The Problem of Public Art
Huryo’s finished piece. Living Walls 2012.
Dustin Chambers
Religious officials from a neighboring mosque say it’s offensive and want it removed. Others, including some neighborhood residents, say it’s beautiful and should be preserved. The untitled mural by Argentinean artist Hyuro at the corner of McDonough Boulevard and Sawtell Avenue finds itself at the center of a firestorm of controversy that could go either way.
When it comes to public art, debates like this erupt again and again across the country.
WABE’s Kate Sweeney spoke with Dr. Erika Doss about the patterns we see in these disputes over sculptures, murals, and other pieces that are supposed to belong to the community–while remaining works of art, which is, by its very definition, sometimes provocative.
Is there a middle ground?
More on the story about that controversial “Cincinnati Gateway” installation featuring those flying pigs, here.
Erika Doss, chair of the American Studies Department at the University of Notre Dame, is author of the paper “Public Art Controversy: Cultural Expression and Civic Debate.”
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