Art in Situ: Exploring Art in Public Places

Authors:

• Ghada Elhaffar, Museology Graduate Program
• Chair: Lane Eagles
• Seth Margolis
• Heide Fernandez-Llamazares

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Abstract:

The Washington State Art Collection’s Art in Public Places program (AIPP) acquires and cares for artworks throughout state buildings, colleges, universities, and schools where people study, work, and live. UW Seattle is home to 135 artworks in 39 locations. Art in Situ: Exploring Art in Public Places is a holistic document that not only serves as an educational tool also but as a guide to designing more tools related to educating, engaging, and experiencing public art. The deliverables seek to not only educate the public about the public art on UW Seattle's campus but also offer some insight into the commission, acquisition and selection of artworks, artists, and buildings. The final deliverables are divided into two main components; an interpretation guide, and a public programming toolkit. Understanding Art in Public Places, an Interpretation Guide contains 26 artwork sets that include context about the artwork, the artist's general practice, information about the location, and keywords related to the artwork's themes. Experiencing Art in Public Place, a Programming Toolkit contains a list of things to consider when creating public programs for young cosmopolitans, examples of programs, a framework for new programs, and evaluation instrument. The programs developed for this project seek to engage a specific audience with connections to the campus. Through the combination of all the components of this project, the public will have ample tools to explore and connect with the Art in Public Places program. The deliverables are informed by research about understanding contemporary public space, the bonds between these spaces and audiences, and the importance of context. The interpretive content was collected from ArtsWa's database, records, and selection paperwork as well as independent research.

Poster:

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Project Deliverable:

Art in Situ: Exploring Art in Public Places

Video Presentation