What an honor to have one of my two Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport mosaic murals featured on Page 83 of the international public arts journal, Public Arts Review (Spring/Summer 2017 Issue, Note: A large photo my Winter Northern Lights mural appears in the print issue, not the online issue.)
The journal showcases public art from around the world and addresses hot topics in the field. Author Sheila Regan does an excellent job in “Hard Work in a Hybrid Space” explaining how public art administrators have to handle demands from multiple stakeholders.
I would add that artists must share that responsibility. As public art creators, we need to first formulate the right questions for the right audiences. That may mean inviting in new voices. While it’s impossible to please all viewers all of the time, artists can bring important radar to the table. We can ask: “What is the purpose of this art? Is it inclusive? Is it offensive? Is it accurate? Should this be a collaboration?”
As a former journalist (previous life), I try very hard to do the important vetting upfront, before presenting any design. The public art will be better for that effort.
