Public art goes beyond roadside graffiti that someone drew in the middle of the night and ran away. These days, we are seeing public art as a trend. There are whole campaigns dedicated to public art, in the name of beautification of cities. It goes from spray painted graffiti on a lonely street to the big and breath-taking murals in subway stations or airports, these art pieces can be a form of self-representation or culture.
Art has the ability to make you feel things. The colours can sway your mood for better or for worse. When you step into any room, your mood is affected instantly by the hues you are surrounded with, even when you don’t consciously notice the colours. Same can be said for anywhere you go. People are generally happier on bright, sunny days than they are on dull, cloudy days. We are seeing more and more public places installing such pieces these days. This gives artists an opportunity to represent themselves or the history and culture of the place. Tourists specially enjoy such installations because they give them an insight into the local people’s lifestyle. It gives them a connection to the place they are standing in.
A mural was recently installed in the South station of Boston honouring the women in transportation industry. A Northeastern University graduate, Lisa Brothers, who was a part of the committee for the 650 square-foot installation said, “I would tell my committee that when we are all older and hopefully someday have grandchildren, we’ll be able to bring them to this beautiful mosaic and say, ‘Your grandmother actually had something to do with this piece.’”
Anushka Singh