Questioning public art

Abstract

Public art in Malaysia has received a mixed reception because of the confusion over its multi-faceted role and aspects of the practice. This confusion is exacerbated by the fact that public art itself is a new term in the Malaysian art scene. It is sometimes seen as a manifestation based on political and cultural aspirations that intersect with the city's beautification efforts which celebrate perfection based on wished for imagery. Fundamentally, this paper focuses on the role of public art which draw together artists, theorists, curators and arts administrators whose work engages with issues relevant to social and cultural life. © 2012 WIT Press.