PUBLIC ART

Why Is Everyone So Mad About Public Art?

In the American South, there's been a long-standing debate about whether to remove Confederate monuments. Supporters of keeping these statues argue they reflect Southern heritage and national history, while opponents believe they glorify slavery and racism. Some people are torn, wanting to acknowledge history without celebrating its darker aspects. The issue became especially heated in 2020 with the George Floyd protests, leading to the destruction and removal of many Confederate statues. Public art, including monuments and billboards, often becomes a battleground due to its deep connections to cultural and historical identity. Sarah Urist Green explores this topic in Crash Course Art History.

Public art encompasses various forms displayed in shared spaces, from statues and murals to performances and graffiti. It reflects and interacts with public spaces and can be permanent, temporary, or somewhere in between. The concept of "the public" as an audience for art developed in the 18th century, when more people began to gather in social spaces to enjoy art and share ideas.

Public art is often controversial because it communicates political and social messages that can be deeply divisive. A prominent example is Mount Rushmore, which, despite being a major tourist attraction, is controversial due to its location on sacred Indigenous land and its association with figures who played roles in the displacement of Native Americans.

Similarly, the Statue of Unity in India, erected in 2018, has faced criticism for being an empty political gesture and for its use of imported materials, despite promises of local economic benefits.

Debates over public art typically revolve around what we choose to remember and how we want to be remembered, reflecting changing cultural and social values. Options for dealing with contentious public art include removal, recontextualization, or the creation of counter-memorials.

Art critic Holland Cotter proposed that contentious public statues could be moved to museums to provide historical context without projecting racist values publicly. In their place, new artworks could celebrate marginalized communities.

One example of new public art is the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, which commemorates the victims of racial violence with over 800 steel slabs representing lynching victims. This memorial serves as a solemn reminder of past injustices and ongoing work toward racial equality.

In contrast, some old public art can gain new meanings. For instance, an artist in Poland added a swing to a Soviet-era statue, transforming it from a symbol of propaganda into an interactive piece that prompts reflection on historical forces.

Public art can also be playful, like Chicago's "Cloud Gate" (often called "the Bean"), a reflective sculpture that has become a beloved part of the cityscape. This shows how public art evolves as it interacts with the community.

Overall, public art reflects societal values and can adapt over time, helping to tell the human story despite the challenge of representing diverse perspectives. In the next episode, the focus will shift to unsanctioned public art, like graffiti and street art.