Public Art Fund
Encyclopedia
The Public Art Fund is a non-profit organization founded in 1977 by Doris Freedman
(d. 1981), a Director of New York City
's Department of Cultural Affairs, and the President of the Municipal Art Society
. They have organized highly visible artists' projects, new commissions, installations and exhibitions in public spaces throughout New York City. The Public Art Fund was born from the merger of two pre-existing organizations, CityWalls and the Public Arts Council. In 2005, it was among 406 New York City
arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/06/nyregion/06donate.html?ex=1278302400&en=93a1beabd4ede5b8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss http://carnegie.org/sub/news/anon2005.html
on the Whitney Biennial
Outdoors, in Central Park
.
The Fund's work has increased due to the influence of Mayor Michael Bloomberg
, a supporter of public art. Since Bloomberg took office, he has asked the Public Art Fund to organize temporary exhibitions of outdoor artwork in City Hall Park. In 2003, they organized "Element E," created by Roy Lichtenstein
13 years before his death in 1997, for installation at City Hall Park. According to Susan Freedman
, president of the Public Art Fund, these projects are "important to the morale of the art community," and they "[send] a message that the arts are alive in this city."
In 1997 the Fund organized Ilya Kabakov
's "Monument to the Lost Glove," a giant glove made of red plastic resin, which was bolted to the traffic triangle where Fifth Avenue and Broadway
cross at 23rd Street
. In 2000 they worked with Kabakov again on one of their most expensive projects, "The Palace of Projects," an aggregation of 65 model environments with explanatory texts, drawings and sketches that explore the improvement of the human condition. It was housed in a 40-foot-tall spiraling wooden structure in which one room follows another, up several levels. It cost $300,000 and was shown at the 69th Regiment Armory
, Lexington Avenue at 26th Street.
Recent New York City projects included Nancy Rubin's Big Pleasure Point at Lincoln Center (photo); Corner Plot by Sarah Sze
at the Doris C. Freedman Plaza; Alexander Calder
in New York at the City Hall Park; and Material World at the MetroTech Center in Brooklyn, which features new commissions by Rachel Foullon, Corin Hewitt
, Matthew Day Jackson
, Peter Kreider, and Mamiko Otsubo.
’s Variety Show" on March 30, 2007, at the Abrons Arts Center
on the Lower East Side
of Manhattan. Creed won the Turner Prize
in 2001.
Doris Freedman
Doris Chanin Freedman was a pioneer in the field of public art, active in New York City. She was the daughter of architect Irwin Salmon Chanin and his wife Sylvia Schofler....
(d. 1981), a Director of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Department of Cultural Affairs, and the President of the Municipal Art Society
Municipal Art Society
The Municipal Art Society of New York, founded in 1893, is a non-profit membership organization that fights for intelligent urban planning, design and preservation through education, dialogue and advocacy in New York City....
. They have organized highly visible artists' projects, new commissions, installations and exhibitions in public spaces throughout New York City. The Public Art Fund was born from the merger of two pre-existing organizations, CityWalls and the Public Arts Council. In 2005, it was among 406 New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/06/nyregion/06donate.html?ex=1278302400&en=93a1beabd4ede5b8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss http://carnegie.org/sub/news/anon2005.html
New York City public projects
The organization has cooperated with the Whitney Museum of American ArtWhitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art, often referred to simply as "the Whitney", is an art museum with a focus on 20th- and 21st-century American art. Located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street in New York City, the Whitney's permanent collection contains more than 18,000 works in a wide variety of...
on the Whitney Biennial
Whitney Biennial
The Whitney Biennial is a biennale exhibition of contemporary American art, typically by young and lesser known artists, on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, USA. The event began as an annual exhibition in 1932, the first biennial was in 1973...
Outdoors, in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
.
The Fund's work has increased due to the influence of Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, a supporter of public art. Since Bloomberg took office, he has asked the Public Art Fund to organize temporary exhibitions of outdoor artwork in City Hall Park. In 2003, they organized "Element E," created by Roy Lichtenstein
Roy Lichtenstein
Roy Lichtenstein was a prominent American pop artist. During the 1960s his paintings were exhibited at the Leo Castelli Gallery in New York City and along with Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, James Rosenquist and others he became a leading figure in the new art movement...
13 years before his death in 1997, for installation at City Hall Park. According to Susan Freedman
Susan Freedman
Susan K. Freedman is a leading supporter of contemporary public art in New York City. Since 1986, she is the president of the Public Art Fund, founded by her mother Doris Chanin Freedman in 1977. Freedman graduated from Brown University in 1982 with a B.A. in Studio Art and American Civilization....
, president of the Public Art Fund, these projects are "important to the morale of the art community," and they "[send] a message that the arts are alive in this city."
Ilya Kabakov
Ilya Kabakov, Russian Илья́ Ио́сифович Кабако́в , is a Russian-American conceptual artist of Jewish descent, born in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. He worked for thirty years in Moscow, from the 1950s until the late 1980s. He now lives and works on Long Island...
's "Monument to the Lost Glove," a giant glove made of red plastic resin, which was bolted to the traffic triangle where Fifth Avenue and Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
cross at 23rd Street
23rd Street (Manhattan)
23rd Street is a broad thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is one of few two-way streets in the gridiron of the borough. As with Manhattan's other "crosstown" streets, it is divided at Fifth Avenue, in this case at Madison Square Park, into its east and west sections. Since...
. In 2000 they worked with Kabakov again on one of their most expensive projects, "The Palace of Projects," an aggregation of 65 model environments with explanatory texts, drawings and sketches that explore the improvement of the human condition. It was housed in a 40-foot-tall spiraling wooden structure in which one room follows another, up several levels. It cost $300,000 and was shown at the 69th Regiment Armory
69th Regiment Armory
The 69th Regiment Armory located at 68 Lexington Avenue between East 25th and 26th Streets in Manhattan, New York City is a historical building which began construction in 1904 and was completed in 1906. The building is still used to house the U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment, as well as for the...
, Lexington Avenue at 26th Street.
Recent New York City projects included Nancy Rubin's Big Pleasure Point at Lincoln Center (photo); Corner Plot by Sarah Sze
Sarah Sze
Sarah Sze is a contemporary artist who lives and works in New York City. Sze uses ordinary objects to create sculptures and site-specific installations.-Early life:Sze graduated Summa Cum Laude from Yale University in 1991...
at the Doris C. Freedman Plaza; Alexander Calder
Alexander Calder
Alexander Calder was an American sculptor and artist most famous for inventing mobile sculptures. In addition to mobile and stable sculpture, Alexander Calder also created paintings, lithographs, toys, tapestry, jewelry and household objects.-Childhood:Alexander "Sandy" Calder was born in Lawnton,...
in New York at the City Hall Park; and Material World at the MetroTech Center in Brooklyn, which features new commissions by Rachel Foullon, Corin Hewitt
Corin Hewitt
Corin Hewitt is an American sculptor and photographer.Hewitt received a BA from Oberlin College and an MFA from Milton Avery School of Art at Bard College. His work has been shown widely in the U.S. as well as Europe. He has had solo exhibitions at the Whitney Museum of Art and The Seattle Art...
, Matthew Day Jackson
Matthew Day Jackson
Matthew Day Jackson is an American artist whose multifaceted practice encompasses sculpture, painter, collage, photographer, drawing, video, performance and installation...
, Peter Kreider, and Mamiko Otsubo.
Performance art
The Fund moved into a new territory when it announced it would present "Martin CreedMartin Creed
Martin Creed is an artist and musician. He won the Turner Prize in 2001 for Work No. 227: the lights going on and off, which was an empty room in which the lights went on and off.-Life and work :...
’s Variety Show" on March 30, 2007, at the Abrons Arts Center
Abrons Arts Center
The Abrons Arts Center is the performing and visual arts program of Henry Street Settlement. It mounts exhibitions and productions in music, dance and theater and provides arts training for children and adults....
on the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
of Manhattan. Creed won the Turner Prize
Turner Prize
The Turner Prize, named after the painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist under the age of 50. Awarding the prize is organised by the Tate gallery and staged at Tate Britain. Since its beginnings in 1984 it has become the United Kingdom's most publicised...
in 2001.
Books
The book Plop: Recent Projects of the Public Art Fund, celebrates the success of the Fund in financing many publicly placed works of art over the last few decades, many of which are now beloved, though they may at first have been derided as "ploppings". Several currents or movements in contemporary art, such as environmental sculpture, site-specific art, and land art, counterpose themselves philosophically to "plop art," as well as to traditional public monumental sculpture.External links
Further reading
- Susan K Freedman. Plop : recent projects of the Public Art Fund (London ; New York : Merrell Publishers in association with Public Art Fund, New York, 2004) ISBN 1-85894-248-9; ISBN 1-85894-247-0