79 People Share The Most Hilariously Horrible Works Of Art Displayed In Their Home Countries

As the Financial Times stresses, it is worth asking why an artist would take on a public commission when there are so many potential problems. “Issues around planning, costs and conservation are baked into the job, legal situations often arise and the court of general opinion tends to judge harshly.”

According to curator and author Jo Baring, there is a lot more scrutiny placed on public works of art. “We ask more of our public sculpture than of paintings in museums, especially in our community, where it has to meet us on our own territory,” she told FT.

FT notes that public works of art often fail if they can’t connect with the people who walk past them. That being said, it is impossible to connect with everyone.

“Curating anything by committee is a fool’s errand. We all know that art cannot and should not please everybody at the same time,” explained specialist art and intellectual property lawyer Jon Sharples.

It’s not just the locals who are involved in judging the artwork, however. There are lots of professionals, including clients, developers, art consultants, architects, landscape architects, project manager engineers, and site managers who have their own opinions. This can guide the entire project in unexpected directions.

“There needs to be clarity about where that expertise ends and artistic authorship begins,” sculptor Nick Hornby says.

Love it or hate it (or both), public art is important. According to a representative of the Joanne Artman Gallery, writing in a post on Artsy, public art has a significant role in society.

“Places with strong public art expressions give communities a stronger sense of place and identity,” the Gallery rep emphasizes.

They add that works of art made by creative people can “capture the spirit and atmosphere of their cultural milieu.”

“Although it’s difficult to isolate the monetary impacts of public art, the social and cultural effects are invaluable. Public art enhances, and often creates, the identity of public spaces. It transforms cities and the way people perceive the world around them. Public art has become essential in making cities stand out and attract new homeowners, businesses, and professionals.”

In short, public art makes art as a whole more accessible to the entire local community. There are no limits placed on viewing it.

Art can transform public spaces, making them more vibrant and imaginative. What’s more, it can provide reasons for stronger relationships between the locals and the space. In other words, you can feel more attached to your area because of the public displays of artistic expression featured there.

As per the Gallery, public art can “act as a catalyst” for area (re)generation via building and reinforcing community culture.

What’s more, it serves as a way to visually document the local culture’s history and evolution. It reveals and reflects what’s unique both about the neighborhood and society as a whole.