Public Art Fund is an independent, non-profit arts organization founded in 1977 byDoris C. Freedman. The organization presents contemporary art in New York City's public spaces through a series of highly visible artists' projects, new commissions, installations, and exhibitions that are emblematic of the organization's mission and innovative history.
Public Art Fund was founded in 1977 byDoris C. Freedman who served as the first Director ofNew York City'sDepartment of Cultural Affairs, the President of theMunicipal Art Society, and a tireless supporter of New York City'sPercent for Art legislation.[1] Public Art Fund was born from the merger of two preexisting organizations, CityWalls, which was founded in 1966, and the Public Arts Council, founded in 1971. Working with artists and museums, Public Art Fund works to bring artwork outside of traditional spaces and into the public sphere. Since its inception, Public Art Fund has presented more than 500 artists' exhibitions and projects at sites throughout New York City's five boroughs as varied as streets, plazas, parks, buses, billboards, and even major landmarks includingTimes Square,Rockefeller Center, theBrooklyn Bridge Park,Columbus Circle, andLincoln Center.Susan K. Freedman has served as president since 1986. Nicholas Baume joined Public Art Fund as Director and Chief Curator in 2009, and Elizabeth Fearon Pepperman was elected chair of the Board of Directors in 2020.[2][3]
In addition to presenting works of art, Public Art Fund also hosts additional programs including Public Art Fund Talks. This series encompasses discussions and presentations from today's most influential artist. Another program, In the Public Realm, is an open call which allows emerging artist to conceive and develop innovative ideas for public works. Public Art Fund also releases a semi annual magazine and exhibition catalog which provides its audience with a summary of the organizations activities and achievements.[4]
Public Art Fund has collaborated with many New York City institutions, including theWhitney Museum of American Art for theWhitney Biennial, Outdoors inCentral Park(2002,[5] 2004),[6] and theMuseum of Modern Art forFrancis Alÿs’The Modern Procession (2002).[7]
Early exhibition highlights includeAgnes Denes’Wheatfields for Manhattan (1982),David Hammons’Higher Goals (1986), andMessages to the Public (1982–1990), a series of projects created forTimes Square's Spectacolor board that featured work by over 70 artists includingJenny Holzer,Keith Haring,Barbara Kruger,Vito Acconci,Lynne Tillman,Alfredo Jaar,Richard Prince, and theGuerilla Girls.
In the late 1980s and into the 1990s, the organization commissioned socially conscious pieces such asFelix Gonzalez-Torres’“Untitled” billboard (1989),Gran Fury's “Women don't get AIDS…they just die from it” poster (1991),Guerilla Girls’ billboard project for Public Art Fund'sPSA: Public Service Art exhibition series (1991), andBarbara Kruger'sBus (1997).
In 1997, Public Art Fund organizedIlya Kabakov'sMonument to the Lost Glove, a giant glove made of red plastic resin, which was bolted to the traffic triangle whereFifth Avenue andBroadway cross at23rd Street, and worked with him again in 2000 withThe Palace of Projects, which was shown at the69th Regiment Armory.[8]
Other New York City projects includedNancy Rubins'Big Pleasure Point (2006) atLincoln Center;Corner Plot (2006) bySarah Sze at theDoris C. Freedman Plaza;Alexander Calder in New York at theCity Hall Park (2006) ; andMaterial World (2005) at theMetroTech Commons onDowntown Brooklyn, which featured new commissions byRachel Foullon,Corin Hewitt,Matthew Day Jackson, Peter Kreider, and Mamiko Otsubo.[8]
Public Art Fund moved into a new territory when it announced it would present 2001Turner Prize winnerMartin Creed's performance art piece,Variety Show, on March 30, 2007 at theAbrons Arts Center on theLower East Side of Manhattan.
Recent exhibition highlights includeOlafur Eliasson'sThe New York City Waterfalls (2008), which created man-made waterfalls at four sites on New York City's waterfront;Rob Pruitt'sThe Andy Monument, a tribute toAndy Warhol atUnion Square (2011),[9]Tatzu Nishi'sDiscovering Columbus (2012), which reimagined the 13-foot-tall statue of Columbus standing in a fully furnished, modern living room;[10] andJeppe Hein'sPlease Touch the Art (2015) atBrooklyn Bridge Park.[11]
In 2017, Public Art Fund celebrated its 40th anniversary with the citywide group exhibitionCommercial Break,Liz Glynn'sOpen House at Doris C. Freedman Plaza,Anish Kapoor'sDescension at Brooklyn Bridge Park, andAi Weiwei'sGood Fences Make Good Neighbors.[12]