The Public Interest: Is There Any?

"Living a few hundred metres away from a community arts project has clarified my doubts about the standard and the value of such projects and what they achieve for their supposed audience." Peers explores the current issues facing the production of community and public art looking at 'The Bridge, Construction in Process' an event and exhibition which took place in Melbourne over March- April 1998.

More from this Issue

How the 'Art in Public Places' Debate Shackles Creative Genius

Buckle your seatbelts for a wild, multi-disciplinary ride to explore why all urban space is art... why every individual entering public space is an artist.... how the design of public space either feeds or inhibits this artist.... how professional artists involved in the production of 'public art' should therefore respond.

David Engwicht

Getting up to Speed in Queensland: The Learning Curve Levels Off

The Queenslanders Art Alliance was established in 1986, maintaining an artist register as well as project management programs collaborating with the Queensland government in the 'Designing Environments' strategy which is intended to consolidate the quality of the collaborative process in public art projects. Looks at the Kangaroo Cliffs Boardwalk project.

Ian Friend

1998 Adelaide Festival Visual Arts Program

Review of the 1998 Adelaide Festival Visual Arts Program February - March 1998

Cath Kenneally

Entrepreneurs and Public Art: Private Sponsorship for Public Art Begins to Bloom in WA

Although the history of the west militated against private sponsorship, it began to blossom in the 1990s. This was assisted by the State Government sponsored Percent for Art Scheme. Looks at various examples of public art in Western Australia.

Dorothy Erickson

All this and Heaven too

Exhibition review All this and Heaven too Curated by Juliana Engberg The Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art Art Gallery of South Australia 28 February - 13 April 1998

Kevin Murray

Contemporary Art in Asia: Traditions/Tensions

Exhibition Review Contemporary Art in Asia: Traditions/Tensions Organised by the Asia Society New York Art Gallery of Western Australia 6 February - 29 March 1998

Michael O'Ferrall

Public Art in Sydney - Olympian Heights or More of the Same?

The Olympic Co-ordination Authority and the Sydney City Council, the two commissioning bodies, have the power to transform the capital with their curated programs of site specific public art, some of which will have a limited life span. Ironically, in these environments where relationship to site is one of the criteria for inclusion, it is left to the artist to reconstruct the histories, to illuminate the voices demolished to make way for Olympic progress.

Courtney Kidd

The Vision not so Splendid

Prominent gallerist Paul Greenaway and influential educator Pamela J Zeplin speculated recently about the depths to which confidence in the management of Adelaide's Public Domain has sunk. Who is to blame for the rash of mediocrity -- consultants, governments, artists themselves. Interview.

Pamela Zeplin

For Arts Sake a Fair Go

The status quo of moral rights of artists in Australia today in respect of site specific works.

Sharon Theedar

Public Art at the Canberra Museum and Gallery

In a city with so many cultural institutions focused upon the national agenda, the new Canberra Museum and Gallery is a significant symbol of the ACTs (Australian Capital Territory) increasing confidence in a local identity, interdependent with its national role.

Jacky Talbot

Public Art can Kill

Looks at issues of the law and public art with references to Richard Serra's 'Sculpture No.3' and Christo's 'The Umbrellas: a joing project for Japan and USA'.

Julie Robb

Putting Art in the Landscape

Looks at Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park, Victoria and the issues which surround putting art into parks and public spaces. Unlike the specialised designs of the contemporary art gallery, the 'environment' is a bundle of concepts distributed across the city and suburbs.

Alex Selenitsch

View all articles in this issue