Public Art essay

Public Art

Public art represents a very broad, diverse category of sculptures and images. Public art usually seeks to convey some message (social, political, societal, religious, etc.), help define an area and its inhabitants, or both. Public art can have a profound impact on people and their actions. It can incite legal reform, self-reflection, tourism, or any other number of important actions.

The sculpture Manifesta in Buenos Aires is an excellent example of public art. It embodies all that public art can be. First of all, the sculpture is composed of public waste (primarily water bottles and other plastics). This speaks strongly to the purpose of public art; it makes people reflect on recycling, global warming, landfills, and other political and ecological causes and impacts of public waste. This heightened awareness has the potential to engender action, both personal and political, and work toward a solution to the problem of public waste. Also, the work was constructed by groups of high school students. This is doubly important because it illustrates the power of collaboration in art, and also shows the talent, creativity, awareness and insight of youths. Finally, the aesthetic appeal of the piece adds visual attraction to the surrounding environment. The artistic, political, social, environmental, and collaborative, and creative influences behind Manifesta illustrate perfectly the power of public art.

Public art doesn't necessarily require a political or social message; sometimes a piece may be created for visual, entertainment, or tourist purposes. For example, Florentijn Hofman's 82ft. rabbit in Taipei seeks to attract tourists (as his other work has done). It is almost purely for entertainment, economy, and visual excitation.  While not profound or provocative in ways many other public pieces are, the work is still a representation of the power of public art to attract attention and influence people. Similar examples include a giant hippopotamus on the Thames, also by Hofman, and Andrew Hanin's We're Frying Out Here, which is a frying pan on a beach. All these pieces provide an element of whimsy to the area, and entertain observers without necessarily making any profound political statement. 


Some public art seeks to brighten or otherwise enhance an area. Art can give a characteristic aura to any neighborhood which helps define that area's people, culture, and values. Shinique Smith's mural is a great example. It adds vibrancy and color to an otherwise sterile, conservative, or dull environment. The work complements the surroundings by allowing the area to maintain its professional, businesslike feel while not seeming dull or disconnected. Another example in this category of public art is a mural in London showing a forest. The mural is photorealistic in its depiction of nature, which makes it seem as if passersby could escape into nature, despite being in a major metropolis.  This contrast gives the surroundings, despite being urban steel and concrete, a soothing element. Such images can make a neighborhood seem more welcoming, and encourage fantasy and day-dreaming where it may very well be needed; the mural offers a mental and visual respite from bustling city life.

Finally, and probably most importantly, there are works of public art that make political statements. Banksy is perhaps the best-known street artist, and his art is very often politically motivated. His Balloon Girl is a popular image which represents the loss of hope and innocence. In Barcelona, the image has been used to protest governmental cuts to education. Banksy's is a particularly meaningful piece for this situation because it depicts a school-aged girl losing hope, which is clearly relevant to educational cuts. 
Another exhibition of public art that is politically important is Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red in London. Completed just yesterday (11/11/2014), the work featured 888,246 red poppies, stern reminders of the death and bloodshed of World War I on the 100th anniversary of British involvement in the war.  888,246 is the number of British and Commonwealth soldiers who lost their lives in WWI. Such a display clearly reminds people of the brutality and death that come with war, and causes them to reflect on the both the causes and consequences of war. 


Public art may serve manifold purposes, but what is certainly true is that it can have an impact, large or small, on observers. Such an impact has the potential to engender revolution (political, social, economical, or psychological), and at the very least, adds an artistic diversion to everyday, mechanistic thought and observation.