Public Art, Spatial Practices and the City
John Vella, Tasmanian School of Art
What role and form does Public Art have in the City and its future/s? In imagining the city, ideas of community and culture, and their dynamic interrelations, can be obscured within a focus on physical and built forms. Artist John Vella’s public lecture will examine the matrix of Public Art in the contemporary city, with a focus on spatial practice. Drawing upon recent shifts in conceptions of ‘place-making’ that attempt to take greater account of socio-cultural dynamics, can spatial practice be imagined more broadly – as a platform and medium for dialogue in the city? For articulating ‘the right to the city’? For reconnecting people to place via Public Art ‘place-making’ as a relational activity? For imagining futures and producing public space, whether utopian or pragmatic?
The speaker John Vella is a practicing artist and Head of Sculpture, Tasmanian School of Art. (Examples of his recent public works can be found here and here.)
The talk will be followed by a discussion with the following:
Dr Mick Douglas (Discussant) – an artist-researcher and lecturer at the School of Architecture and Design, RMIT University.
Dr Ruth Fazakerley (Discussant) – a researcher at the School of Architecture and Design, RMIT University.
Dr James Oliver (Chair) – an artist-researcher and lecturer at the Centre for Cultural Partnerships, VCA, University of Melbourne.
Date: 7pm, Thursday 10 May 2012
Venue: RMIT Building 50, Orr St, Carlton Map
Entry by gold coin donation. Refreshment provided.
For more detail and links to speakers see Public Art Research.
