Public Space and Public Art

Catalog description

Public Space and Public Art is a studio art course focused on the study of contemporary art in public spaces with particular attention to the role of the artist in creating public art. This course will ask the student to define public art and public space and deal with the aesthetic issues involved in installing works of art into pre-existing urban spaces with their own particular forms, histories and popular associations. How does public art intersect with the related art of urban design? What are the consequences of art crossing over into the realm of architecture? What are the problems the artist encounters in attempting to represent neighborhood-based communities? How can public art critically intervene in pre-existing urban space? Students will examine examples of public art: Richard Serra's Tilted Arc and Maya Lin's Vietnam Memorial for instance both proved exceptionally controversial. The nature of those controversies will serve to illuminate a number of the main issues raised in the course. Studio work will require preparation of a site-specific public art installation including drawing, photography, scaled model making, and /or digital processes culminating in an actual production of temporary or permanent site-specific work for installation on campus or in the surrounding community. Components: Class Prereqs/Coreqs: P: Art major with completion of 3000 or 3000 lvel course in themediaof choice and the consent of instructor Typically Offered: Spring