Time, Place, and Voice in Public Art

Abstract

Public works of art have tremendous political and social consequence for the places they inhabit. Public art should be seen as part of the planning enterprise. Culture as a symbolic form of representation informs planners as they seek to develop equitable and inclusive urban places. In recognition of public art's importance to civic life, the authors develop a rubric to guide deliberation, one that considers artwork in light of the appropriateness of time and place, as well as asking whose voice is speaking in a given act of public cultural representation. In order to advance this objective, the people have developed a rubric, meant to aid planners, artists, curators, and the public in evaluating public art-either new commissions or existing works that are in need of review. Not every of public art project must include or synthesize every voice. The rubric allows public art planners to explore the challenges inherent in endorsing an artist's critical voice while optimizing citizen participation.