the availability of funding, such as with projects funded through percent-for-art ordinances or other public art programs. In some cases, the artist will spend a great deal of time on community outreach and planning before the actual work begins.
Unlike studio art or a piece in a museum collection, which can be sold or removed at any time, works of public art are often expected to last for decades in an outdoor, fairly unprotected environment. This makes the process more complex and requires strict standards when constructing the artwork.
Some artists dedicate their entire careers to creating public artworks, either by commission or of their own volition. For example, the sculptor Gustav Vigeland spent more than 20 years working on his vast collection of pieces in Norway’s Vigeland Sculpture Park. Street artists and graffiti painters also frequently specialize in making public artworks.
For the average person, public art can be a fascinating way to experience a variety of styles and techniques in art. It can also inspire the next generation of artists, spark a political change or simply offer a place to reflect on beauty and nature. It can also bring art to a wider audience who might not otherwise be exposed to it, such as those living in poverty who might not have the means to visit museums and galleries. For all these reasons and more, public art can be a vital part of the urban landscape.