Overview

Public art is art in any media that has been planned and executed with the intention of being staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all. It ranges from traditional bronze statues of generals to massive abstract sculptures, murals, and temporary performance pieces. Unlike museum art, which is chosen by curators for a self-selected audience, public art is imposed on the public, often leading to intense debate.

Core Idea

The core idea is accessibility and engagement. Public art removes the barrier of the museum wall. It asserts that art belongs in the fabric of the city and the life of the citizen. It can commemorate history, beautify a space, or challenge the public to think differently about their environment.

Formal Definition

It is art that is site-specific (designed for a particular place) and community-oriented. It is often funded by public money (e.g., “Percent for Art” programs) and subject to public review processes.

Intuition

Walk through a city park. You see a statue of a historical figure. That is public art. Walk down an alleyway and see a vibrant mural painted on a brick wall. That is public art. Walk into a corporate plaza and see a giant red steel abstract shape. That is public art. It is the art you encounter when you aren’t looking for it.

Examples

  • The Statue of Liberty: Perhaps the most famous piece of public art in the world, symbolizing freedom and welcoming immigrants.
  • Cloud Gate (The Bean): Anish Kapoor’s sculpture in Chicago. It is wildly popular because it is interactive—reflecting the skyline and the faces of the people looking at it.
  • Tilted Arc: A minimalist steel wall by Richard Serra installed in a NYC plaza. It was so hated by office workers (who said it blocked their path) that it was eventually removed, sparking a massive legal and aesthetic debate about the rights of the artist vs. the public.
  • Banksy: Street art that illegally uses public space to make political statements. It challenges the definition of “vandalism” vs. “art.”

Common Misconceptions

  • It’s just decoration: Good public art engages with the history and social context of its site; it’s not just “plop art” (a sculpture plopped down without thought).
  • Everyone has to like it: In a democracy, public art often generates controversy. Disagreement is part of the public engagement.
  • Site-Specificity: The idea that the artwork is integral to its location; if you move it, you destroy it (Serra’s argument for Tilted Arc).
  • Social Practice: Art that focuses on social engagement and collaboration with the community rather than creating a physical object.
  • Monumentality: The quality of being massive and enduring, traditionally associated with public art (though contemporary public art is often temporary).

Applications

  • Urban Regeneration: Cities often use public art to revitalize neglected neighborhoods and attract tourism (the “Bilbao Effect”).
  • Memorialization: How we remember trauma (e.g., the Vietnam Veterans Memorial) is a central function of public art.
  • Placemaking: Using art to give a specific identity and “sense of place” to a generic urban space.

Criticism / Limitations

  • “Design by Committee”: Because it requires public approval, public art can often be watered down and safe, lacking the edge of gallery art.
  • Gentrification: Public art can be a tool for gentrification, signaling that a neighborhood is “up and coming” and eventually displacing the original residents.
  • Maintenance: Public art is exposed to the elements and vandalism, requiring expensive long-term care.

Further Reading

  • Kwon, Miwon. One Place After Another: Site-Specific Art and Locational Identity. 2002.
  • Lacy, Suzanne. Mapping the Terrain: New Genre Public Art. 1995.
  • Deutsche, Rosalyn. Evictions: Art and Spatial Politics. 1996.