Public art is artwork that is commissioned by a government, private entity or community and installed in a public space. It is typically created to reflect distinctive qualities of the space, its function, natural surroundings, architectural environment or neighborhood identity. It is a way to celebrate a city’s local history and culture, encourage pride of place and serve as a vital economic development tool.
The term ‘public’ refers to the wider community that is expected to engage with and enjoy the work. This includes the general public, local residents and visitors, as well as people with special interests (such as artists or architects) who are expected to contribute their insights into the art’s design.
Public works of art have a greater impact than a painting or sculpture in a gallery, as they are experienced many times during a day and throughout different seasons, weather conditions and activities. Public art also has the unique ability to connect across generations and cultural backgrounds, and can have a powerful impact on people’s sense of place, belonging and identity in a place.
Art can be used to address a specific issue that a city is facing, or it can serve as what urban designer Mitchell Reardon calls “community fingerprints.” These are spaces that make citizens feel represented and foster a sense of ownership over their cities.
The most common types of public artworks are static sculptures and murals. A statue carved from marble or cast in bronze is a traditional example of a static public artwork. A mural is a type of public artwork that is painted onto a wall or surface, and can be found in cities around the world. Examples include the Berlin Wall murals, New York’s Charging Bull and the famous street art in Bristol, London and other cities.
When a public artwork has significant and symbolic meaning, it can create a complex dynamic for the artist and the community. This can be illustrated by Jeff Koons’ Bouquet of Tulips, a sculpture unveiled in Paris in 2019 as a mark of solidarity and remembrance for the victims of terrorist attacks in the city. The sculpture received considerable backlash, including from those who felt that it trivialised and devalued the tragedy’s seriousness.
Another common type of public artwork is an integrated piece that is built into the fabric of a building or landscape, such as a piece of sculpture that is embedded in the paving of a sidewalk. For instance, View Site 17 1995 by Ray Thomas is a bronze sculpture that is integrated into the bluestone paving of Collins Street in Melbourne and depicts the Koorie creation story of the Karak Gurok (Seven Sisters). Integrated public artworks must adhere to rigorous standards of durability because they are designed to last for a long time, even in an outdoor, fairly exposed and vulnerable location. The removal of a public art work can be highly controversial because it represents a loss to the community, as well as the individual artists who worked on the project.