Public Art & Censorship
- Learn about public funding for the Arts.
- Examine public art’s role in capturing history and place-making.
- Explore the relationship of cultural values to civic dialogue, beautification and identity.
Artifact: Development of the Sciences and Development of the Arts Murals
Public Art – Response
The main question is about the purpuse of public art. In my opinion, it represents history, the right for public expression and creativity. It unites people who have common past. The fact that this kind of art is public makes it widely available.
There is a lot of controversy related to public art. “Public art is as diverse as the people who view it” (Doss 1). That is why it raises contentious dialogues. America is full of people with different historical and cultural background. At some point all of them came to live at the same place. People who live at the same place in the same time constitute a community. Respect is a crucial element of prosperity in a society, especially among the people who constitute it and between the people and their political representatives.
Development of the Arts Mural created by Arthur and Albert Runquist is very inspiring. I like the fact that figure at base represents human aspiration that is universal. That figure is strong and powerful and bears the whole world of artistic achievements on his shoulders. It gets the precious materials for creations from Mother earth. In each section we can see a specific development of art in society from the primitive period until the appearance of cinema and radio.
Development of the Sciences Mural represents the development of science from stone age until modern period. Again, there is a figure at base which is also strong as powerful and a little bit more burdened than the figure in the arts mural. That posture is understandable if we connect his posture with humanity that is rising to erect posture of thinking being (Runquist).
These two murals make me think about all aspects of human development. In education system a person can study arts or sciences. Both of these areas of human achievement are represented from the very beginnings to the current progress. The fact that these murals are exhibited in a University library gives them even greater significance. Generations of students have been influenced by these representations of human progress. These works of art inspire people to be industrious and creative. They motivate people for great achievements. That was certainly the reason for their creation by the brothers Runquist.
“Public art includes sculptures, murals, memorials, monuments, civic gateways, pocket parks, playgrounds, and outdoor performances” (Doss 2). Virtually anyone is invited to make contribution to represent a certain cultural interest in a public place. These contributions are funded privately or publicly.
I was surprised when I read that “the 18th century public cemetery of thousands of enslaved Africans was paved over an forgotten” (Doss 3). I was also relieved to have seen that it has been restored. It is an important part of American history and as such it has to be given significance.
Public art also serves to beautify places and to give them spirit. It beautifies a place because it makes it unique. Such works of art usually are unique. The spirit of a place is formed through this uniqueness and the history that is represented by the creation.
Issues of diversity, ethnicity, gender, age and cultural heritage all have to be incorporate in the artistic form. The perfect example of that is the public workDanzas Indignas, which represents people of all ethnical and cultural backgrounds that ever lived on that place. There was a lot of controversy over this monument, but the final outcome has been that it actually helped to unify the residents (Doss 8-10).
The purpose of public art is to bring people together in notion that they are all equal no matter of their skin color, cultural and historical background. That is why I respect it and the artists who create it.
Works Cited:
Doss, Erica. Public Art Controversy: Cultural Expression and Civic Debate. American for the Arts, October 2006. Print.
Public art serves as the expression of history, culture and creativity. It is used for civic beautification and place-making. It also creates civic identity because it “includes sculptures, murals, memorials, monuments, civic gateways, pocket parks, playgrounds, and outdoor performances” (Doss 2). Therefore, it raises issues of diversity, ethnicity, gender, age and cultural heritage. In a place like Baldwin Park the creation of Danzas Indigenas united people no matter of their ethnicity and cultural heritage. All of them were given attention in this monument and no ethnic group was ignored. Even the intolerant people, such as a white politician who during post-World War II Mexican immigration said that it was better before they came (Doss 8-9). Even such a person’s voice was counted in.
In my opinion public art is necessary for every place because it gives the place a soul and makes it recognizable. People like to feel connected to each other and to the place they share as a common good. Murals and monuments are especially interesting to me because I think that they are the most expressive. Public art is usually financed with public money, so that is the reason why all the citizens have right to chose what would best represent their history and culture they share.
Murals about the development of the arts and sciences are universal and that is why they fascinate me.
Learning goals for the Future:
I will try and pay more attention to public art in all the new places that I visit because that is the best way to learn as much as possible about the culture of that place. Sometimes there are non-democratic political regimes which build monuments that support oppression and that is also a good thing to know.
Works Cited:
Doss, Erica. Public Art Controversy: Cultural Expression and Civic Debate. American for the Arts, October 2006. Print.
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