Course Description

This course will investigate the ways in which artists have presented narratives in the public realm and the organizations that have made the presentation of those works central to their curatorial practices over the last 40 years. Focusing on recent works presented in New York’s public spaces by Creative Time, The Public Art Fund, the Percent for Art Program, Arts for Transit and other non-profits organizations, this course will look at what it meant to tell stories and open discourses that challenged or interrogated widely-held value systems, the events and the politics of their time. In addition to the specifics of current and other key works and projects, we will discuss the conditions that governed the development of public performance, temporary and permanent installations, the ways in which those works were influenced by public approval processes and governmental agencies, media coverage and community response. Each student’s final project will be an on-line proposal for an exhibition that conveys a “narrative“ developed in the context of this course, referencing other relevant works .

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Curative Public Narrative #1
By: Kwang Min Ko
Public Art Survey: Midtown Manhattan

Narrative #1: Madison Square Park


            The Madison Square Park located on the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in New York City. The Madison Square Park is surrounded by famous buildings such as Flatiron Building, Met Life Tower and etc., which make the park popular touring sites. Therefore the outside of the park is filled with people, however inside of the park isolates the chaotic city environment and offers people place to enjoy their meals. There are many people enjoying their lunch with their friends on the benches in the park. It provides relaxing place for people, moreover the “landscape sculpture, ‘Fata Morgana’”, by Teresita Fernandez is installed inside the park. The sculpture creates “tunnel” shape inside the park; it completely isolates the busy city for people anyone who needed convenient space to enjoy time with their friends.

Narrative #2: Bryant Park

            Bryant Park located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and between 40th and 42nd street. There is main branch of the New York Public Library inside the park; interestingly there are lines of trees that completely separate the park area. High buildings surround the park; it gives an image of dome with hole in top. There are trees along the park blocking the view of busy city traffic. The center of the park there is an area called, “The Great Lawn”, the comfortable grass area with chairs and desks. There are few people sitting on the chair and chatting and few lying on the grass and enjoying the sun or even some sleeping. The outside of the park might be chaos and stressful but through the staircase inside the park is fast escape ticket from the city for the people who need space to relax. I found it ironic the Bryant Park is in the city but due to its isolated design environment, it gives feeling of separate space that does not feel like one is in New York.





Narrative #3: Central Park


         The biggest manmade park in New York City, Central Park is a environment for people who are tired of city. The park has lakes, forests, zoo, museum, soccer field, and all kinds of recreational places for people to spend times with family and friends. New York City, one of the most urban areas in the world, central park is man made rural area for people to escape from the city. There are unlimited activities that can be done in the park, and the beautiful scenery near the lake and forests gives energy to the people who are tired out.



No comments:

Post a Comment