Colleagues and Friends of the University. I have prepared the following questions in
the spirit of a free exchange of ideas.
I hope that they will encourage discussion beyond this forum.
What is public art?
Is it any
art placed in a public space?
Is public art only a large statue
in a public space?
Is it only meant to beautify our
public spaces?
In the past, art placed in public
place has served many purposes. Do we
always recognize the intent of these pieces? What, in fact, constitutes the
meanings that these works embody?
What constitutes public art today?
How has the role of traditional
public (i.e. government owned) art changed in our
contemporary culture?
How have the changing conditions of
public space and mass communications
altered the whole relationship between art and its potential audiences?
Could public art be an event staged
in a public space that would leave no record
of itself after the staging is complete?
Who is the public for which this art is displayed?
Is it
homogenous?
Might there
be dissent?
How does
censorship factor into choices about public art?
What is the
relationship of the audience/viewer to the art object?
What sort
of educational programs/initiatives might accompany the process of
acquisition of art for our campus?
Would this be appropriate?
Public Art and the Artist:
How is making art for the public
different than the usual work of the artist in the
studio?
Can the artists themselves initiate
public art works?
Public Art and Missouri
State University:
How does public art fit into our
public affairs mission and our ambitions as a
research institution?
What sort of public art might be
appropriate for Missouri
State University
as we
attempt to build a new image—one that is more focused on research and
scholarship? Can we use this
opportunity to shape a scholarly debate on this
subject by bringing experts in the field to our campus for a symposium
and/or
by creating a publication on this topic?
What should be the role of the art
professionals in the Art & Design Department
in the process of making decisions about art on campus?
How might
the choices made concerning public art at Missouri State
University
enhance the reputation of the Art & Design Department and its
faculty as well
as that of the College of Arts and Letters?