Public art can be found in cities and towns around the world, in everything from parks and plazas to libraries and schools. It often serves multiple purposes, from commemorating significant events or people to encouraging pride of place and serving as an economic development tool. Public art can also serve as a tool for community-building and social activism.
Unlike artwork in private galleries, public art is designed for the purpose of being seen and experienced by an audience beyond the artist’s studio or gallery. This large audience is why public art projects are often accompanied by extensive community engagement and participation, from initial concept through installation and maintenance.
While the public is able to visit and experience a piece of public art, it is usually not possible to purchase or take it home. This is due to the fact that public art is usually created with a particular space or area in mind, and is therefore meant to reflect the distinctive qualities of that place. It may also be a response to its natural surroundings, architectural environment or neighborhood identity.
In its most traditional form, public art consists of statues and sculptures that are located in open and accessible areas such as parks, squares, streets, airports or plazas. It can also be found in indoor spaces, such as foyers and atriums of buildings or malls.
Most of the time, public art is commissioned to reflect the community’s cultural heritage or history. Some of the most famous examples are war memorials and monuments, such as the Statue of Liberty or Mount Rushmore in the United States, or the Angel of the North and the ‘Seven Sisters’ in Newcastle, Australia.
Other forms of public art are a bit less grand, but still make an impact on a city or town’s image. Murals, for example, have become increasingly popular in many cities and can be a great way to express a city’s personality or culture. Many of these are created by local artists, bringing the community together to celebrate their city or town in a unique way.
Some public art is a form of landscape architecture or outdoor sculpture, where the design of the piece is integrated into the overall landscape and/or streetscape. A notable example is View Site 17 1995 by Ray Thomas, a Gunnai artist, which is incorporated into the bluestone paving of Collins Street in Melbourne, and depicts the Koorie creation story of the Karak Gurok (Seven Sisters).
Other public art can be interactive, engaging viewers in a more hands-on way. This can be through the use of audio, light or video components, and could include pieces that are designed to be climbed or enjoyed in a phenomenological fashion. An early example of this is Jim Pallas’ 1980 Century of Light in front of the Ontario Science Centre, which was a mandala of lights that responded to sound and movement.