ART FOR THE HEART?
Art is an intrinsic part of what makes us human, but what role can it play in the public realm?
Sarah Evans reflects on the impacts of public art.
Mental Health and Art
There are a wealth of academic studies that have set out to quantify the often mystifying effects of art on the human psyche. One study conducted by the University of Westminster found that a brief lunchtime visit to an art gallery caused a drastic drop in the levels of stress hormones present in a sample of workers from high intensity jobs in the City of London. It was recorded that “the gallery visit caused rapid recovery from the consequences of high stress.” As well as alleviating the effects of stress, art can inspire personal reflection and encourage feelings of hope during uncertain times. The plethora of knock-on benefits to mental and social health have been proved consistently for many years. The question for those directly involved with the composition of cities is, can this phenomenon be scaled upwards to benefit whole communities with artistic design interventions?
A Force for Social Cohesion
A community can be defined as a group of people united by a shared identity and each community, however small, deserves the respect and autonomy to inform significant change in their corner of the urban landscape. Those with influence on the design of the public realm should seek to understand and utilise the positive impacts that art can have on the urban landscape and the people who interact with it. Often landscape architects are best placed to ‘join the dots’- combining the aspirations of the community, artistic interventions and open space design together to breathe new life into the urban environment.
As well as providing aesthetic value, public art can reinforce the identity and heritage of a community. Memorials and public art often occupy the same space within the cultural soul of a city. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is one powerful example of public installation designed to connect visitors to the history of a place and its people. Situated in central Berlin, the large scale sculpture work sits at the intersection of art, architecture and memorial. 2711 concrete pillars lie in a slipped grid formation each 95cm apart to allow for only individual passage. Through a unique spatial experience visitors are guided into a state of contemplation. The memorial’s central location and imposing visual command justly signify the importance of continuing to remember this part of history. With no physical boundary to the site, it is able to be accessed from all sides and at any time of day or night, cementing itself as part of the city’s infrastructure.
The Real Value
It is difficult to calculate the true impact of the artworks that inhabit our urban environments. Sculptures, murals and installations that have appeared in our cities either legally or not, all carry potential to affect the lives of the people that interact with them. Public art has the potential to shock, challenge and delight but it is widely accepted that the significance of any work of art will always vary hugely for each individual, from the completely unimpressed to the wholly overwhelmed. Art will always mean different things to different people. However, when we step back and observe the bigger picture, the ripples an artwork can make are easier to see in large groups of people.
When a work of art becomes cherished by many people in a community, the artwork gains cultural weight. This significance is especially powerful in the context of the public realm where space is shared by people of many differing backgrounds and world views; a good piece of public art allows us the opportunity to appreciate something unique and if even for just a moment, distract us from our differences. Small seeds can grow into big trees; allowing an artwork the opportunity to put down roots into a community, and take pride of place in the public realm can be the catalyst for other branches of community improving projects. Art in the public realm has the potential to uplift communities that may otherwise feel voiceless, highlight the shared values that unite people and cultivate a sense of pride in a local area.
Public art is a powerful tool for connecting the designers of our cities with the communities that inhabit them. How will you seek to achieve artistic placemaking?
Sarah Evans is a graduate landscape architect at Macfarlane + Associates.
At Macfarlane + Assocs, we strive to create landscapes that are stimulating and engaging for the end users. We believe that integrating art within public spaces not only invigorates uniqueness to the external environment but also has a positive impact and contributes towards our overall well -being.
