An on-going argument that seems to never stop and that never will stop is - what is Public Art? Not only what is it, but what is it’s purpose? Is it to please everyone? Or is it to please just a few? Now, the people who think it should please every single person do not realize the complication of the art world it self. In the art world it never seems like anyone can make the big choice at any given moment of what is Art, and should it or shouldn’t it please everyone? Personally, I make work to hopefully please the masses more then for my work to completely please the art world.
The question is about Public Art, and why should it be done? Who is it for? Isn’t it a waste of money? But the same could be asked about movies, people spend millions and millions on something that is for entertainment. Public sculptures and murals are a form of entertainment. Public art can be something to make you possibly laugh on a crappy day, or just to look and learn the history around you, depending on what the work is. It’s impossible to make the one work that will please everyone. If someone does that, everyone might as well stop making art because that’s an artist making a work and saying this is the best work I have and ever will make and if everyone agrees, that can be the end of art as we know it!
One of the arguments right now in Maine around the Labor Mural is it was not in a public space. The mural was hung in the lobby of the Department of Labor in Augusta Maine. And even though this was all started by someone contacting Gov. LePage and saying that as a business person they found the history of Labor in Maine being depicted with no sign of business in the Department of Labor Lobby offensive they are working at redirecting it to being that not enough people had access to it and it wasn’t a public space. The thing is it was in a Government building and therefore, it is a public space.
This is what I have been trying to figure out since this all started - the “who” is Public Art for? And who has the say on what is or isn’t allowed? Artist? Politicians? The general public? Or private business? It really is all of the above. If it is a public project by the Government, then it applies to everyone. And as with the discussion I attended last week there is a process that needs to be followed. In gorilla art, it really is the person putting it out against the person who takes it down. Private business is sometimes are the best ally for a public work. It brings cash forward, makes a choice for their property and deal with what ever local politics that might need to be dealt with. But when the private tells the government what should and should not be done and the government doesn’t blink, then there is a problem. Those cases are for everyone.
Personally, I think that the people that have problems with public money being used for public art projects and creating those jobs, were the kids that where told that they needed to stop making art and get a real education and a real job and are jealous of those who weren’t guided away from art making and appreciation.
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