Public Space, Public Art

Three years ago, a group of Taiwanese artists, educators, scholars and government officials arrived in the U.S. to study public art. They visited sites in New York, Philadelphia and Washington and met with sculptors, curators and others involved in the creation and display of art in public places. Among the most fruitful connections they made was with two CUNY faculty—Sarah Haviland, an assistant professor in BMCCs art department, and Anru Lee, who teaches anthropology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Haviland, a widely acclaimed artist whose sculptures and installations have graced public spaces in six states, and Lee co-teach an innovative course that melds art and cultural anthropology with a specific focus on public art. What we look at is what public art is, how we define public space, and what public art means to people, whether it appears in parks and college campuses or on bus shelters and subway cars, Haviland says.

Raising the bar
The Taiwanese study group, consisting largely of Taiwanese colleagues of Lee, were all involved in creating and commissioning public art and looking for ways to raise the standards of their public art programs, Haviland says.

In New York, Haviland and Lee led the group on a tour of public art in settings such as Rockefeller Center and Central Park. Last year, the groups findings, thoughts and conclusions became the basis of a book, New Visions in Public Art, published by Taiwans Cultural Affairs Department. Haviland and Lee were invited to contribute a chapter, entitled, Public Space, Public World—An Interdisciplinary Project in Art and Anthropology.

The chapter draws upon the authors pedagogical work, which is designed to help our students achieve an appreciation for public art and understand what it means to them, Haviland says More than other art forms, she adds, public art affects everyone and has particular relevance to our students.

Diverse agendas
While public space is, paradoxically, often owned by private interests, democracy depends upon a shared public realm, Haviland says. Public art—from sculpture to murals to graffiti—has diverse agendas. The course Prof. Lee and I teach provides a view into the worlds of public and private, and individual and community rights as they intersect visually all around us.

During one semester, the emphasis of the Haviland-Lee course was on art for transit. We asked students to choose a subway station near their home—perhaps one with no artwork—and approach it from an anthropological point of view. What kind of art work would be appropriate for their community?, Haviland says. We had them do research, including interviews with local residents, and come up with a proposal.

Another semesters curriculum examined graffiti and street art and included a visit to a graffiti workshop sanctioned by a local building owner. This class examined the intersection of creativity and the law and raised issues that the students had strong feelings about, Haviland says.

At BMCC, the courses Haviland teaches are a mix of art appreciation and hands-on studio instruction. Her goal, she says, is always to foster a better understanding of the creative process—whether students make art or study it.

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