30 Years of Public Art

What we all know as contemporary public art started on the west coast of the USA in the early 1970s. But in the very southeast of Florida in Miami-Dade County and Broward County public art slithered forward too. In 2006, Broward County celebrated with a 30th year celebration that culminated 25 days late in January 2007.

Yes for 30 years, the city and county governments of the USA have birthed a new art form. These quiet art advocates deserve praise for a miracle. Just by consistent programming with a passion to protect artistic exploration and to serve the public in new ways, a collaboration of administrator and artist has sparked the most invention since the critic and art interaction of the 1960s.

Yes a lot of the art is entirely predictable and safe, but imagine a forced tour of every, EVERY museum. No picking and choosing your favorites. You would be struck with an even more droning boredom.

Or visit every new building constructed in your county in the last three years. Or paste all the walls of your home with advertising photography from fashion magazines. Each photographer is an artist, they say. Your local wallpaper supplier might seem more unique.

Like architecture and fashion, we now have enough public art after 30 years to start to pick and choose. We don't know exactly what public art is, but we know that is it no longer museum art in public places. This blog will pick and choose and learn.

Unfortunately, the laser and L.E.D. new public work by Dan Corson in downtown Fort Lauderdale just barely worked. After Corson and one of those quiet administrators - Claire Garrett - get the electronic "waves of grass" (perhaps grains?) working, I can report back.

And last, but not least, Broward County Cultural Affairs manager, Mary Becht, has been there from the beginning. And with her came at least two magnificent works by Patricia Leighton and Jody Pinto.