Reconditioning Routines : Socially-engaged Public Art in Urban Redevelopments

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What ist the role of public art in urban redevelopment? In what form does it take shape? And what are the conditions for its activity? These were the quetions that were investigated by the team of social designers during the research workshop in Dashilar, Beijing in December 2017 - an invitation by the Academy of Fine Arts Shanghai as part of a long-term public art study.

This article investigates the critical role of public art in urban renewal processes that divert from conventional development routines. Case studies from Europe and Dashilar, Beijing are compared and evaluated for their innovative artistic methodologies in approaching urban regeneration from a Social Design perspective. Additionally, projects from European cities will illustrate alternative urban renewal approaches in combination with creative strategies. Regarding the greater context of urban renewal, this article will eventually examine the potential of public art in the framework of dominant power structures in international urban developments. Furthermore, public art is reexamined as a socially-engaged act that is imbued with societal responsibilities and commitments. Thus, the shifting role of artists and designers, the advent of alternative economic models and the fluidity of art produced in face of complex urban challenges allude to a new definition of public art and conditions for its activity.

Publisher

Public Art No. 3 2018

Year

2018