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Public Art in Canada

Critical Perspectives

Annie Gérin author James S McLean author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:University of Toronto Press

Published:18th Mar '11

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Public Art in Canada cover

Arguably, public art is experienced daily by more people than most offerings in galleries, yet our notion of what constitutes public art is surprisingly limited. Public Art in Canada broadens the critical discussion by exploring public art's varied means of engaging with public space and the public sphere. Annie Gérin and James S. McLean have assembled contributions from new and established Canadian scholars, curators, and artists. Each contributor enlivens our understanding of public art as a practice and its place in the social and aesthetic formation of which it is a part. As a result, the book provides an overview of the current debates in the field of public art that are informed by the theories and critical literature of art history, communication studies, cultural studies, sociology, and urban studies.

The rigorous essays and original works of art collected in this volume present a compelling demonstration of the strategies, aesthetic and otherwise, used by artists to elicit intellectual, sensual, or emotional responses that can only be obtained through artistic practices in public places. Public Art in Canada is a major contribution to the study of Canadian art and culture.

"'Public Art in Canada marks a major contribution to the scholarly research. This substantial volume reflects the diversity of work that falls under the broad rubric of public art, ranging from discussions of political interventions to governmentally endorsed monuments. Moreover, by including five contemporary artists' projects alongside critical chapters featured here, the editors provide readers with a vivid sense of the multifaceted possibilities of public art.' Carol Payne, School for Studies in Art and Culture, Carleton University"

ISBN: 9780802095688

Dimensions: 230mm x 152mm x 21mm

Weight: 520g

336 pages