Editors' Statement: Critical Issues in Public Art

Abstract

We are in the midst of a public art boom. Articles appear daily in national and local presses documenting yet another project. Percent-for-art programs proliferate at all levels of government, and involve both local artists and international art-world stars. Surrounding and certifying this activity are competitions, symposia, panel discussions, and town meetings. The movement has acquired a momentum of its own.What has been missing is a body of serious writing about public art. Although art journalism in the form of glorified press releases or reportage of controversies is plentiful, significant issues remain to be addressed. We need a critical history of modern public art. We need analyses of the changing relationship of architecture, art, and ornament. We need sociopolitical studies of recent public art patronage and the role of the public in public art. We need a critical vocabulary to discuss issues of site and to address the different forms of public art. Clearly, the study of public art requires an ...