The Private Eye in Public Art

This book explores critical questions about public art, policies, and processes, emphasizing the importance of artists' vision and the potential for challenging conventional approaches. It highlights the role of the NEA and GSA in supporting conceptual and land artists and seeks to improve the overall standard of public art through professional practices and community engagement.

Format: Hardback
Length: 260 pages
Publication date: 09 June 2023
Publisher: Oro Editions

Challenging the hegemony of museums and yearning to communicate with a larger diverse audience, trailblazing conceptual artists and land artists found support in newly developed and expanded programs of the NEA and the GSA. This book foregrounds critical questions about public art, the policies that govern it, and the processes that realize it. What makes art public? What makes good public art? Why is there so much bad public art? How can the overall standard of public art be improved? What professional practices sponsor the best art for architecture and the environment? How can the artist selection process ensure that only superior artists are commissioned? Aesthetic judgments are implicit in museums exhibitions and acquisitions. Why should art in public places be held to a lesser standard? How can myriad interests of the community and individuals be harnessed to the higher goal of choosing the best artists for a project?

It is a central contention of the book that despite the numerous constraints encountered in any commission, the most excellent public art expresses and even accentuates the personal, innovative vision of the artist. Approaches that compromise that vision, especially those that try to be all things to all people, inevitably diminish the dynamism and uniqueness of the final work. In the best public art, imagination, originality, passion, and even impulsiveness characterises the work of those artists who, while reaching out to a broader public, paradoxically search for new ideas often antithetical to the rules, materialistic culture, and social practices of the community. Many projects have demonstrated that art that seems different, difficult, and provocative can, in time, become familiar and comprehensible in a public setting and resonate more effectively.

The book also explores the role of public art in shaping public opinion and promoting social change. It highlights the power of art to challenge dominant narratives, raise awareness of social issues, and inspire dialogue and action. It examines the ways in which public art can be used to promote inclusivity, diversity, and equity, and to create a sense of community and belonging.

Furthermore, the book discusses the challenges and opportunities that arise from the increasing prominence of public art. It explores the tensions between artistic autonomy and the demands of public institutions, and the ways in which artists can navigate the complex politics and bureaucracy of public art projects.

In conclusion, this book provides a comprehensive and insightful examination of public art, its history, practices, and implications. It offers valuable insights into the processes that shape public art, the professional practices that support it, and the ways in which it can be used to promote social change and enhance the quality of life in communities.

Weight: 1532g
Dimension: 279 x 229 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781957183152