Artifact 8: Public Art

Objectives

1. Learn about public funding for the Arts.
2. Examine public art’s role in capturing history and place-making.
3. Explore the relationship of cultural values to civic dialogue, beautification and identity.

       

Original:

Public Art Research Assignment

 

Development of Society

I decided to re-imagine the Runquist murals as a development of society.  I kept the tree growing out of the humans back as I thought it was central and consistent in both murals.  Each “level” represents something that builds society  and each level is separated by the affect on the individual (left side) and the affect on the people (right side).

Reflection:

This was the last assignment that we worked on for class before the final portfolio and it was one of my favorites. I was able to use skills that I had previously learned in the class and now apply them to assignments that are further benefited by the use of these skills. In this case I used the photo editing skills that I learned in the “Remixing Art” section and instead of writing an essay, I challenged myself to reach deeper and think about what the two artists of the runquist murals where trying to accomplish with their original works in the 1930’s. I wanted to imagine what their murals might look like if they had been commissioned today instead of in the 1930’s.

 

Exploring the website that was a “response to the runquist murals” gave me a deeper understanding of what types of thing the New Deal helped create and how decisions from great leaders from so long ago are still shaping my life. Without the WPA we would not have some of the beautifully historic buildings that we so much appreciate on our campus, and we certainly would not have the two runquist murals. I think that I now have a deeper understanding of Public Art and how much work goes into the funding and design of such projects. We are very lucky to reap the rewards of such projects.

 

Future:

I think having completed the readings and assignment this week I have a better understanding of the history of the University of Oregon. These are two murals that I have passed several times as a student here at the University but this was the first time that I stopped and actually noticed them, I think this has given me a deeper appreciation for the history of this school and with my limited time that I have left as a student I think that in the future I will look more closely at all of the wonderful art and historical buildings that we have and really learn something and understand them.