Art for the Public

How do artists share their ideas?

Enlargeable image of three characters. Text, "Ignorance = Fear; Silence = Death; Fight Aids Act Up

Keith Haring (1958-1990), Ignorance + Fear / Silence =Death, 1989. Offset lithograph. Whitney Museum of Art/Licensed by Scala/Art Resource, NY.

How might seeing Haring’s poster every day on the subway help make people feel more comfortable talking about AIDS?

Do you think more people will see an artwork in a museum or a public park? Which of these is more influential?

The artists featured here show their work in public spaces. When art is displayed in parks or on billboards, it reaches even those who aren’t interested in art or who have never been to a museum. Artists know that these surprise encounters with public art have the power to transform the way people see the world.

Speaking Up

Many artists use their talent to educate viewers and advocate for causes that are important to them. Keith Haring designed the poster shown above in 1989 during the AIDS public health crisis. At the time, public awareness of AIDS was limited, and many people had false ideas about it. People who had or were at risk of getting AIDS were afraid to talk about it for fear of discrimination. Meanwhile, the virus that causes AIDS was spreading quickly.

Haring’s poster touches on all these ideas. He shows three stylized figures in iconic positions that mean “see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing.” Above and below the figures, Haring adds powerful text.

Haring, who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988, created the poster to help people feel comfortable talking about AIDS. Through this poster, the artist aims to destigmatize AIDS and raise awareness.

Enlargeable mural of an elephant and a bird

Shepard Fairey (b. 1970), Mural, West Hollywood Public Library, Los Angeles County, 2011. LHB Photo/Alamy.

What symbols does Fairey use to convey a message of peace in his mural?

Say It with Symbols

Many artists use recognizable symbols in their public art so viewers can easily focus on the message. The people of West Hollywood were among the first in the United States to protest the war in Iraq in 2003. So when Shepard Fairey was asked to create a mural for a wall of the West Hollywood Library, above, he wanted to honor the community’s core value of peace.

Fairey includes a dove, which has long been a symbol of peace. He also includes an elephant, one of the smartest animals in the world. It holds a flower that seems to radiate light like the sun. These symbols work together to convey the idea of peace.

Enlargeable image of a billboard with a gorilla wearing a dress. Text, "Unchain the Women Directors"

Guerrilla Girls, Unchain the Women Directors!, 2006. © Guerrilla Girls/ Courtesy of guerrillagirls.com.

Why do you think the Guerrilla Girls placed their billboard near the theater that hosted the Oscars in 2006?

Art Attack

The element of surprise can grab viewers’ attention and make them think. The Guerrilla Girls, a group of feminist artists, use confrontational images and “guerrilla” methods to draw attention to discrimination—especially racism and sexism—in the arts. They often install their artwork in the middle of the night to cause a stir in the morning. They wear gorilla masks to stay anonymous. One member explained that they want “the focus to be on the issues, not on [their] personalities.”

In 2006, the group created its Unchain the Women Directors! billboard, above, and paid to place it near the theater that hosted the Oscars that year. What do you think actors and directors thought when they saw this billboard as they made their way to their industry’s biggest celebration of the year?

Enlargeable image of two colorful murals in a city park

Dan Bergeron/Fauxreel, Faces of Regent Park, 2015. Paint and laminated glass. Courtesy of Dan Bergeron.

What is significant about Bergeron's use of color and pattern?

Positive Change

Public art can even transform a neighborhood. The city of Toronto commissioned artist Dan Bergeron to create art as part of a program to improve a Canadian community. Completed in 2015, Faces of Regent Park, above, features 12 portraits of residents from diverse backgrounds.

Colorful patterns on the portraits create a sense of unity—hinting at the threads that unite all people. Bergeron includes tags, which mimic real graffiti signatures found in the neighborhood, and are meant to honor the area’s history.

The faces welcome residents and visitors alike. “These people are like the gatekeepers to the neighborhood,” says Bergeron. How does each artist featured here visually communicate an idea to a broad— and potentially unsuspecting—audience?

Skills Sheets (11)
Lesson Plan (3)
Lesson Plan
Lesson: Art for the Public

View a lesson plan for grades 7-12 about how artists share their ideas from the December 2022 issue.

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Lesson Plan
All Lesson Plans: Grades 4-6

Download all lesson plans for grades 4-6 from the December 2022 issue.

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Lesson Plan
Hands-On Project: Critter Cutouts

Download a hands-on project for grades 4-6 based on the December 2022 issue.

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Text-to-Speech