“It was a crazy spectacle! A column was being moved under the suspended boat, then lined up. Visitors happened by in that dramatic moment. When it fell into place, they applauded and cheered,” says Dublin Arts Council’s Public Art Manager Ava Morgan. “Seeing that spontaneous, non-facilitated action gave me the opportunity to witness what public art can do.”
Morgan recalls the installation of The Boat in the Field by artist Ilan Averbuch, recently dedicated in Dublin’s M.L. “Red” Trabue Nature Reserve.
She sees public art and community engagement as synonymous.
“Members of the community witnessed the installation for a week and a half. It was a great opportunity to see the labor, effort and science it takes to orchestrate the installation of a public artwork,” she says. “Ilan was there every day wearing a hard hat, not immediately recognizable as the artist. People were taken by surprise and were able to lean in, shake hands, ask questions and light up as they experienced this rare opportunity to be with a public artist at work.”
Arts education integration
Arts education is integral to Dublin’s public art experience.
An ARTbox, inspired by the Little Library concept, is being installed near The Boat in the Field, programmed with open-ended prompts to spark imagination and assist the viewer in assigning meaning to the artwork.
Viewers are encouraged to leave written responses in the ARTbox with future opportunities for audio and digital responses under consideration.
Dublin’s public art collection can be explored via a cell phone tour with 22 stops featuring
captioned recordings by the artists. This tool allows the listener to get inside the mind of the artist, sharing their vision and inspiration in their own voice.
Dublin Arts Council’s Sense of Place Fieldbook is available for those interested in deeper exploration. The guide focuses on Dublin’s large-scale permanent collection – including prompts to explore the inner workings of public art through drawing, writing and listening exercises – and can be accessed through website download or picked up at Dublin Arts Council.
Civic engagement
Public art doesn’t take place in a vacuum. The process is dynamic, truly a collaboration with and of the public.
Dublin’s program is managed in partnership between Dublin Arts Council and City of Dublin, but the momentum and relevancy depend on the public being involved.
“Education isn’t accomplished in one direction; it’s reciprocal,” Morgan says. “Dublin Arts Council and the artists learn from the community and reflect back. The practice involves active listening, observation and ‘seeing’ the community.”
Dublin Arts Council provides myriad opportunities for community members to get involved in the process – from behind-the-scenes artist talks to forums and community presentations – with feedback always encouraged.
Public art in action
Special public art events also provide learning opportunities. Averbuch has been making small-scale boats since he was a child, so during the August dedication of The Boat in the Field, guests were encouraged to make their own boat out of paper and found objects. Using sycamore bark, twigs and pinecones, guests were invited to make vessels as a symbol of personal voyage and adventure.
Last year, Dublin Arts Council hosted a residency for artist Todd Smith, whose popular human exoskeleton Exuvia are found in select trees in Dublin. While sharing his inspiration and process, Smith invited community members to create their own exoskeletons. These creations were assembled into temporary abstract artworks and displayed at Dublin Arts Council.
Plans are underway for additional events in the coming year, including a gathering inspired by Watch House by Todd Slaughter in Dublin’s Coffman Park. Dublin Arts Council will work with partners to reinforce the relevancy and discovery of the sculpture, which is reminiscent of a house and planetarium bridging a prehistoric Indigenous mound. An artist talk and landscape activation are being planned.
Mission-driven
All three tenets of Dublin Arts Council’s mission to engage the community, cultivate creativity and foster lifelong learning through the arts are embedded in the essence of public art. Public art is truly for everyone of all ages and abilities. It is reflective of the community, there is no entry fee and it’s “come as you are.”
“I believe that public art is essential, as it invites us to experience ourselves and our environment in new ways,” Morgan says. “As we come upon an artwork, we see, hear and feel things anew. We observe, wonder, sense and play with heightened humanity. This full-bodied engagement sparks our curiosity and can restore our connection and belonging to the places we inhabit.”
Janet Cooper is the retired Director of Engagement for Dublin Arts Council. She contributes regularly to Dublin Life Magazine.
