Public art: radical, functional or democratic methodologies?

Abstract

There is much debate regarding the purpose and legitimacy of public art, which is an integral aspect of the cultural public sphere. The commissioning process, for example, may consider its value and function, influenced by cultural policy and the agendas of intermediaries which impact upon methodological and democratic concerns.

Related to these practical issues are a range of theoretical binary tensions which help construct a classification of public art methodologies, two of which crystallize many of these problems. Firstly, the extent to which public art is an individual or collective practice, and secondly, the degree to which it is an expression of hegemony or a radical process of resistance.

These concepts are investigated through various examples in order to help map a range of public art praxis.

Keywords:

• cultural exchange
• cultural intermediary
• hegemony
• instrumentalism
• legitimacy
• public sphere