The Public Art that’s Changing the World In front of Our Eyes

The idea of what art is has evolved considerably in recent years. Sculpture and construction have always had a part to play but the public art installation is something relatively new to the past 50 years. Today, we are beginning to see this evolve even further as ideas and inspiration get bolder and materials and technology provide new opportunities for expression. Below are just some of the examples of public art that is changing the world in front of our eyes.

The Brentford Project, Brentford London

Artist Jo Hicks (Hixxy) has taken a multi-storey car park in London as a canvas to create a stunning, brightly coloured mural. The enormous installation will remain for three years and is inspired by the area in which it sits. If you look closely you’ll see lots of references to Brentford, including canals, wildlife and the local football club. The artist’s aim was to create something uplifting and beautiful, providing an injection of colour and life.

The Seed, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi

The Seed is the creation of a British artist (Es Devlin) and was designed for the 49th National Day celebrations in Abu Dhabi in December. The sculpture has now become an attraction in its own right and for good reason. It is a cube shaped moving image sculpture that shows the evolution of a seed in fascinating, creative detail.

Conscious Actions, Miami, USA

Every action has an impact on our environment and our communities – that’s the ethos behind the Conscious Actions installation in Miami. This public art was created by Chilean design studio GT2P with architectural, playground devices responding to use with shadows, movement and changing surfaces. The installation is fully interactive, making it an even more immersive art experience.

Mother Earth, New York, USA

This dramatic sculpture by contemporary artist Kris Perry is made of Corten steel and has a broad spectrum of different influences, such as temples and mosques, as well as the column features of Greek architecture. The sculpture’s design of three legs and a vertical spine is intended to encourage viewers to look upward and to experience a deep contemplation, as well as a shared experience and engagement with the world around.

Life of the Pumpkin Recites, All About the Biggest Love for the People, Paris, France

Yayoi Kusama is well known for her pumpkin structures and has used them in many installations and exhibitions all over the world. The Japanese artist created Life of the Pumpkin Recites, All About the Biggest Love for the People for Place Vendôme as part of FIAC Hors les Murs. This is the largest inflatable pumpkin that the artist has made yet.

Gateway, Wilkieston, Scotland

On the outskirts of Scotland artist Joana Vasconcelos has created a vibrant – and fully functional – installation/swimming pool channeling patterns from the artist’s astrological chart and representing this through thousands of hand painted tiles. Guests can go for a swim to experience being immersed ‘in a joyful and spirited dimension, leading to a connection with the energy of the earth’.

Public art has the power to make a real impact – these are just some of the installations currently changing the world before our eyes.

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