FCS worked with artists Miki Iwasaki and Christopher Puzio to curate, produce and promote Public Art Matters, an exhibition focused on the cultural and economic opportunities offered by public art in San Diego and beyond. The event was hosted by Woodbury University School of Architecture’s San Diego Campus in Barrio Logan.
The exhibition included an eclectic collection of drawings, photographs and models of completed works and collections in San Diego, scale models of built and unbuilt works, mock-ups, and full-scale components of artwork and artist’s statements. Documentary videos of various San Diego projects and artists were screened throughout the event.
While the initial catalyst for the show was the Port of San Diego’s decision to dramatically cut its Public Art Program (from $1.2 million to $600,000), the opportunity to share the artists’ stories, processes and work, and in that the value of their work, which that serves as a foundation of San Diego’s cultural landscape. In the end we agreed, what we really wanted to do was relay why public art matters to any region, city or culture.
Participating artists included Dia Bassett, Adam Belt, Neil & Tiffany Bociek, Roman deSalvo, Matt Devine, Miki Iwasaki, Anne Mudge, Margaret Noble, Jose Parral, Christopher Puzio, Joyce Cutler Shaw, Patrick Shields, Lynn Susholtz, Shinpei Takeda and Allison Wiese. Participating art groups and organizations include Agitprop, Art Produce, Chicano Park, Gail M. Goldman Associates (on behalf of the County of San Diego), Green Public Art, the Port of San Diego Public Art Office, San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture, San Diego International Airport Art Program and UCSD’s Stuart Collection.
The event was endorsed by Art San Diego, FoundationForForm Architecture & Development, Hollis Brand Culture, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, RJC Architects, San Diego Architectural Foundation, Set & Drift, Subtext Gallery and Urban Land Institute San Diego / Tijuana Chapter. Sponsors were Stone Brewing Company and Woodbury University School of Architecture.
PRESS
San Diego CityBeat: Why Public Art Matters
San Diego Union Tribune: 'Public Art Matters' opens today
San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles: Public Engagement
photos by Stacy Keck
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