Public Art
Artists develop relationships with their audiences by continually challenging them through
public art. Public art confronts the general public and makes them question the concept of an
art piece. With this, public art is site-specific meaning that it is created to exist in a certain
environment, depending on its concept it could be to blend in with the environment or to
stand out. This makes a statement that the public can infer and assume about its context
without having any knowledge about the artwork or its purpose but walk away questioning
and considering its placement in the site-specific environment. Public art is art that is
created to be seen by the public, of all ages, cultures and personalities, the public is
confronted by the art whether they intended to view it or not. Every public artwork is an
interactive process involving artists, architects, design professionals, community residents,
civic leaders, politicians, approval agencies, funding agencies and construction teams.
Public art is often conceptual as the artist’s ideas are generally considered too controversial
or rebellious to be presented in a museum, as artists may express social or political views.
Conceptual art is displayed in many styles and forms which consist of performance,
installation, earth, body, sound, street and billboard art. Artists such as Wei Wei, Kasuth and
Jill Orr. Conceptual art originated with Marcel Duchamp who was a part of an Anti-Art
movement known as DADA, which was against art agencies and the conformity of what was
considered art and the idea that if it is a gallery, it is considered art. Public art is a part of our
history and culture. It reflects our society and adds significance to our cities, artist develop
relationships with their audiences by responding to the times through their opinions and
views of the world and they create meaning to our public experience.
Public artists include Christo and Lawrence Argent. Christo’s art consists of earth, public and
installation art which can be seen in ‘The Umbrellas’ along with ‘Wrapped Coast’. His art
makes the audience question and challenge their perspective on social and environmental
issues. Lawrence Argent’s art ‘Blue Bear’ and ‘Beyond Reflection’ emphasise and reflect the
cultural aspect of the environment in which they are placed and challenge the audience to
question the symbolism as each sculpture was created to help people feel connected to the
work’s immediate environment. By challenging their audiences, both artists develop
relationships with their audience through changing their perception of the cultural and
societal views they previously associated with that environment.
Christo Vladimirov Javacheff born June 13 1935, he is an avant-garde artist from Gabrovo
Bulgaria. Christo incorporates fabric and plastic on landscapes and infrastructure, focusing
on size, colour, shape and space. His art is mainly defined as earth/environmental, public
and installation art. It is site-specific meaning that it is created to exist in a certain
environment. Installation art the audience can experience the artwork and, in most cases,
walk through and around it. Unlike traditional artworks where the audience views the artwork
from one angle, installation art instigates the audience's senses to their surroundings,
through its arrangement and placement.
Christo ‘The Umbrellas’ 1984-91, Japan - USA
‘The Umbrellas’ 1984-91 is a site-specific earth installation artwork. It was created by Christo
and Jeanne-Claude (his wife). The artwork is umbrellas located in the United States and
Japan, this was done to reflect similarities and differences in the ways of life and the use of
the land of two inland valley locations across the Pacific Ocean. From October 9 1991, for a
period of eighteen days, They were seen, approached, and enjoyed by the public. This was
until Christo was forced to close the project after a spectator was killed by a lightning strike
during a storm, just four days before the project was due to end. The project closed after 7
years of planning and ten months of installing. A crane operator was killed during the
removal process of the umbrellas in Japan. This $26 million project required a massive
amount of planning along with materials. Materials such as the fabric, anchors, steel frame
bases, aluminium superstructure, wooden base supports, bags and base covers were
manufactured in Japan, USA, Canada and Germany. The umbrellas were each 6 metres
high and were extended across 18 kilometres in Japan and 25 kilometres in California. While
the umbrellas in Japan were blue, in California they were yellow, each conveying the
seasonal colour and light of the region. The blue were selected to emulate the landscape of
Japan's watery rice field geography, and yellow in contrast with the arid grassland of the
California high desert. Their colour and shape reflected similarity and difference and in each
country. ‘The Umbrellas’ were visited by over 3 and a half million people, the demand on the
audience, is to go, view and experience the art in its specific location, truly understanding the
spread of the umbrellas across the landscape which shows a connection between both
cultures. Christo refused to accept any sponsorship deals, as he feels to accept money
would compromise his credibility.
Christo ‘Wrapped Coast’ 1968-69, Australia
‘Wrapped Coast’ is a site-specific installation and earth artwork located and built-in Little Bay,
Australia, 1968-69. John Kaldor invited Christo to be a part of the Kaldor public art series.
The purpose of the artwork was to convey a difference in the landscape to the audience and
make them aware of their surroundings and environment. The ‘Wrapped Coast’ was
approximately 2.4 kilometres long, 46 to 244 meters wide, 26 meters high at the northern
cliffs and was at sea level at the southern sandy beach. 92,900 square meters of
erosion-control fabric were used for the wrapping. 56.3 kilometres rope, tied the fabric to the
rocks. 17,000 manpower hours, over a period of four weeks, were expended by 15
professional mountain climbers, and over 100 workers The coast remained wrapped for a
period of ten weeks from 28 October 1969. The ‘Wrapped Coast’ was exposed to multiple
weather conditions, along with the waves hitting the cliffs which creates a rustling sound.
The wind of the atmosphere also creates a similar sound by flowing in and out of the fabric
and because of the site-specific area the wind also gives the audience a shiver because of
the cold feeling. The sun's reflection on the fabric creates a lustrous effect and emits the
illusion of the rocks being soft and plush. This recontextualizes the coastline’s natural setting
into the form of a distinct object, and its view of harsh jagged rocks transformed into
cushion-like fabric. ‘Wrapped Coast’ gave the audience an experience to walk around,
understand the change in the landscape whilst their senses were being enhanced by the
sounds of the waves crashing against the fabric, the cold wind and the view of the
coastline’s rocks being wrapped and transformed.
Another public artist who challenges their audience is Lawrence Argent. Argent was at the
forefront of a movement known as digital sculpting, using computer-aided design software to
create sculptures with once-impractical whorls, warps, swirls and bends. His art is generally
identified as sculptures, but it is also installation art, as the audience can walk around, under
and through his works.
Lawrence Argent ‘Blue Bear’ 2005, Denver, Colorado
Argents work ‘Blue Bear’ challenges the audience’s perception of how animals are viewed
and treated by humans. This sculpture consists of a giant blue bear made from primarily
fiberglass weighing 10,000 pounds and is 40 feet in height. This work was installed in 2005
in downtown Denver, Colorado and the bear is looking into Colorado Convention Center. The
inspiration for the form of the art installation, came from an image Argent saw in a
newspaper. The photograph was of a bear peeking inside the home of a Colorado resident.
Argent stated that its blue color is actually accidental. He thought it popped and the color
change stuck. This colour change was beneficial as Argent later learned that the black bear
was very important to the Native American Ute tribes that lived in Colorado. The bear
appears different shades from different angles, this is due to the fractal texture. The size of
the bear in comparison to its audience is a statement within itself. ‘Blue bear’ represents a
twist in reality, where it usually is the humans going to the zoo and peeking on the animals,
however ‘Blue Bear’ is the opposite and the bear is peeking on the humans. This conveys
the concept of how people treat animals and how in this case the bear is of more
significance and power than society. The audience makes connections between the land of
the artwork, the cultural context and the concept of how animals are treated in society.
Lawrence Argent ‘Beyond Reflection’ 2017, Shenzhen, China
Another artwork by Lawrence Argent is ‘Beyond Reflection’. This artwork is a 16 metre
stainless steel site-specific sculpture. ‘Beyond Reflection’ is inspired by the chinese
mythology of the dragon. UAP collaborated with Argent on this landmark project, working on
the development, fabrication and installation of the work. The body is made from panel
beaten mirror polished stainless steel, and the faceted head, claws and tail are made from
welded mirror polished stainless steel. Animated with lighting and mist, the work creates a
vivid and dramatic experience. The unique site allows the artwork to appear fluid and
floating, with the body and legs of the dragon below ground and the head, back and tail
rising above. This shows that the dragon was used to create a symbolistic bond with the
locals and their culture. The medium, positioning and context of ‘Beyond Reflection’ are all
significant factors in the artwork. The use of stainless steel allows the spectators to see their
reflection in the work as well as the artwork reflects its environment making it blend in. This
then develops a deeper connection not only by their culture but a more personal connection
as they see themselves through their reflection of their cultural mythology of an animal. The
artwork ‘Beyond Reflection’ allows the artist to develop connections with his audience by
presenting a piece that has cultural significance and a connection to the environment it is
installed in. This is a reflection on the people and the land.
In conclusion, artists develop relationships with their audiences by challenging this. This is
shown in Christo’s ‘The Umbrellas’ and ‘Wrapped Coast’ where his art makes the audience
question and challenge their perspective on social and environmental issues. Lawrence
Argent’s art is installation, sculpture and street art evident in his works ‘Blue Bear’ and
‘Beyond Reflection’. These works emphasise and reflect the cultural aspect of the
environment in which they are in and challenge the audience to question the symbolism as
each sculpture was created to help people feel connected to the work’s immediate
environment. By challenging their audiences, both artists develop relationships with their
audience through changing their perception of the cultural and societal views they previously
associated with that environment.