The two Runquist murals in the Knight Library show the progression of human history in art and science respectively. Sometime, when I pass through the hallway where is hanging in a mural. I will be staying for a few minutes to looking at these arts and appreciate them. I think that it is really interesting for me to have a deeper understanding of the art. I will be thinking that why the artist draws the picture and what is the situation that the murals were drew. Meanwhile sometimes when I am tired of studying at our library, I will have a look at those arts. I am really interesting in appreciating those public arts. The public art can inspire the student and generate a comfortable atmosphere for studying. Also there are a lot of ways to show the public art. For instance, sculpture and mural are forms of public art. Public art can make our environment much more beautiful.

I know that two artists painted the two murals that are handing in knight library in 1937 for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) program. Government is so supporting the promotion of art to people. I realize that there is some reason why government supports the public art, excepting the public facilities. Most of the public art was created without the practicality. Excepting to beautifying the environment, it’s more important that the public art can convey the value of art. In this week article, Doss mentions that, “Funding can be the source of many public art controversies. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was established in 1965 to foster American culture with federal funding.”(P.4) Public art is need to take into account the practicality, convenience, aesthetics, but also need to take into account the coherence with the surrounding environment. The more important is that it can reflect a city’ spirit. Doss claim that “These early programs were guided by the idea that public art was a form of civic improvement and could help generate a shared sense of civic and national identity.”(P.4) Public art have such an important effects for people. Moreover, the art program, like WPA, was encouraged every person to join the process of creating art. The public art is not a business to government. Citizen can also choose their favorite artwork. I think this is the value of public art. The public art can stand for a city’s spirit, culture, history and so on.

When I saw the tow murals, I was wondering why the people place the mural around the stair? I began to guess that might be lots of people would pass through there. Doss said, “public art projects that engage specific factors such as location, audience, and history.”(P.5) Except the design of the artwork is matter; people need to think about where to place the art and what kind of audience that wants to be attracted. Doss cite Douglas McGill’s believe that “art plus function, whether the function is to provide a place to sit for lunch, to provide water drainage, to mark an important historical date, or to enhance and direct a viewer’s perceptions.”(P.6) I think the function of the two murals is that it can beatify the library environment and convey the content of the art’s improvement.

I like the public art. The Civic Beautification is not only the unique function of public art. They can generate an identity of the city and can an atmosphere of art. I also appreciate the power of government. The two murals can be hanged in the library think to WPA program. The history of the murals make me proud of the government’s work and it can keep a good artwork for their next generation.

Citation:

Doss, E. (2006, October). Public art controversy: Cultural expression and civic debate. Retrieved from http://www.americansforthearts.org/pdf/networks/pan/doss_controversy.pdf