Art in Public Spaces

Take a trip to some of the great American cities, cities that are thriving and have lively downtown areas. These cities, aside from providing great public transportation and a brilliant mix of traditional and contemporary architecture, focus on a very important aspect that makes them the great cities that they are: vibrant public spaces accented with public art. These spaces not only provide congregational places where people can gather and interact, but they also build character and pride for the city in which they are located. Let’s look at some of the benefits of art and how some cities have approached using public art to define its spaces.

Benefits of Art

Art is a form of expression. This expression can come from the artist or any other influence and can tell many stories within one piece of work. The act of interpreting a piece of work stimulates the senses and forces the mind to think in ways it would not otherwise. Art is used in schools to stimulate the minds of children and get them to think creatively. It is an important part of the learning process that helps to develop their comprehensive thinking skills. According to the College Entrance Examination Board, students that have been educated in the arts score higher on college entrance exams than those who haven’t. For this reason, many high-tech corporations often times look for employees with extensive art education. Art has also been shown to be a helpful form of therapy, as it allows people to express themselves in ways that one may not be able to do with words. Likewise, art in communities can tell stories and the history of an area in a way that also cannot be done with words. They help define neighborhoods and cities as places that care more about the general well being of their residents, and they attract businesses that value the positive benefits that art brings.

Art in Other Cities

I’ve taken a couple of trips to Denver, Colorado, and each time I’m pleasantly surprised by the focus the city puts on public art. It is not murals, fountains, or traditional statues that are often seen in many cities, but it is more contemporary art that is spread all throughout the city. A forty foot tall blue bear peeking into the Convention Center, a life size horse standing on an oversize chair, and a line of ballet dancers caught in mid routine are a few of the public art pieces found in open spaces. These pieces are not done with a clear purpose. No business is directly reaping the benefits; no admission is required to view the work; no history is being told. Instead, these pieces are done for the people of Denver. It seems that the real purpose of these pieces is to simply bring a creative aspect to the city to generate a better place to live. This is reflected in the city’s architecture. The Denver Architectural Foundation states that its mission is “To increase public awareness and appreciation for architecture and its influence on our quality of life through education, participation and advocacy for excellence.” Art and Architecture are very much the same in their goals of creating more meaningful spaces for the public, and the City of Denver has focused much attention on this to provide a higher quality of life.

Art in Memphis

The City of Memphis stands on a long history rich in civil rights and music. Some of this is portrayed throughout the city in plaques and statues; however, the majority of this history is not apparent. Public art can not only serve to bring this history to life, but also bring pride to the city and its accomplishments. Memphis is at the top of all the wrong statistics in 2011: first in highest poverty rate, second in highest crime, and third in the top saddest cities. These can all be said to tie together, so once one aspect is addressed, the rest should follow. There is hope, however; Flavorwire listed Memphis as the seventh best city for young artists in a list that includes international cities such as Brussels and Montreal. The reasons given were the vast amounts of events held each year such as Memphis in May, BBQ Fest, and International Week. These events, however, are not lasting characterizations of the city seen year-round.

The UrbanArt Commission is a non-profit organization that is focused on creating public art in Memphis. It is responsible for the “I Love Memphis” murals and “Family Trees” at University Place. Support of organizations like them and creating long lasting public art in the city and our communities can create the sense of pride that our city needs, stimulate our children’s minds, and provide a higher quality of life for everyone. Tourism and businesses would be attracted, and happiness and poverty would be addressed.