Monday, July 23, 2012

Public art scene in the west and Europe

Public art exposes people ‘of all different ideologies and backgrounds’ to the varied socio-cultural experiences and can reconnect them to their own surroundings and cityscape. In a way, it encourages them to see their neighborhoods and environment from a new perspective, in a new light and with completely different mode of appreciation. No surprise, many established and emerging Indian art practitioners are using several innovative means and mediums for their foray into public art.

New unconventional and viewer-friendly art exhibitions are growingly moving to outdoor spaces. They offer a holistic, curated museum experience in their quality, complexity, and also scope, albeit sans the walls.

In cities like New York, public art is infusing a breath of fresh air even as exhibitions growingly moving to outdoor spaces, offering visitors a curated museum experience albeit sans the walls. These exhibits represent the renewed wave in public art domain in New York, moving away from the classic notion of simply plopping a ubiquitous bronze monument in any public square. They are more like elaborate museum shows in their quality, complexity, and also scope, with a curator meticulously selecting artists or artworks that communicate with each other and situating the artworks for the sake of artistic resonance and relevance.

On the other hand, a rich and wide collection of Berlin's art seamlessly resides in the culturally rich city's 180-odd museums. However, the real draw for art lovers is perhaps the thriving public art scene of the city. Astounding pieces such as Jeff Koons's sculpted, bewildering ‘Balloon Flower’ dot its plazas. An array of artworks -some, like Blu's mask-ripping mural located in Kreuzberg, massive in scale – graciously adorn urban spaces everywhere.

Another example is the Tacheles art house, converted from a derelict structure constructed in the early 20th century, is a fantastic gallery inside and out: a mix of planned exhibits and the colossal canvas of the enchanting building's own facade, Tacheles is still a work in progress.

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