Outside The Museum: Influence of public art on urban spaces

Outside the museum: Influence of public art on people's experience of Place

Dissertation report

SUBMITTED BY:

Mrinmay ee M. Bho ot

A1904013062 B.ARCH, SEMESTER IX, 2014-2019

PROJECT WORK IN ARCHITECTURE

GUIDED BY: MR. VARISH VIJAY PANCHAL

AMITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, AMITY UNIVERSITY, NOIDA 2018

CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the dissertation titled ―

INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC ART ON PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE OF PLACE is

submitted by M R INM AYE E M . BHOOT bearing enrollment number A1904014062 as a part of 5 year undergraduate program in Architecture at AMITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND

PLANNING, SECTOR -125, NOIDA, AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH and is a

record of bonafide work carried out by her under my guidance. The content included in the report has not been submitted to any other university or institute for accord of any other degree or diploma.

Mr. Varish Panchal (Guide)

Amity School of Architecture & Planning Amity University, Noida

Dr. D.P. Singh

Head of Department

Amity School of Architecture & Planning Amity University, Noida

External Examiner

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research project has been a great learning experience for me. Since the beginning of the project,

there were multiple challenges which I faced. I owe deepest gratitude to my guide Mr Varish Panchal, Professor, Amity School of Architecture and Planning, Amity University, Noida for supporting and

guiding me at various stages of this project and I am honoured to learn under the leadership of my guide. I would also like to thank Amity School of Architecture & Planning, Noida for providing me this opportunity to do this research.

Most importantly I would like to convey my deepest gratitude to my family and friends, who have been very supportive since the beginning of this project. Without their support I wouldn’t have survived the numerous working days and nights.

Mrinmayee M. Bhoot A1904014062

DECLARATION This is to certify that the dissertation titled―“INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC ART ON PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE OF PLACE” has been submitted by Mrinmayee M. Bhoot, bearing the enrollment

number A1904014062, in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the five year bachelors in Architecture program at AMITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING, SECTOR -

125, NOIDA, AMITY UNIVERSITY, UTTAR PRADESH and it comprises my original work and due acknowledgement has been given to all the sources referred to in producing this document.

Name of Student: Mrinmayee M. Bhoot Enrollement Number: A1904014062 Amity School Of Architecture And Planning

Approved By: Mr. Varish Panchal (Guide)

ABSTRACT India has recently shown an interest in creating public spaces that add cultural value to cities.

At about the same time, through the initiative of organizations like StArt, street art gained a lot of traction and buzz in the metropolises at least and became an easy marker to visibly transform mundane public spaces and add an element of place identity to the city.

With the growing use of public art in spaces to enhance the quality of the urban environment, public art now deals with the realm of urban design and regeneration, with most advocates for it claiming that it helps in developing a sense of place, identity and community. Moreover, it is also linked to functioning as a landmark. This study aims to study these roles that public art plays in the city, focusing primarily on placemaking, and how public art helps to make public spaces successful by enhancing user experience of the space. As organizations continue to use public art initiatives attempt to uplift the public realm, the questions of whether such initiatives actually work once implemented, and how they impact the experience of the citizens is an avenue that needs to be researched.

Even the literature that talks about public art in the city mostly focuses on how public art works in urban regeneration and does not consider the people aspect. This study seeks to address the gap through two main questions; firstly, by understanding the types of activities that take place in such spaces and, secondly, the degree to which public art functions as a landmark for residents.

Keywords: public art, placemaking, spatial experience, sense of place

Table of contents 1. Introduction…………………………………………………….. 1 - 5 1.1 Aim…………………………………………………………. 1 1.2 Objective…………………………………………………… 1 1.3 Research questions…………………………………………. 1 1.4 Scope…………………………………………………….…. 1 1.5 Limitations…………………………………………………. 1 1.6 Methodology……………………………………………….. 4 - 5 2. Literature review 2.1 The scope of public space…….…………………………….. 6 – 12 2.1.1 Public space and the city……………………………..7 - 9 2.1.2 Principles of successful public spaces………………..10 2.1.3 Public spaces in India………………………………...11 – 12 2.2 Public art……………………………………………………..13 - 21 2.2.1 Public art and the city…………………………………..16 - 17 2.2.2 Relevance of public art………………………………….17 - 18 2.2.3 Public art in India………………………………………..19 - 21 3. Literature case studies…………………………………………….22 - 30 3.1 Cloud Gate……………………………………………………22 3.2 Tilted Arc……………………………………………………..23 3.3 Great Wall of Los Angeles……………………………………24 3.4 TILT (Together with the community)………………………...25 3.5 Street art in Ipoh……………………………………………....26 3.6 Joie de Vivre…………………………………………………..27 3.7 Detroit Industry Murals……………………………………….28 3.8 Kilburn Tube Mural…………………………………………...29 3.9 Analysis………………………………………………………..30 4. Live case studies…………………………………………………...31 - 36 4.1 Lodhi Colony…………………………………………………...32 - 33 4.2 Shankar Market…………………………………………………34 4.3 Khirkee extension……………………………………………….35 - 36 5. Research Findings……………………………………………………37 - 39 6. Conclusion……………………………………………………………40 7. Appendix………………………………………………………………41 - 42 8. Bibliography…………………………………………………………..43 - 44

Chapter 1 Introduction

Places or Spaces? Human dynamics and perspectives

“A place is…an instantaneous configuration of positions. It implies an indication of stability. A space exists when one takes into consideration vectors of direction, velocities, and time variables. Thus space is composed of intersections of mobile elements. It is in a sense actuated by the ensemble of movements deployed within it…Thus the street geometrically defined by urban planning is transformed into a space by walkers.” (de Certeau 1988:117)

1.1 AIM:

To understand the effect of artwork and explore their potential in urban spaces

1.2 OBJECTIVE:   

Provide an understanding of public art and ideas of place identity in a city in the context of human dynamics Explore the growth and perception of public art in an Indian context Explore the relationship between public space and public art in context of citizen perception and use

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS:   

To what extent does public art make a place successful?

Does placing art in a space significantly change the type of activities in the place?

What is citizen perception about the art?

1.4 SCOPE:    

To study the public spaces in Delhi that has some form of street art Understanding the types of activities that take place in public places and if street art influences them Mural street art as other forms are not prevalent in India Activities that happen in the space may not be influenced by art at all and so the study becomes very subjective

In an urban context, space and place may seem to mean the same thing objectively. Yet, they are vastly different because of the role human dynamics plays in urbanity. “Space is a practiced place”, argues Michael deCerteau. A place signifies a point in a city that functions as “ordering elements in a relationship of coexistence, space occurs as the effect produced by the operations that orient it, situate it, temporalize it, and make it function in a polyvalent unity of conflictual programs or contractual proximities” (Certeau, M.De. (1984). The Practice of Everyday Life. Los Angeles: University of California Press.) Places are significant to people when they have an identity that is understood at some level. When a place has stories and memories attached to it, it becomes an urban space.

This quality of a space of being memorable has been dubbed by researchers as “sense of place” or “imageability”, as described by Kevin Lynch. From the notion of collective memory of people about their cities, Lynch developed his concept of imageability, which illustrates how urban elements evoke an image of a place for an observer. This study focuses on the “sense of place” for observers and the elements that enhance that experience, mainly focusing on mural art on the street. The street has been highlighted in this study since of Kevin Lynch's five elements of imageability, path is predominant because it contextualizes the other four, connecting them to each other. Streetscapes depend on the visual arrangement of elements and how they relate to each other to influence peoples’ perceptions of them, thus creating a distinct character.

Then, if we talk about the human element of space perception, an important factor to consider is sociability. Urbanists like Soja, who studied what they describe as “spatiality of social life”, assert how not only do people shape cities, but are in turn shaped by those spatial arrangements as well. Public art provides a good example for examining public spaces within the city since, there exists to a certain degree, a dynamic and dialectic relationship between spaces and art, shaping each other in various ways.

For example, if we look at Cloud Gate, it perfectly encapsulates how art and space transform each other. It encourages social interaction in urban space while also making the art into a landmark because of the space it occupies. Moreover, if we look at the literature surrounding the relationship between public art and the city, there is a common thread recurring through most of it. All of these authors talk about the potential of public art in urban regeneration and mostly follow two approaches while evaluating the role art plays in the city. The first approach, which may be called “productionist” (Hall, Roberts, 2001: 19) reflects concerns mostly about the production of art and its quality is evaluated based on its reception.

The second approach, best described as “semiotic”, on the other hand evaluates public art within the ideological realm of the post-modern city embedded in a consumerist society.

This approach, however is unable to elaborate the public’s experience of public art. What both these approaches lack is studying the role of public art in urban space and that is what this study will further explore.

Further this study limits itself to the evaluation of wall art facing streets. The scope of wall art and the functions it could be employed for, depending on the purpose, context and the space within which it takes form could be as diverse-as instruments of expression or resistance through the reclamation of public spaces or public performance of politics. This in

turn, would directly influence how people who view it perceive that space and influence how they use it.

For this case, the recent surge of wall art initiatives in Delhi provides an interesting opportunity to study how wall art exemplifies the various means through which public space may be used and claimed. Initiatives undertaken by organizations such as StArt Delhi demonstrate how the cityscape of Delhi continues to change, with new narratives of space being defined constantly, such as the first “public art district� in India. From seeing art on the streets as just graffiti to a street art festival and even the institutional commissioning of the Gandhi mural by the PWD, the attitude towards street art, even from the authorities has drastically changed. Yet, research about how it alleviates the space it occupies hasn’t been conducted before. Therefore, this study aims to explore how street art in Delhi has affected the places where it is by examining activity patterns and assessing how the people who use that space perceive it.

Figure 1.1: Emergence of street art in Delhi (mashable.com)

Figure 1.2: Emergence of street art in Delhi (Google images)

1.6 METHODOLOGY

The approach used to conduct the study was through breaking it down into secondary data collection through secondary case studies and then conducting field research which would be supported by the parameters gathered through the secondary study.

Field data was mostly collected through conducting rudimentary activity mapping to determine type of activities in the spaces studied and also conduction of surveys to determine the perception of people about such spaces.

1.6.1 STRUCTURE OF SURVEY 1. Which of these places that has street art have you heard about?  Lodhi Art Colony  Shahpur Jat  Tihar Jail  Khirkee extension  Others………

2. Have you visited any of these places for the purpose of art? If not for art, what purpose was your visit for?

3. Do you think that the art you witnessed had some significance? Is that something that is important to you for connecting to a place?

4. Did you enjoy the place more because of the presence of street art?

5. Do you agree to the following statements….  

I would like more public art where I live Street art can only be understood by people with an artsy education

6. Did the place have a lasting impression on you? Why?

Chapter 2

Literature review

2.1 The scope of public space

Cultures and climates differ all over the world, but people are the same. They will gather in public if you give them a good place to do it.� –Jan Gehl

A space which everyone can access, in some form, and where people choose to gather and interact socially may be deemed a “public space”. Public space is a vital part of the urban environment, it may be the street you walk down everyday or the park you played in as a child, it is somewhere we are mostly never alone.

Public spaces are what people make of them. One of the most important aspects in almost every definition of public space is the people. Public spaces are not only a visible and available means of integrating and allowing social diversity to proliferate but they are an advertisement to the city’s image (Zukin, 1995). This is because public space offers to us a chance to breathe in the city's urban fabric. We tend to remember the places we frequent which is why when we think of New York, we think of Times square or when we think of Delhi, we think of the lawns in front of India Gate or the bustling streets of Chandni Chowk.

A city cannot be experienced without imbibing the publicness of it. Public spaces are not just a tool to define imageability in a city however. According to Madanipour (2010, p. 107), “public space is intertwined with everyday life in neighbourhoods” in such a way that it is directly related to the quality of day-to-day social life.

Thus, these spaces concern physical, social and psychological dimensions as well, all interlinked to each other. The physical dimension being the actual environment where social interaction is taking place, whereas the social dimension concerns the use of the space. (Carmona, Tiesdell, Heath, & Oc, 2010). The psychological dimension, the one we are concerned with in our research is the perception of space. It relates to how people view the space they are in and give meaning to it. This “sense of place” helps to develop a feeling of community, linking it strongly to the social and physical dimensions.

Figure 2.1.1: Public park in New York (Google images)

Figure 2.1.2: Typical market street (Google images)

Figure 2.1.2: Trafalgar square (Google images)

2.1.1 PUBLIC SPACE AND THE CITY

“Cities are fundamentally about people, and where people go and where people meet are at the core of what makes a city work. So even more important than buildings in a city are the public spaces between them. Enjoyable public spaces are the key to designing a great city. They are what make it come alive.” (TED Talk, A. Burden, 2010) “The space between buildings” is where our real communal lives unfold. It is thus seen as a key component to building a sense of community. Public space alone has the power to do that because through social interaction, it can strengthen meaningful interpersonal relationships and forging a shared identity, creating a sense of belonging. The biggest problem urban designers face is putting very intangible notions and experiences into tangible elements that people will relate to. Because a sense of community can only be fostered intangibly by the people of the community. Public spaces facilitate that by:

Providing space for interpersonal interaction—Public space gives you the chance to interact face to face with another person. It's not the same when you're conversing with someone through technology. Moreover, it gives us a chance to mingle with people we might not meet in privatised places that are tailored to our socio-economic status or range of daily activity.

Balancing safety and freedom. As social beings, we are drawn to places of communal gathering for important occasions, say for a major sports event, or even a protest. The space ensures that everyone feel welcome and safe, that is a key attribute to a place being successful.

They invite play, by both children and adults. They foster a sense of relaxation and playfulness thus playing social role in the urban fabric of a city.

They’re visibly shaped by those who occupy them. Physical representation through artistic artefacts and iconography generate different responses from the community.

Through these, inhabitants begin to develop a sense of belonging and a shared identity.

This not only fosters stewardship of the space, but also of the people within it.

Figure 2.1.1.1: Attributes of place

It is this attribute that public space contributes to its cities that we shall explore further because as mentioned above, people tend to recognize a city mostly by its public spaces.

This was perhaps best exemplified by Lynch in his book Image of The City. He identified a sensible city as one of the seven basic dimensions of city performance for good city form as shown in the figure below. For the residents to understand and perceive the city form, the city should be legible, which in turn, enhances the imageability of the city.

Figure 2.1.1.2: Table showing dimensions of good city form

Imageability to a large extent depends upon how the people in a city view a “place”. While all urban spaces are places, they may not always translate into “places” people recognize.

People must form a sense of place and attachment to a space for it to be succesful. This is where we talk about principles like placemaking. Placemaking reimagines spaces at the heart of every community, inspiring people to create and improve them, strengthening the connection between the people and the places they share.

It is a strategy of how people collectively shape their public realm. It more than just involves designing better spaces, it is also about creatively managing the patterns of activities and connections that define “place” and support its changing meaning in peoples perception. It is a process that transforms a location into a place where people live and interact.

“Placemaking is not just the act of building or fixing up a space; it is a process that fosters the creation of vital public destinations the kind of places where people feel a strong stake in their communities and commitment to making things better. Placemaking capitalizes on a local community's assets, inspiration and potential, creating good public spaces that promote people's health, happiness, and economic well-being.� (Project for Public Spaces, 2010)

Figure 2.1.1.3: Graphic representing the attributes of a Place (www.pps.org)

2.1.2 PRINCIPLES FOR SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC SPACES 

 

 

Image and Identity: Throughout history, public spaces have been the centers of community and thus they helped shape the identity of entire cities. For example, Trevi FountainHistorically, public spaces were the center of communities, and they traditionally helped shape the identity of entire cities. Public squares then were identified primarily by the civic buildings located nearby. Today, however, creating that same image is a huge challenge because of the global nature of cities and encroaching placelessness.

Attractions and Destinations: Any great square has to have a variety of places, which appeal to different people. This eventually makes the square successful because it attracts activity in the space.

Amenities: A square should feature amenities, making it comfortable for people to use. Without the assurance of comfort, a square with the most diverse activities would go unused. If a square is well-lit, it immediately feels more welcoming and safe to use. Another amenity that could highlight a public square is the presence of public art. Whether temporary or permanent, a good amenity helps establish a amiable setting for social interaction.

Access: If a square is not easy to get to, it fails in its primary intent, getting people to use it. The best squares are always easily accessible: the streets surrounding it are narrow; crosswalks are well marked, lights are timed for pedestrians and transit stops are located nearby.

Central role of management: The best places are ones that people return to time and time again. An effective way to achieve this through a management plan. It promotes ways of keeping the square safe and lively.

In most of these principles, public art can easily contextualize the others. Public art plays an important role in place identity, it becomes an attraction in and of the place and is mentioned as an amenity that makes a public space successful. Thus, public art becomes an important aspect to study.

2.1.3 PUBLIC SPACES IN INDIA ‘Much of our experience of a city depends on its public spaces. Yet in India, citizens seem unaware that they have a right to a hospitable city. No one will deny that much of what people feel about city depends on their experience of its public spaces. Are the streets safe? Are they fun to walk down? Are there lots of things to do, apart from eating in sidewalk cafes (though that is a pleasure in itself?) And yes, where will the children play.” (Burte. H, 2008) The concept of formal and informal spaces in the Indian context is not recent. If we look at Shahjahanabad, there were spaces allocated for formal or informal interaction for the public which also acted as recreational spaces. Chandni Chowk, for example, was a space dedicated completely to public use and all sorts of informal activities were prevalent there.

In old cities, in the residential areas, there were spaces which were planned for the residents to have a social interaction with their neighbours and those spaces were not just open spaces, there were certain clements like Chabutras (raised platform with tree as shade) in that space that brings people together and it would make them feel comfortable.

The concept of placemaking is not new in India. However, it has lost its value over time. In the context of India “There is no outer space without inner space". Space is constructed through self participation. This is what results in its transient nature and multiplicity of interactions (Choudhary, P. 2012). Indian cities are chaotic urban spaces which are a collage of disconnected objects, people and their activities. The biggest challenge is that public space in our metropolises is not hospitable.

In the KT Ravindran, head of the department of urban design in New Delhi “Indian cities already have great urban spaces. By putting social amenities, services and above all, a high degree of maintenance, we can once again reconnect these invaluable assets to the city without gentrifying them” The main challenge to overcome is that in India, squares aren’t necessarily designed for specific purposes rather they evolve as a result of movement patterns.

The general trend for the development of open space in India has always been the space that is left over between buildings gets deemed as the “open space”. When not managed by any authority, such spaces psychologically detach a person from their surroundings.

However, recently successful spaces are being designed due to the evolving needs of global cities.

For example, Anandrao Flyover project in Bangalore. The initiative was undertaken by Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture and Banglore based Shristi School of Art, Design and Technology who took up the beautification work to be carried out under the flyover. The result was revolutionary: from a dumping ground, the space under the flyover transformed into a bright and colourful zone. The dumping yard became a mini park with play zone for the children.

The idea of this project was to encourage people to slow down in life in public places. People who worked around these areas could use this space for recreation during breaks and parents taking their children to and from school could make use of the play areas. The purpose of this project was to propose interventions for space beneath and around flyovers, while also providing safe spaces for pedestrian, use of recycled waste, provide activities like running, playing, sitting and temporary art galleries and crafts area.

Similarly, another intervention that can transform the public realm to support diverse activities is the use of public art. As we will see in the following cases in Delhi, public art initiatives transformed public places in the capital and were able to create landmarks, revive a derelict public market and enhance the surrounding area.

Figure 2.1.3.1: Ghats, an example of a traditional public space in India (http://www.mapinpub.in)

Figure 2.1.3.2: Kankaria Lake in Ahmedabad (tripadvisor.in)

Figure 2.1.3.3: The lawns opposite India Gate in Delhi (indianexpress.com)

2.2 Public art

Art on the outside walls, not bound by them

“Public art, in all its diversity, can mediate all spaces as Places.� -John Newling

By their very nature, the terms 'public' and 'art' are difficult to define. Defining 'public art' then for us becomes a more tedious task. A review of the literature suggests that the term is open to various interpretations and may be used to imply anything from government commissioned sculptures (in public squares) to “unwanted” graffitti.

If we are to define public art, we must understand what art is and how it plays a role in our public lives. Guppy (as cited in Landcom 2008) explains that “art is an expression of the creative spirit, of our endless capacity to see the world with wit and imagination, to be innovative with materials and technologies, and to provide an engaging commentary on the times and places in which we live”. If we think about it, art is all around us in our everyday lives, as Miles (Miles, 2004) puts it, “An easy differentiation of art and everyday life is no longer viable when advertising derives its vocabulary from art, when consumer desirables are designed like sculpture, when sculpture resembles freezing cabinets, and vacuum cleaners are exhibited in art galleries”. If art truly surrounds us, now when we talk about “public art”, we must narrow our scope to the art we encounter in the public realm as being most relevant to the topic of study.

Again, there are different ways you can look at it. Selwood (Selwood, S. 1995) refers the term 'public art' to "...art intended for the public, created by the public or sited in spaces, which although not publicly owned are nevertheless intended for public use". This focuses more on permanently situated art.

“Public art is not simply art placed outside. Many would argue that traditional gallery spaces are public in their openness to interested viewers, while, conversely, others would insist that the privatisation of public space has meant that art placed in public space is not necessarily for all. Thus, public art is art which has as its goal a desire to engage with its audiences and to create spaces— whether material, virtual or imagined—within which people can identify themselves, perhaps by creating a renewed reflection on community, on the uses of public spaces or on our behaviour within them” (Sharp et al., 2005). This blurring of the public and private domains is dynamic and there is an ongoing need to re-examine this (Crane 2001).

This implies that the perception of public art has now shifted to include work that is part of the public experience of built and natural environments. This may refer to sculptures, the integration of art and architectural design itself or even temporary installations. This broad scope of public art has provided many opportunities for its implementation but has also posed an issue in terms of understanding its impact. Thus, to narrow the scope of the study further, we must look at the types of public art that may exist in the public realm and their relevance to the urban environment.

Types

There are a few classifications through which we can classify the types of public art, based on its medium. One such classification, which is mostly inclusive of all types of public art, was given by Halim. He classified public art as:

a. Performing arts such as music, dance or theatrical (or popularly known as 'happening art') performances. b. Three-dimensional visual arts such as sculpture, environmental art and installation art; or c. Two dimensional visual arts such as outdoor paintings including graffiti and mural art. d. Recent literature also includes contemporary non-visual arts as forms of public art, such as sound art or aromatic art Further, based on its purpose, we may classify public art as:

a. historical: work whick links the community to a collective memory and shared heritage.

These are usually related to historical places/people b. aesthetic: which mainly responds to the beautification of a place c. functional: which may be street furniture/signages/information boards etc (Ă–zsoy, A. & Bayram, B. (2007)) Due to the limitations of this study, we shall be focusing on mural art.

Figure 2.2: Table representing different types of street art

A mural is any form of visual art applied to, and integral with walls or other surfaces either on private or public properties with prior authorization or permission from the property owners and accessible to public. Mural art may sometimes be confused with graffiti.

However, graffiti is usually associated with vandalism, and seen as destructive to property.

According to Halsey and Young (2006), depending on the level of skill required, the intention of graffiti writer and the aesthetic value, a "piece" graffiti with a concept, sophisticated techniques and design can be accepted as an art, despite of its legal aspect.

Figure 2.2.2: A mural on a building in Cincinnati (Google images)

Figure 2.2.3: Graffiti art (Google images)

Figure 2.2.4: Banky’s art which may be considered graffiti (europosters.it)

2.2.1 PUBLIC ART AND THE CITY

In his book “Principles and Practices of Town and Country Planning,” Keeble (1952) writes that “urban planning can be described as a kind of science and art.” The design of urban spaces is what urban planning is concerned with, be it roads, public infrastructure etc. If we study the beginning of urban planning, such as the famous Paris planning, the urban beautification movement in America in the 19th century, etc, the setting of public crafts in modern urban design like sculptures and monuments were closely related to urban planning. From the perspective of the planning of the urban material shape, public art was a major element of planning.

Public art has also always been discussed against a backdrop of increasing placelessness in cities, the decline of urban centers and the degradation of "quality of life" in cities. To this regard, “place-making” remains a key imperative in public art programming. It has been stated in literature that public art contributes to the production of a site's distinction, often a city's uniqueness, which also intrinsically links it to rehierarchization of space in the social structure of cities. Public art is in a position to contribute to place-making as it forms the core of civic life in cities worldwide. It brings communities together by helping people share and connect. For example, Candy Chang, an artist trained in urban planning, engaged her community by initiating the Before I Die walls in her neighborhood. Anyone walking by these walls can pick up a piece of chalk and share their personal hopes and dreams by finishing the sentence: “Before I die I want to _______.”

Figure 2.2.1.1: “Before I Die” interactive public art (Google images)

As we can see, public art in relation to the city is often regarded as a tool that could help increase the distinctiveness, uniqueness and attractiveness of cities. It in consequence also provides work for the local economic base (see for example Hesmondhalgh, D, (2002); Howkins, J. (2001); Bianchini, F. (1999)). History is full of examples where city authorities intentionally supported art in order to gain an upper edge be it in the form of reputation or simply increasing the attractiveness over similar cities.

Especially in the post-war period, public art became much more connected to the concept of revitalisation of urban space as evident through Roosevelt's New Deal. Public art evolved to be a mediator between the users of a city and artists who wanted to highlight social issues and add to the experience in a specific place, and tried to communicate through various spatial forms (such as exposition places). An example of this is Pompidou Centre in Paris, which not only holds permanent and temporary artwork, but also performances, installations and street theatres. The 'spatialisation' of art also became prominent with the so-called phenomenon of street art. Street art arose from: “a need of free artistic expression on the public forum” and showcaed the artists' attempt to “communicate with common people about socially relevant themes without being imprisoned by aesthetic values” (Januchta-Szostak, A. (2010)). Despite its connotations with vandalism (in the form of graffitti) street art influenced the debate on how public art should be perceived and what is its role in the city.

Hall and Robertson (Hall, T.; Robertson, I. (2001)) are of the opinion that if implemented correctly, public art could add great value to the city, economically, socially, environmentally and psychologically. Their examination however, reveals that this theory has not been evaluated fully. When inspecting the impact of public art on the city they first recognize a distinction between “flagship, or prestige, regeneration projects” and “communal regeneration projects”, which more serve the needs of the community. On the basis of claims made by planners they analysed seven areas of social concern which, as advocates for public art have argued for, in the case for incorporating art into city planning.

These seven areas to be addressed by public art include: 1) developing a sense of community; 2) developing a sense of place; 3) developing civic identity; 4) addressing community needs; 5) tackling social exclusion; 6) implementing educational value and 7) promoting social change.

2.2.2 RELEVANCE OF PUBLIC ART FOR THE CITY

Public art, much like landscape architecture is often underappreciated in its contribution to the urban environment. We mostly associate visual arts with decoration, but it is more than that. As Alain de Botton has stated, “Art is propaganda for what really matters: the way we live rather the way we think we should live.”

Public art adds value to cities – it has cultural, social as well as economic benefits. It can become a distinguishing part of a city’s history and culture. Its interpretations can reflect our society, while adding meaning to our cities and communities. Public art has the potential to humanize the built environment and invigorate public space.

Cultural Value and Community Identity: Public art enhances community identity, especially in terms of what our towns look like. Places with art break the trend of sameness, giving communities a stronger sense of place and identity. This is because when we think about memorable places, we think about their icons – the St. Louis Arch, the heads of Easter Island.

The Artist as Contributor to Cultural Value: Public art also provides impetus to artists and brings them into the civic decision making process. Not just aesthetically, artists can

contribute valuably in planning public spaces and amenities. They may act as social and civic leaders, advocating for a unique perspective on the community they are involved in, challenging assumptions, beliefs, and values.

Social Value and Placemaking: Public art is a reflection of its place and time. It stands as a landmark wherever it is placed. A good example of this is Cloud Gate in Chicago. It has the power to activate our imagination and art encourages people to pay attention to the environment they occupy, thus changing how they perceive their surroundings. Art in any setting moreover stimulates learning and thought about society, our interconnected lives, and about the social sphere. In addition to that, since public art is universally accessible, it enables people to experience art in the course of their daily life. It provides everyone in a community direct and ongoing encounters with art. This facet plays a large role in making cities liveable and helps encourage social interaction in public places by encouraging thought. Thus, this is the facet of public art that we have focused on in this study.

Social Value and Collaboration: The process of creating public art is not solitary; since it will have to be experienced by the citizens once it is complete. The whole process requires the artist to share their point of view and collaborate with others in its development. In consequence, it encourages a sense of shared ownership in the community.

Economic Value and Regeneration: Public art can also be an important element when a municipality wishes to progress economically to its citizens. Studies have indicated that cities that are culturally dynamic are more attractive to individuals and businesses Public art can create civic icons, but it also can transform overlooked spaces in the city into more vibrant expressions of human imagination. By reinforcing community culture, it can act as a catalyst for urban regeneration as well. In this case, the art may be very visible, large, permanent and unmistakable as an art experience, or it may be integrated into one’s experience of place.

These points have been further highlighted in the cases of public art in the attached table, most of which are successful interventions. These case studies highlight how public art may or may not promote placemaking, through the parameters of placemaking discussed in the chapter before this. The case studies also highlight in which cases placing art was successful and how it changed the urban environment and thus, peoples’ experience of place.

As we can see in the table, various types of permanent and temporary artworks can become collective anchor-points or loci within a public space. Januchta-Szostak (2010) lists three means by which public art can achieve social integration: 1) collective participation in commemoration events; 2) spatial arrangement of interactive artworks, which encourages interpersonal relations; 3) social engagement and collaboration on cultural projects. These have in some way, been achieved in the cases we will talk about in the next chapter.

However, as pointed out by Hall and Robertson, previous analyses of public art functions on an unclear basis when it comes to evaluating its contribution to urban quality of life. The supposed contribution of public art to the upliftment of a range of urban problems is often taken for granted and its impacts haven’t actually been studied. (Phillips, P. (1988); Miles, M., Borden, I. & Hall, T. (2000); Selwood, S. (1995); Hall, T.; Robertson, I. (2001). This has a collateral effect in that public art gets implicated with gentrification and thus

producing social inequalities in space. If all elements of public art are accepted without question, it opens up possibilities for urban managers to commodify city space. As several authors have pointed out, essentialism postulates public art as a necessary component of cultural value in the city that contributes to the image of the city, while being an imagined panacea for a range of social problems.

2.2.3 PUBLIC ART IN INDIA

In an article, Gautam Bhatia described public art in India as “‘an unflattering form of political deification; it rouses no spirit in the Indian consciousness, placed as it is in the leftover space of the city. As a mismatched moment in a public scene of such debilitating flux, it often goes unnoticed. Besides, its complete incompatibility with its surrounding is a sure sign that the artist and his municipal patrons have not spoken to each other. As a result, most art oscillates between the absurdly realistic to the obscurely abstract: either a full-size Nehru or a meaningless concrete or steel form”. (Bhatia, G, 2013). This was in 2013 when public art was only just beginning to gain traction in India, not just with artists, but in government policy as well. Public art in India, came into the limelight starting with art festivals which focused on it, notable among them being Kalaghoda (in Mumbai) and 48 degrees Celcius in Delhi. 48 degrees Celcius as an art festival, really gathered buzz about how art could be used to transform “in-between spaces”.

Soon after, S+art Foundation took up the initiative to transform the capital's public spaces.

However, most such initiatives are still haphazard and suffer because of “inadequate understanding and education among society regarding the importance and benefits of Public Art (which) has led to many cases of vandalism in various Indian cities.” Still, numerous examples of public art now exist in the Capital in a way that invigorate the space that they are placed in. Similarly like Delhi, other metropolitan cities with no culture for public art have started taking interest in it, Mumbai, for example. Here however, due to the lifestyle and a lack of proper public space, any such initiatives did not succeed fully. S+art Foundation too is instrumental in taking up public art policy in other cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad. One of the foundation's goals is to revitalize unconventional and neglected public spaces and talk about issues related to the city that affect the population at large.

Figure 2.2.3.1: Art installation ‘The Mirror’ in Palika Bazaar (scroll.in)

Figure 2.2.3.2: ‘The Mirror’ after it was vandalised (scroll.in)

In 2018, with talks of a more inclusive public realm, street art or even public art is a component that cannot be ignored. The main problem that public art in India currently faces is that a lot of people are still unaware about it, and view it as vandalism or don't understand it enough to interact with it. An example of this is Bhupat Dudi’s sculpture The

Mirror at Connaught Place’s Palika Bazaar. It was meant to encourage the public to look at themselves thus providing social commentary as well encouraging interaction within the public plaza. However, the installation was vandalised as soon as it was placed. It is now used by passers by to sit on and for vendors to sell their wares.

The reason for this, according to Alka Pande, an art critic and curator in IHC, is that “We are not an art-appreciating community. There needs to be education at the school level. But, sadly our school system is such that art (fine or otherwise) is considered a subject for the unintelligent.” The creation by Karnataka’s S Gopinath, titled Inherent Conversations has a similar story. Also located in Palika Bazaar, it invites people to sit on it and interact.

However, at most times, you’ll only find a tired shopper sitting there or someone waiting for someone else. Pande says the placement of the sculptures in a busy market requires planning. “If shoppers, tired and hot, see a place to sit on, then why won’t they? Saying that they don’t deserve art is not right. Art is something that exists for most people within a white cubed space. Removed from the general public. In such a scenario putting a seemingly unidentified stone sculpture in the middle of the market is like putting a hothouse plant in the middle of the desert.”

Figure 2.2.3.3: Various examples of public art/sculpture installations in Delhi, in Lodhi Gardens, CP etc (http://indpaedia.com)

It is this attitude of the people, their perception that art only belongs within museums that becomes a point of contention when talking about public art in the Indian context.

However, with the upsurge of organizations like StArt, this attitude is changing. In fact, wall art in the Indian context retains a mix of its origins through graffiti and new forces of expression in terms of both style and content.This acceptance of art in the public sphere is most evident in New Delhi as it has become one of the first cities in India to adopt strategies for Public Art and incorporate it within development policies. The Unified Building Bye Laws for Delhi [17] has included a chapter stating the provisions of Public Art. Following are few of the clauses extracted from the document:   

‘The extent of public art (measured in terms of cost) should be at least 1 percent of the cost of construction of the structure as per prevailing CPWD rates.

Public art work shall be incorporated in the building sanction plans for scrutiny by Delhi Urban Art Commission’.5 The document also cites the role of various local authorities to expend up to 2%, but not less than 1% of the cost of building works for works of art: ‘Design proposals submitted must outline how the sum of money allocated to art is to be utilized. Local authorities, while giving building approvals, should see that the scheme for incorporation of art, as approved by the Delhi Urban Art Commission, is effectively implemented’.

It is true that art can invigorate transitional public spaces and create an image of the place in people's minds. It can activate otherwise dead space and create an identity for the city. An important factor to consider when talking about public art in a city is the audience it caters to. Different users of a space have different needs and views towards urban space and public art intervention within it. Hence, every person may experience a place with street art in it very differently. In the following chapters, through various case studies, we will see how public art affects the urban spaces it inhabits, and how people who visit that space perceive it. In the context of Delhi, the case studies will highlight how street art transformed the spaces it inhabited, and also how it garnered public interest, thus becoming a landmark to the city in its own right.

Chapter 3

LITERATURE CASE STUDIES 3.1 CLOUD GATE

Cloud Gate, is a contemporary sculpture created by Anish Kapoor in 2003. It was created to be a permanent installation for the park by as part of the park’s public art program. Kapoor’s design was chosen over another artist’s in a design competition.

Initially, the public reaction to it was strange because of its kidney like form. The weird bean shaped metallic sculpture was something that the people needed to interact with to fully comprehend. Going up close and getting to touch it made them change their opinions about this artwork. It is called Cloud Gate because eighty percent of the surface of the sculpture reflects the sky. Cloud Gate is an iconic piece representing the cultural value of the city in the park. From its initial unveiling, it managed to connect with the peoples’ imagination, easily becoming one of the must-see attractions of the city.

Reasons for success: In this case, the placement of the sculpture and the fact that people could go and interact with it played a big role in it becoming a cultural landmark of the city. Since the sculpture is placed in a public park, it is easily accessible to anyone who wants to see it and take photos of/with it. Moreover, its size and material also play a role in making it very easily recognizable. Perhaps if people couldn’t go up to the sculpture and touch it or take photos of it, it wouldn’t have attracted this much attention.

Effect on urban environment: The sculpture helps to enhance the space it’s in by becoming a visual landmark for the people. It enhances the legibility of the space for the people who visit the park thus making it a memorable place while also encouraging people to use the space around it for diverse activities like picnics or concerts. The placement of artwork, in this context, then serves the purpose of enhancing and creating activity in the space around it while also serving as a landmark that people remember.

Figure 3.1.1: People taking photos in front of the sculpture (Google images)

Figure 3.1.2: Temporary light installation to go with the sculpture (Google images)

3.2 TILTED ARC This was a contemporary art sculpture installed in front of the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building within the Federal Plaza in New York City. The sculpture was a rusted slope of curved steel, 12 feet high and 112 feet long.

The site for its installation was specifically chosen because a lot of important government agencies were located in the building in front of the plaza. The plaza represented an area of great commercial power in the city and the sculpture was meant to provide commentary on that. Another reason for choosing the plaza was that it was always active.

It formed a busy intersection for business professionals on their way to and from work.

Serra intended the design to be able to participate in an effective dialogue with its environment. It engulfs and surrounds viewers, which forces them to engage in a physical relationship with the space, thus creating a totally dynamic, multi-sensory experience in the area. The sculpture was met with criticism though, because they felt that it was more of an eyesore, which would attract “graffiti” and rats. They also contended that the sculpture compromised the security and surveillance of the plaza.

Reasons it failed: The Tilted Arc is perhaps the most famous case of public art that didn’t work. The major reason it didn’t work was the way it interacted with the people. A lot of the public felt that it was an eyesore and it wasn’t something that you stopped to look at on the way to work. Serra’s concept wasn’t to beautify space by placing art which is where Tilted Arc failed. Moreover, people also complained that it generally diminished the urban environment around it, by making it less safe and attracting vagrant activities. Thus, people’s perception of the space played a key role in getting the sculpture finally removed from the plaza.

Figure 3.2.1 and 2: Different views of the Tilted Arc sculpture in Federal Plaza in New York (Google images)

3.3 GREAT WALL OF LOS ANGELES

The Army Corps of Engineers recruited Judith F. Baca in 1974 for a beautification project near a flood control channel in Los Angeles, the Tujungo Wash drainage canal in the San Fernando Valley. The project also included a mini-park and bicycle path. Baca had the idea of painting a mural paying homage to the city’s history and diversity to help enhance the area. The “Great Wall” project has gathered support of many community and government organizations and also garnered the support of the local community in helping create it. It was already a massive project in 1976 when a group of 80 youths joined Baca to help in painting the history of California from the viewpoint of different ethnic groups: their contributions to the state and how they endured through obstacles.

By 1980, the mural stretched almost half a kilometre. And it keeps growing, each year, a new layer being added to it by local communities in and around the area. The vision for the mural is that it will run for nearly a mile, depicting all the major events that took place in various decades in California and also have space for future panels to be painted as years go by.

Reasons for success: The major reason this project was successful was because it took local context into consideration. By involving the community in the process of creating the mural, they not only garnered interest in the project but also enhanced social interaction by providing the community a creative activity that would ultimately enhance their environment. Then again, the significance of the mural and how it depicted the history of the state also played a role in people deeming it to be a landmark.

Effect on urban environment: The mural was commissioned to be part of a beautification project along a flood control channel. So, in that respect, it has enhanced the surrounding area and encourages people to visit it and walk around or bicycle along the channel. The urban environment has been alleviated due to the mural and also it encourages social interaction through community participation in the painting process.

Figure 3.3.1: A stretch of the Great Wall of LA (Google images)

3.4 TILT (Together Protect the Community)

TILT (Together Protect the Community) is a mural painted by John Pitman Weber in 1976.

It was meant to be presented as commentary against gentrification. It depicts the residents of Logan Square in Chicago defending their homes from new developments.

Positive images are painted on the south side while negative images such as encroachment are painted on the north side, where only locals can look at them. The building on which the mural is painted remains in dispute so the permanency of the art and the message it conveys is in question.

The artist had this to say about his work, "I said every mural from now on was going to be an experiment, that I'm not going to do any murals where I'm repeating myself, that I know how to do it now so I can teach other people how to do it. I felt like in '76 I knew every trick inside out. I said, this was a great experience, but now we have to reinvent. So I've been pushing that line ever since."

He felt that art could be a symbolic element to depict the struggle for public space, and it could become a rallying point. While developers would prefer a clean slate, the art could depict the actual historical significance of the region.

Reasons for success: The mural didn’t necessarily aim on beautifying its surroundings or on enhancing the activities in its space by attracting people. It was painted to depict the struggles of a community and that is why it gained recognition. People could relate to it and so when they passes it, they would stop to look at it, and their experience and how they viewed Logan Square changed.

Effect on urban environment: By providing social commentary, the mural brought the community’s issues to the forefront. This is something that only public art can do, and is an important function it facilitates to the city. It provides a depiction of issues in a way that is legible to everyone and accessible to everyone, and thus becomes a rallying point, fulfilling a primary role of public space, a place for political discourse.

Figure 3.4.1: TILT by John Pitman Weber (Google images)

3.5 STREET ART IN IPOH, MALAYSIA

Ernest Zacharevic, a local artist in Ipoh, thought about using art as a means for urban regeneration in his locality. He enhanced the old charm of local culture by depicting scenes from everyday street life of the community on the walls. He pioneered seven public art projects around Jalan Panglima carpark, Market Street, Jalan Bijeh Timah, Concubine Lane 3, as well as two along Jalan Tun Sambanthan and Jalan. Most of these were later, in fact, an initiative by the state government of the region.

Most of the buildings in the area were in poor condition and displayed a negative image of the old city before the initiative of regeneration was taken by local artists. The art transformed the backlanes of a dying area into vibrant public places that attracted visitors who came there to look at art. Moreover, even the local community were given a chance to paint murals along Jalan Masjid. The public arts produced by the participants are part of Ipoh Mural Art trail that covers places from Jalan Tun Sambanthan to Jalan Bandar TimahJalan PanglimaJalan Bijeh Timah-Jalan Market and Jalan Sultan Iskandar, before ending at Jalan Masjid. The event also involved exchange students from China and Japan. This involvement showcases how such a project can initiate social interaction among the community Reasons for success: The public was very willing to participate in the public arts program to the point where building owners were requesting their walls to be painted. A reason for this could be the community involvement. Another reason for success could be the fact that this project took place in the old part of the city, an area already pretty memorable to the citizens. By regenerating it and adding vibrancy to it, people were given impetus to go to these places again.

Effect on urban environment: The purpose of this project was to regenerate the old parts of the city which it did. The art on the walls attracted a lot of people turning dead space into a vibrant hub of activity. Thus, it also ensured the general upliftment of the surrounding areas. It improved the peoples experience of the space by making it safer and more accessible to everyone.

Figure 3.5.1,2,3,4: Mural street art in the lanes of Ipoh, Malaysia (Google images)

3.6 JOIE DE VIVRE

Joie de Vivre is a 70 feet tall sculpture located in Zuccotti Park in the financial district in Manhattan. Zuccotti Park is a small public space. Di Suvero’s piece dominates it and towered over the impassioned collective action that took place beneath it in 2011. Its structure is based on open ended tetrahedrons. It was a movable installation designed by Mark di Suvero and it was displayed in four cities, on main thoroughfares with a lot of human activity. He titled it Joy of Life and coloured it a bright red to signify the other joys in life and take people’s mind off work. It is now permanently located in New York.

However, despite its bright colour and form, it failed to garner the sort of identity a similar piece like it had done (Calder’s Flamingo, displayed in Chicago). It became a locus for gathering during the Occupy Wall Street protest in 2011 and yet went unacknowledged.

As many as 2000 people would gather in the park for the general assemblies but none of them looked upwards. The Occupied Wall Street Journal even called Joie de Vivre “The Weird Red Thing.”

Reasons for failure: This public art installation is perhaps the weirdest to have not become a landmark for the city. Despite being in a public park where an important protest such as Occupy Wall Street unfolded, people did not connect with it. This could be attributed to its placement. Were it placed in a park like Millennium Park where Cloud Gate is, and where people are more likely to go and unwind, it might have been better recognized. In it’s current setting, it does not do anything to enhance a person’s experience of the space, which could be a reason it did not get significance.

Figure 3.6.1,2: Joie de Vivre by di Suvero in New York (Google images)

3.7 DETROIT INDUSTRY MURALS

The murals were commissioned by William Valentiner in 1932 and were painted by Diego Rivera in eight months. They depict the development of industry and the history of the city of Detroit. Rivera conceived them as a tribute to Detroit’s workforce. The murals have been painted on the four walls of the Garden Court in the Detroit Institute of Arts.

The murals (27 in all) are rife with Christian themes and utopian symbolism. Rivera toured the Fird River Rouge Plant in Michigan in order to research the automobile industry, an integral part of Detroit’s culture. The murals were met with some controversy when they were unveiled in 1933. A lot of people objected to the depiction of different races and some of the images in the murals which they found offensive. Despite the racist objections against the murals and the artist behind them, their depiction of Detroit’s history has made them iconic to the city.

Reasons for success: The murals have become a celebrated icon for the city and thus garner a lot of activity in the Museum court they are in. However, the fact that they are in a museum, even though it is accessible to all diminishes their value as being truly public.

The controversy that surrounded the unveiling of the murals arose because most patrons of the museum then were white and could not fully appreciate the mix of culture depicted in the murals. They would have been more legible to the general public and moreover, the murals being inside a museum diminishes the effect they have on peoples’ experience in a truly public place.

Figure 3.7.1: Courtyard where the mural is placed

Figure 3.7.3: Mural on the south wall

Figure 3.7.2: Illustration depicting industrial heritage of Detroit

3.8 KILBURN TUBE MURAL

A tube station in London that had become an eyesore was transformed by the painting of this mural. The mural was so well received that it is now a welcoming landmark for the area. The Kilburn Tube Mural is located on a busy road serving as an artery into London from The North and outside the heavily used Kilburn Tube Station.

The mural spans four walls and during its design, all information about it and its relevance to the community was displayed so that passers by had a better understanding of the project. This helped as a cohesive tool in the community because the locals learned a lot about the history of the area they lived in. The locals were also involved throughout the consultation process. The biggest sign that the locals accepted the project is that it hasn’t been vandalised by other graffiti.

Reasons for success: As mentioned above, by involving the community in the design process of the mural, it helped add transparency to the project. Plus, the space that this mural transformed was a widely used tube station. So, a lot of people were able to view it which anchored it as a sort of landmark for the area.

Effect on urban environment: The main objective of the project was to revive an old tube station so that it would be more pleasing for the people who used the station for their daily commute. It was able to achieve that while also promoting culture in the area.

Figure 3.8.1: Mural on Kilburn tube station (Google images)

3.9 ANALYSIS

After going through the different examples of public art and assessing the parameters that either integrated it into the public realm or was rejected by it, one common theme is apparent. The role of public art in placemaking depends almost exclusively on human dynamics. If we further evaluate what made these particular cases of public art successful, we can come up with a set of four prime indicators which ensure that the art placed in the public realm will have a positive impact on people and will enhance the urban environment it occupies. Since these are literature studies, the exact pattern of activities could not be studied that this placement generates and thus the experience it creates for people. However, that has been further explored in live case studies with the help of the indicators taken from the literature studies.

The four indicators that integrate public art and the public realm in the best way are:  Community involvement: As we’ve seen in the examples above, the projects that actively involved the community in the design and even painting process of any public mural/artwork were better received by the general population. This is because if the community is involved in the design stage, the issues of the community are better highlighted in the art or the art is much more legible to the immediate community and a sense of shared ownership is formed. 





The ability to interact with the art: An important attribute of public space is its potential for play. A successful urban space invites citizens to play and not think about their mundane lives in work. Thus, if public art facilitates this attribute and adds to it, it is well received by the citizens as evidenced by Cloud Gate.

Significance behind art: Usually, if the art tells an important story, highlighting some social cause or depicting local history, it is instantly recognizable to people because they can connect with it easily. This also plays an important role in the public’s experience of art in a public space which in turn enhances their experience in the space itself, making the place a landmark in their memories.

Placement of art: This is another very important aspect that determines how people experience a space that has public art. For example, art under flyovers works only to the degree of enlivening dead space. It doesn’t actually contribute to placemaking in this case. If art is placed in the immediate context of the public, for example like in the case of Lodhi colony, it becomes much more memorable and enhances their experience of the place.

Chapter 4

LIVE CASE STUDIES In the beginning: Street art festival, 2014

Tiffany Conklin mentions how street art is a window into the city’s soul in her dissertation “Street-Art Ideology and Public Space”. Delhi’s first street art festival was held in the winter of 2014, finally formalizing a growing interest of the citizens of art outside museum spaces.

It began in Shahpur Jat, a small urban village which stood as a poignant metaphor for the city – a space with stark contrast in its socio-economic culture. The village itself was inhabited by traditional hand weavers and housed colour dye shops, the outer perimeter having been gentrified with boutiques and bohemian cafes. The idea behind starting the project here was to get people to explore Shahpur Jat, and get them to experience the true essence of the neighbourhood.

Once the first wall was painted, a lot of buzz gathered around the project because that wall became a local landmark for people to find their way around. The festival took off from there. The locations that StArt decided to use for the festival (Shahpur Jat, Khirkee extension, Lodhi colony, PWD office etc) showcase their philosophy well. The organization aims to reclaim the city’s civic spaces and transform the urban fabric. Most of their experiments are rooted in social activism and urban design and are touted with creating India’s first open air art district. However, their very first intervention, the street art in Shahpur Jat has mostly been removed. There was a time you could find a lot of it around the village, but now you have to go through every by-lane to come across even 2 or 3. This leads to the question of citizen perception about public art in general and street art in particular.

The walls of Shahpur Jat were painted to enhance a person’s experience that used that space. While trying to evaluate whether the person’s experience was enhanced, we must also keep in mind how much they connect to and recognize the art as culturally significant.

Hence, the case studies I have chosen not only highlight how the space was transformed because of the presence of street art, but also how street art was duly recognized as a tool for place-making and community upliftment. While Shahpur Jat would have been the ideal case to study human experience in the presence of street art, the removal of most of it hinders our study.

Figure 4.1: The street art in Shapur Jat (Pictures in 2014 (Google images)) versus the condition now

4.1 CASE 1: Lodhi Art District

Introduction: Lodhi colony had symmetrical blocks created in a localized typology. The façades that it presented were beautiful, large and symmetric. It was mainly government housing whose boundary walls StArt decided to paint. The walls before they were painted were drab and monotonous. The stretch picked by the organization was the area between Khanna market and Meherchand market, two of the oldest markets in the region.

Figure 4.1.1: Government colony On Lodhi road where the art has been placed

Art present: The main intent in Lodhi colony was to create multiple murals in the form of an open gallery where people could come and spend a few hours exploring the city. The art in the area varies from murals providing social commentary on women empowerment to walls that are just aesthetically pleasing.

Reasons for placing: The reason for picking Lodhi colony was that it’s pedestrian-friendly. It’s also well organized in the sense that it’s easily navigable. It’s location in south Delhi and based in a government residential colony also played a role in choosing it to be where the art district came up.

Figure 4.1.2: Vishwaroopa by Inkbrushnme

Activities that take place there: Since the area is a quiet residential colony, most activity that took place there before it was transformed into an art district was to and fro human traffic, either in cars or on foot. Roadside food kiosks and vegetable vendors were the common activity generators. The two edges of the area were always active however, since two prominent markets are located here.

After the open air gallery was unveiled however, there has Figure 4.1.3: Fearless by Shilo been a change in the type of activities. People now visit this area for photo shoots or filming music videos. Some of the residents who were questioned also said they like to walk down the stretches of road that have art present on them. People specifically come to Lodhi colony just to look at and take pictures of the murals on the walls.

Figure 4.1.4: Order chaos by Daleast

Figure 4.1.5,6,7: Activities in the area: people taking photos in front of the art, a tea stall that got famous because of the painted wall behind him, a vegetable vendor setting up his shop near a painted wall to be more recognizable

Analysis: Of the four parameters that we got which make public art in an area successful and enhance user experience of that space, Lodhi Art District fulfils all of them. There are almost 27 murals throughout the colony, and some of them chose to involve the community in the process of creation. The area where the art is ensures that it is easily accessible and people are also able to easily interact with the art, taking photos in front of it or using it as a backdrop for their music videos. A lot of the murals too, have symbolic meaning behind them like the WE LOVE DELHI mural or the mural of Rani Laxmi Bai. This helps citizens form an instant connection to the art and hence makes it more memorable.

4.2 CASE 2: Shankar Market

Introduction: One of the oldest markets in central Delhi, Shankar market was constructed just a few years before Independence. Before 2014, its buildings were run-down and it was frequented by a niche clientele.

Art present and reason for placing: The NDMC along with a local group, Delhi Street Art started an

initiative to revive the market. It’s a project begun by the NDMC to make the market more attractive to a younger crowd. The murals don’t follow any theme, though most of them depict everyday life in bright colours.

Activities that take place there: Being an old renowned clothes market, most of the human traffic here is people who have come to shop. Through the painting and revamping of the market building, new activities were not generated in the area. However, it did attract new people who hadn’t come to the market before to spend some time in the market.

Figure 4.2: Street art on the buildings in the market

Analysis: The parameter of art placement is what makes this street art project most successful.

The street art helped revive the market and it did change citizens perception about the space, however, since the art itself does not hold any significance to the people and it being on top of buildings rather than on more accessible boundary walls, the interactive element of public art gets lost. The community was involved in the painting of the murals and in fact the New Central Market Traders Union supported and encouraged the project.

However, the Shankar Market Traders’ Association did not appreciate the designs for the wall art that was to be done there. This ensuing process of legal notices and complaints showcases how art in this context resulted in a different experience of the space for not only those frequenting it but within the members of the unions who have shops in the marketplace.

4.3 CASE 3: Khirkee and Khirkee extension

Introduction: Over the years, as many other parts of Delhi, the village of Khirki too has undergone rapid urbanisation to form ‘Khirkee Extension’ on one side of the village. This place is a crossroads of sorts between areas representative of old and new India. A mix of older village familes, recent migrants (some even from Africa), middle class students and low class laborers give this area a unique mix of society, economic class and culture.

Since it’s an unauthorized colony, a lot of the buildings here were under threat of demolition.

Another issue predominant in the narrow unlit lanes of the village is that this is a ‘male space’ where women are unwelcome.

Art present and reason for placing: Khirkee Extension was one of the first public art interventions in Delhi and aimed to reclaim public space through enabling citizens to paint on their walls. A lot of the work here is very contextual to its site. For example, the work of Sreejata Roy who along with a group of painted the wall near a basement chai shop in their neighbourhood. She has other such work depicting women in settings where they are not welcome initiating conservation about the safety and inclusion of women in these male dominated spaces.

Activities that take place there: The mural encouraged the customers at the tea stall to ask if they could bring their families along to have them painted onto his wall. The intent was that women should feel free to use that space which they did achieve at the cobbler shop where, again, they painted women onto a wall. Once the painting was done, the cobbler was surprised to find a sudden

female clientele where before only mean came to Figure 4.3.1,2,3: Murals depicting women on the get their shoes mended there. Moreover, women streets of Khirkee stop by these walls to photograph the paintings on their phones.

Analysis: This study best exemplifies the role public art can play in enhancing an urban space and making it safe for women. Through the simple act of painting a few walls and strategically placing them, the art was able to change the women’s experience of the area. The main parameters at play here are the placement of the art and the significance behind it. By deciding to paint women instead of men, Roy inserted protest into the street by questioning the very absence of actual women in these spaces. The fact that she created these murals after talking to the girls in the area and their wants also contributed to the art being able to successfully transform the area.

Chapter 5

RESEARCH FINDINGS Rudimentary activity mapping was conducted to determine how users of the space interact when street art is present. The activities before and after the walls were painted were evaluated to check if the presence of art significantly changed how the urban space was used.

Apart from activity mapping, the residents of the area and people who have visited the places before were questioned about their experience in the area to assess to what degree art played a role in their sense of place in the area.

For example, in the case of Lodhi colony, which was the prime case study, the presence of street art did not drastically change the intensity of activities. However, it did introduce a new layer of activity where people would come to the area just to look at the art and take photos. Lodhi colony was, however, very successful in becoming a cultural landmark for the city. All of these points have been covered in the previous chapter where the live case studies have been detailed out. Lodhi colony was chosen as the prime case study as it is touted as a “public art district” and the main initiative of the project was to help people experience art outside museums. It has been the most successful case of citizen perception about public art because The questionnaire mainly assessed how much art influenced the users’ activities in the area and how they perceived this art. In addition to this, residents were also asked if they were disturbed or their activities hampered during the painting process.

The first question tried to determine how many of the places that had street art were recognized by the citizens. Since the research takes about sense of place and placemaking, recognisability is a key determinant in assessing the peoples’ perception of street art.

Lodhi colony and Shahpur Jat are the best known of them all since they were widely publicized during the street art festival held in 2014. The rest like Tihar jail may not have been so well known due to the place they were in (being situated on the periphery wall of a highly secure jail) but were known by people interested in art and design.

The reasons for people going to these areas were almost equally divided between just for street art and other purposes. People visited these areas (like Lodhi colony and Shahpur Jat) mainly for shopping or eating out (as determined by activity mapping). However, when asked if street art helped enhance their experience in the area, most responded positively.

Figure 5.1: Pie chart showing if the reason for going was just art or other

Figure 5.2 Pie chart showing if the citizens’ experience was enhanced

Along the same lines, when the residents of the areas were questioned if they used the space because of the art present, which made the place more pleasant for them; the responses were mostly divided between positive and negative. While for most residents in the areas studied, the art was just something they saw in passing during their daily commute, it did form a new image of their locality and became a landmark to guide new people who visited the area.

When asked if the art the users saw had any significance to them and if that determined how they felt about it, many responded that if they could connect to the art in some way, like if it had a message, they were drawn more to it and it made them want to visit the place again just for the art. For example, in Khirki, when the residents were questioned about the significance of the art, they mentioned how by painting a distinct artwork on a residential wall, that wall sort of became a landmark to guide people around and the people who lived there became famous. Similarly, women were more comfortable in visiting certain places because of the art and how it spread a social message about the place of women in their society.

Lastly, the respondents were asked how much they agreed with the following statements.   

Public art made the space distinctive to visit I would like more public art where I live Street art can only be understood by people who have an artsy education

These questions were asked to determine to what degree street art influenced the respondents’ sense of place and how much they felt street art could further enhance their experience in that area. Most responded positively and agreed with the first two statements and did not think they needed to have a background in art education to be able to understand street art.

Lastly, to understand if street art helped make the place memorable to the users, they were asked if the place had a lasting impression on them. For most it did and the reason they stated was the street art present there.

Figure 5.3 Pie chart depicting if the place had a lasting impression on the respondent

Chapter 6

CONCLUSION

Based on citizen perception on public art and its impact on urban environment in Delhi, it can be concluded that public art has had a mostly positive impact either physically, socially or culturally in the city. As evidenced by the cases studied in the chapters above, we can clearly see the role that public art plays in the urban environment.

In the case of Lodhi colony, it clearly indicates the role that public art plays in placemaking and how it can become a cultural landmark for the city. This was assessed not just through the type of activities that the art generated, but also through surveys which determined citizen perception about the place where art was displayed. Most respondents mentioned that the place had a lasting impression on them and that public art had a role to play in this.

The case of Shankar Market demonstrated how government collaboration could help revive an old market complex, generating new users for it by garnering interest in the environment surrounding it. Public art in this case as well was instrumental in changing the public perception about the market which they thought was mostly run-down before it was revamped.

Perhaps the best example of street art being instrumental in changing how people experienced a place can be seen in Khirki extension. The murals of the women on the walls of spaces predominantly occupied by men helped make the women feel a bit more comfortable in approaching those spaces. This also illustrates how public art with a social message can help enhance the general surroundings of a neighbourhood.

The study demonstrates that the general Indian population is finally getting used to the idea of seeing art out on the streets, not just confined within the walls of a museum. Unlike with the cases of installations, street art is far more accessible to everyone since the message it attempts to convey is far more direct. This is instrumental in understanding how public art works in creating an image for the city. Residents were far more positively responsive to street art that they could understand and thus it was more likely that the art would enhance their experience in the place. This study thus was able to explore how the placing of art outside a building would change the citizens’ perception of “outside�. This could further help us explore how placing certain art in certain contexts would enhance the space. Most art that was studied in the research was very site-specific and could thus garner certain reactions from the people. This could help us understand that if we were to employ a public art intervention the tools to employ and what strategies would work.

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Public Art and Urban Design: Evolution of Signs and Placemaking by Kate Bonansinga and Danilo Palazzo, College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, University of Cincinnati