Public art is a diverse and expansive genre that can be temporary or permanent and takes on many forms. It can be a sculpture, a mural, a fountain, an integrated architectural or landscape architectural work, community art, or digital new media. Often it interprets the history of a place and its people, or addresses a social or environmental issue.
It can also be a form of protest, such as the graffiti that was painted on walls during the Belfast Uprising in 1969. Public art can be found in city parks, civic centers and buildings, transportation terminals, schools, hospitals, malls, and even private spaces like private homes and businesses.
Unlike traditional paintings or sculptures that are in museums or private collections, public art is usually installed outdoors and accessible to the general public. Most of the time, it is commissioned and managed by a municipal agency. This process can be a long and complex one with many stakeholders involved – artists, architects, designers, engineers, project managers, community residents, funding agencies, politicians, approval boards, construction teams, etc.
While some artists specialize in creating public works, others devote their entire careers to this genre – such as the sculptor Gustav Vigeland who dedicated 20 years of his life building over 200 pieces at the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Norway, or a Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera. Other artists create public art on a more ad hoc basis, sometimes by request of a local government or business and other times out of their own initiative, such as street artist Banksy.
The type of public artworks that can be considered as being public art can vary widely and depend on the intentions of the creator and commissioner. For example, some public artworks are designed to be interactive, encouraging hands-on interaction or providing a playful experience. This might include an installation such as a musical fountain by Steve Mann whereby people block water jets to force water through sound-producing mechanisms, or the light and water mandala in Detroit’s Central Library (designed by Jim Pallas, 1980).
Some public art is representational, depicting events, places, objects, or people in a way that is familiar to a broad audience. The artworks can be either abstract or realistic.
Lastly, some public art is intended to function as an educational or instructional tool, imparting knowledge and values in a clear and engaging way. Examples of this type of art are the didactic posters, statues and memorials used by communist states during their era, or the etchings, scratches, spray paint or chalk drawings on sidewalks that are part of a civic protest.
While the City encourages everyone to enjoy and admire its public art, it is important to keep in mind that most of these works are protected by copyright law. Before using images of any public art on your website or other media, you will need to obtain permission from the artist. To learn more about the City’s public art collection, view our Public Art Online Database.