Art to Bring About Change: The Work of Tyree Guyton

Abstract

Public art takes many forms including commemorative sculptures, site-specific works, and collaborative murals. Additionally, public art can beautify an urban environment (Riley, 2005) or raise awareness of social issues in a manner similar to the AIDS quilt (Russell, 2004). Another possibility is that public works of art are a form of discourse and open conversations and dialogue. Such works of art can help communities work toward unity and empowerment (Hall, 1989; The Heidelberg Project, n.d.; Senie, 2006). As noted by Russell (2004) and Argiro (2004), studying public works of art can be an important part of art education. Tyree Guyton creates public art that is compelling, challenging, and ripe with possibilities for study in school.