From Landscape to Monument: Art's Public Turn in the 1980s
In the 1960s, artists rejected the museum and moved into the landscape. By the 1980s, they retreated to the studio, prompting talk of a 'return to the museum.' Yet today's leading artists show growing interest in monumental art for cities and fields—public interventions that demand an intimate, contemplative engagement from the viewer. This shift raises questions about the evolving relationship between art and public space.
Key facts
- 1960s artists contested the museum and invested in landscape.
- 1980s artists retreated to the studio, leading to a 'return to the museum' narrative.
- Contemporary artists increasingly engage with monumental art in urban and rural public spaces.
- These public interventions require an intimate and collected relationship between spectator and artwork.
- The article is a continuation of a discussion on 'sculptures dans la ville.'
- The source is from artpress, March 1986.
- The article examines the broadening of art's problematic in public space.
- The shift challenges the notion of art's retreat from public engagement.
Entities
Institutions
- artpress
Sources
- artpress —