Art in the Public Spaces Towards a Livable and Quality Outdoor Environment

ART and PUBLIC SPACE can be symbolized as inseparable as melody and song.Missing either would lead to a mundane and unexciting experience to users. The dearth of art in public spaces maybe traced to the fear of art which pre-program in certain professional’s mind. This aligned with Howett(1985)statement that the positioning of human ingenuity may endanger the earth unique equilibrium. Nowadays, through various studies and high awareness of art, the ideas of how to respond to the land and to fulfil the human needs has progressively developedthe idea of no fear in binding the art in the public spaces especially in parks and landscape areas. This article describes art in public spaces and their effects on the community they are located in.

Art in Public Spaces?
Art in public spaces is an artwork specifically commissioned to engage, interact and harmonize with the public or the community at large in public open spaces.  It is for the public to use or enjoy the beauty of the artwork in different perspective of visual appreciation(Mohd Fabian, Osman et al. 2012).It is any form of artistic expressions such as sculpture, mural, street furniture or cultural event, which is located in a freely accessible site as opposed to museums, galleries or homes.

Hence, the integration of art in the outdoor environment could be includedunder the rubrics of public art, site specific art and land art. This affiliation of art and design has been increasing its relevance to the landscape architecture profession due to its own historic concern for the design of outdoor spaces. Nowadays, there isabundance of examples where a landscape designwould experimentthis type of art thus capable of exerting much influence on the landscape project.

Mohd Fabian Hasna, Osman Mohd Tahir & Nasir Baharuddin