Overview
Whereas art was once a concern mostly for princes and noblemen, the 20th century witnessed the emergence of art forms directed primarily at the public.
"As Enlightenment philosophers' ideas about the nation's priority over the state gained currency, states sought to legitimate their power by clothing themselves in the aura of their national art traditions which they claimed to protect and promote" (Tanner, 2003).
In examining the forms this public address has taken, and the
controversies that have arisen, we may learn about the dreams of earlier
ages. We may even find in our own contemporary condition the parallel illusions and aspirations, suspended in art, that are easier to spot with the aid of historical distance.
Resources
W.J.T. Mitchell.
Art and the Public Sphere. Univerisity of Chicago Press. 1990.
Suzanne Lacy.
Mapping the Terrain: New Genre Public Art. Bay Press. 1995.
http://dmoz.org/Arts/Visual_Arts/Public_Art/
Lecture
Art and Public Space
