Artifact #8 – Public Art
Original Post
Before I begin my analysis of the Runquist murals, I believe it important to point out one thing about public art. This one thing being that “whether permanent or temporary, figurative or abstract, man-made or mass produced, public art is as diverse as the people who view”, which I believe speaks volumes (Doss 2). Unlike art found in a museum or an exhibit, public art is not confined or defined by any one element. Placement of public art is going to change the way that people perceive it. Art that is in a public library, such as the Runquist murals, is going to create different views and opinions than say if that art was in a public park. I believe the locale of public art to be very important to how it is perceived by the public. That being said, no matter the locale of a piece of art, it is always “embodies the ideas, initiatives, and inspirations of America’s many publics” and diversities (Doss 2). The Runquist murals represent a dualism that has existed for as long as I can remember. Growing up, and in the education system in general, teachers, parents and most people always talked about whether you had an art or a science brain, if one thought with the left or right side. It seemed as though there was never the option to be both good at science and interested in the arts. To me, the Runquist murals, “The Development of the Arts” and “The Development of the Sciences” provide a great insight as to how this mindset has existed for quite some time, since their creation in the 1930s. Despite the varying ideals and perceptions of the public community on what is right or wrong, public art ignites conversation and creates a platform to voice one’s beliefs and opinions. Due to this platform “public art can play a central role in shaping and directing community identity” in ways that would not otherwise be possible.
When it comes to this aspect of public art, the Runquist murals do not exactly have the same affect. As far as I know, people do not often start debates over which mural is better or which is more important, nor do they shape the identity of our campus. To be honest, before this assignment I had never knowingly seen these murals in person, nor given them much thought. After going to see them, I think that the reason no one really knows or speaks about them is due to their locale. I understand the reason they are in the library is due to their content, the development of art and science, but a library on a college campus is not going to be a place where people go to admire the art. Perhaps if they were somewhere else on campus more publicly available more people would be interested and involved in “The Runquist Project: A Response to Two Murals”. Although some of the content and views represented in these murals may not be one’s we find acceptable today, it is part of our past and it should not be ignored or hidden due to our shame of that time. It would become a very slippery slope if public art was only acceptable if it contained modern ideals and morals. Public art has “the unique potential to encourage multiple American publics to tell their stories” and their stories should not be limited to modern concepts (Doss 11). Obviously there is a line between what is acceptable and what is overtly offensive but there should definitely be a slight grey area to allow from some authentic expression in the sphere of public art.
Doss, E. (2006 October). Public art controversy: cultural expression and civic debate.Retrieved from http://www.americansforthearts.org/pdf/networks/pan/doss_controversy.pdf
Objectives
- 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.
Reflection
Before this assignment I was definitely an admirer of public art. I must say though, I did not exactly have a definition for public art. To me, graffiti and other types of so-called vandalism counted as public art. Basically, anything that added to a public space was art to me I did not understand the politics behind getting a true piece of public art. It is sad that art can create such controversy but no matter what it does “encourage multiple American publics to tell their stories” and that is more important than anything else (Doss 11). Public art can literally define a place.
Where I grew up, there was a neighborhood nearby that had a lot of graffiti but not in the way that people think of graffiti. It was actually beautiful and drew a lot of people to that area. Maybe people just need to bypass the politics and create something so astounding that anyone who tried to cover it up would be stopped.
Future
After this assignment I will most definitely pay more attention to plaques that surround public art. Not only to gain more insight into the meanings of the art to the area but also so that I can have an understanding of the time in which it was painted. People say that the Runquist murals may not be align with the morals of today but it is our part of our history and can act as a reminder of how far we have come or on the other hand, how much more work is to be done.