ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Public Art's Perils: From Bird Droppings to Supermarket Campaigns

opinion-review · 2026-09-23

Public sculpture frequently draws derision, sometimes described as 'turds in the plaza,' according to an FT examination of the obstacles such works encounter. Among the hurdles cited are bird droppings and supermarket advertising campaigns. The piece questions whether a formula exists for successful public art. No specific artists, institutions, cities, or dates are named in the available source material.

Key facts

  • Public art is often dismissed with the phrase 'turds in the plaza'
  • Public sculptures face hurdles including bird droppings
  • Supermarket campaigns are cited as a challenge for public art
  • The article asks whether a secret to public art success exists
  • The source is a Financial Times article

Entities

Institutions

  • Financial Times

Sources