September 15, 2008

Prof: Art in public buildings does more than paint a pretty picture

"Incorporating public art has been a steady trend the past decade, in part because of city ordinances and regulations that allocate a specific percentage of new projects to pay for art projects," says Fabian Winkler, an assistant professor in art and design. "What continues to change is the type of art. Public art started as mural and static paintings, then evolved to sculpture installations and mobiles, and now, we're moving toward interactive art.

"Artists are looking for ways to involve the audience by creating something that is kinetic, luminous or sonorous and can be influenced by a person's touch or other form of interaction. This form of public art invites audiences to become a co-creator, and that is a wonderful way to engage more people in art."

Examples of public art include Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's "2000 Vectorial Elevation," which featured 18 robotic searchlights in Mexico City's largest public square. Anyone could visit a Web site to adjust the coordinates of the searchlights to create light sculptures over the Zócalo Square. The project has been displayed around the world, and more than 2 million people from 89 countries have participated online.

One of Winkler's projects, called "Waves," utilizes public wading pools in Toronto, Canada. Winkler teamed with Shannon McMullen, who is his wife and an assistant professor in Purdue's art and design division, to create buoys that measure the movement of waves. Then they translate that motion into a musical sound to make connections between water waves and sound waves. The buoys encourage musical collaboration and exchange in otherwise rather anonymous urban spaces, Winkler says. 

Whether public art is interactive or static, it often has a dual function, Winkler says. The art at an airport, such as the new Indianapolis International Airport terminal that opens in November, may provide information to visitors about the region or local history.

"Public art has always been a great way to connect with people, especially people who artists usually cannot reach because they are not likely to visit a museum or gallery," Winkler says. "Without public art, something is missing in the community. Living without art is like living without good health, it's fundamental to one's well-being."

Winkler is the creator of the electronic and time-based art area in the Patti and Rusty Rueff Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Fabian Winkler, (765) 494-0160, fwinkler@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The new Indianapolis International Airport will be home to a number of site-specific and/or architecturally integrated works of art, thanks to the Airport Arts and Culture Program. The public can visit the new terminal during the Oct. 11 and 12 open houses, and it will open for business on Nov. 11. More information is available at https://www.newindianapolisairport.com/

To the News Service home page