Public and private: where art lives
This article was originally published in McMaster University’s Alumni Blog in 2012.
When Carol Becker, dean of Columbia University’s School of the Arts, came to Hamilton to present a public talk on the role of artists as public intellectuals, she couldn't pick a more appropriate place to speak. Set in the Art Gallery of Hamilton's art boutique, the Design Annex, this public lecture was filled to the brim, so much so that many had to stand to listen to Becker's talk.
The event had more than 75 people in attendance, including distinguished scholars, students and arts professionals. Sponsored by the Office of the President, this lecture is part of the ongoing McMaster Seminar on Higher Education series, addressing key challenges confronting academic institutions and its various external and internal communities. Past Seminar on Higher Education events include talks on research on teaching and learning and its impact on student learning. This event, the first to take place off campus, was co-presented by Mac10, the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Public Intellectuals Project.
Becker's talk, titled Artists as Public Intellectuals, shifted the lens to the public life, with a focus on the artist. On one hand, there is the artwork – the product. On the flip side, there is the artist – the creator. Becker asked that we look at artists at a broader capacity: as intellectuals that engage the public sphere.
In doing so, Becker questioned the boundaries between public and private spaces, asking: where do the arts fit? Paintings that grace museum walls are often the personal collections of artists, either by donation or purchase. The museum itself is a public space, with hundreds paying visit to catch a glimpse of the featured artwork. In a public space, one tries to find solitude to connect at a deeper level with the piece of art. As you gaze upon the art, this creates a sense of ownership and intimacy, a private moment between you and the artwork. This private space works simultaneously within the public space of the museum. With the public-private boundary blurring at this fundamental level, we begin to see how art could operate at a public level to create open dialogue involving and mobilizing people.
Becker also discussed the concept of utopia in this public-private realm. Utopia refers to what she calls an "imaginative good place," an ideal humanity. It is always communal; there isn't a utopia of one. Paul Ramírez Jonas' public art project titled Key to the City in New York City encapsulates this sense of belonging by bestowing citizens the right to unlock various gates and doors to museums, graveyards and more. Traditionally, a key to the city is a welcoming gesture to honorary members, public figures and celebrities, signifying that they will always have access to the city. Jonas turned this metaphor the other way to showcase civic pride with the city unlocking itself to citizens and visitors. There were 24 locations to access, including businesses like Eddie's Sweets Shop and others in plain sight like the George Washington Bridge.
As Becker reflected on recent public protests, including the Arab Spring and the Occupy Movement, she outlined her belief that the notion of a public space is all the more important for people to gather and unite as a whole. Even the most high-tech group, as she noted, needs a public space to show protest. She cited the way social media and online media are used to disseminate ideas and share information. But in the end, for real societal change to happen, Becker believes it must take place in a physical location, where people congregate in person.
In many ways, Becker's talk also straddled between the public and private world. Hosted in a private space (the Annex), her lecture was open to the public, drawing the attention of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Questions were aplenty and there was no shortage of discussion after the event had ended. In addition to the talk in person, there was another conversation online happening at the same time. Users were live-tweeting the event using hash tag #BeckerAGH, creating another form of 'public dialogue' online.
As artists define and articulate their role in the 21st century, it is not just necessary to think of the evolving nature of public and private spaces, but also the connection in between. The merging between both worlds and the way in which they complement one another will be instrumental in shaping public thought.
A video recording of Carol Becker's talk is available here.
More on McMaster's Seminar on Higher Education and its upcoming lectures here.