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Potential Affordances of Public Art in Public Parks: Central Park and the High Line

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Potential Affordances of Public Art in Public Parks: Central Park and the High Line Urban Design and Planning Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/jurdp.16.00042 Potential affordances of public art in Paper 1600042 public parks: Central Park and the Received 28/10/2016 Accepted 18/08/2017 Keywords: recreational facilities/town & city planning/ High Line urban regeneration Cushing and Pennings ICE Publishing: All rights reserved Potential affordances of public art in public parks: Central Park and the High Line Debra Flanders Cushing PhD Mark Pennings PhD Senior Lecturer in Landscape Architecture, School of Design, Creative Senior Lecturer in Visual Arts, School of Media, Entertainment and Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Creative Arts, School of Design, Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland Australia University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (corresponding author: [email protected]) (Orcid:0000-0003-3942-601X) (Orcid:0000-0002-2192-0637) Public art is an artistic expression created in streets, squares and other public spaces, including parks. Using the two popular public parks in the New York City, Central Park and the High Line, this paper explores the affordances offered by public art in these two urban environments, with a focus on physical, intellectual and emotional connections between the visitor, the artwork and the landscape setting. Using affordance theory as a framework, it considers the design of the landscape as a behaviour setting that affords viewing, acknowledgement and reflection of the artwork within the contemporary cultural context. Using preliminary qualitative observations of six artworks within the two parks, this research suggests that public art has the potential to afford such diverse opportunities for public park visitors. In order for these affordances to be actualised, the design of the park and the artwork’s intentions should be coordinated to ensure that the experiences of the visitor align with the claimed benefits of public art. 1. Introduction For those concerned with artwork, the public space in which Public art, by definition, is a physical form of artistic art is situated is often regarded as little more than an outdoor expression situated in streets, squares and other public spaces, gallery. Yet, public space does not have to recede into the back- including parks (Finkelpearl, 2001; Miles, 2004; Schuermans ground like the white walls of a traditional art gallery, or et al., 2012). The materials, configuration and subject matter simply serve as a container for public art. Rather, it can serve of public art have evolved in alignment with transitions in art as an active and vital player in establishing the terrain – both genres and styles, and changing priorities in public policy. literally and figuratively – and influence the impact of public These broader trends have informed public art’s relationship art on audiences and the manner in which the viewer experi- with public parks and can influence the design of appropriate ences a site (Reynolds, 2011). As such, there are a number of ‘settings’, which include the integration of art, landscape and important relationships between public art and public space audience. that require further examination. This paper explores some of these relationships by utilising an extended notion of affor- Many have claimed that public art reinvigorates urban public dance theory that includes the physical, intellectual and space, and contributes to economic revitalisation, attracting emotional connections between the visitor, the artwork and investors and tourists to an area (Hall and Robertson, 2001; the designed settings. Schuermans et al., 2012). Citing past research, policies and public art advocates, Hall and Robertson (2001) describe the Affordance theory, first introduced by the environmental psy- several benefits of public art, including the capacity to develop chologist Gibson (1979), explains environmental interactions a sense of community, enhance a sense of place, increase civic in which a person comprehends possibilities for action offered identity, address community needs, tackle and ameliorate by an environment. These are often determined by the sub- social exclusion, provide educational value and promote atti- stances, surfaces, objects and living creatures within the space tudes that foster a positive social change. In addition, public of habitation. Using affordance theory as a guide, this paper art can introduce innovative cultural perspectives and mean- seeks to understand how public art affords diverse opportu- ings, communicate specific social or political opinions and nities within a public park that supplement functional and aes- open up new ways of seeing, feeling and experiencing the thetic aspects. It considers the design of the landscape setting world (Ranciere, 2006; Schuermans et al., 2012). Yet, Hall and in regard to viewing, acknowledgement and reflection within a Robertson (2001) acknowledged the lack of evidence to contemporary cultural context. support these claims, and few researchers have recognised the critical relationship between the design of the environment and To investigate these affordances, this research uses physical the art that is placed within it. space observations of the artwork in a preliminary analysis of 1 Urban Design and Planning Potential affordances of public art in public parks: Central Park and the High Line Cushing and Pennings Offprint provided courtesy of www.icevirtuallibrary.com Author copy for personal use, not for distribution two distinct public parks in New York City: Central Park and features are often experienced with respect to their function. the High Line. These observations provide insight into the Humans innately perceive affordances for shelter, navigation, changing function of public art in two very popular urban food, rest and safety, which relate to survival tactics in their spaces. However, rather than take a broad approach to include most basic sense. In an urbanised environment, such as all affordances, this research focused on affordances related to New York City, these affordances remain important, but their the artwork as a physical artefact within a designed landscape elaboration is uniquely tied to urban habitation. In addition, setting. Although additional affordances are undoubtedly the perceived affordances depend on the characteristics and offered through decision-making processes and community experiences of an individual (Heft, 1989), as well as the cul- participation, these aspects were not considered within this tural context (Heft, 2010). Therefore, understanding these research. Rather, this research took a post-occupancy approach affordances requires a consideration of distinct user needs, the to gain insights into the physical, emotional and intellectual cultural context, acquired knowledge and other distractions affordances offered by the artwork. competing for attention. In addition, the chosen parks are not designated as ‘sculpture Further, if we conceive of affordances predominantly within a parks’, and are not designed specifically as ‘green cubes’ for social setting, Rietveld and Kiverstein (2014) argue that the displaying art (Reynolds, 2011: p. 222). Yet, the physical affordances are contextualised within a wide variety of accepta- design of these leisured environments, and the public art that ble, and unacceptable, sociocultural practices. For example, a inhabits them, perform particular functions and are negotiated bench large enough for five people may be provided in a public by the observed public in a manner that reflects historical and place. Yet, if two people are already sitting on the bench, it contemporary sociocultural priorities. Therefore, this paper may be deemed inappropriate or uncomfortable for additional will first discuss the theory of affordances to establish a frame- people to sit on the same bench due to a culturally defined con- work through which the observations were conducted. This sideration of personal space. Similarly, many affordances only will be followed by a brief overview of the past and present cir- enable an activity due to culturally learned behaviour or pre- cumstances of Central Park and the High Line, a presentation existing knowledge (Heft, 1989). These notions are of particular of preliminary research outcomes, and a consideration of how importance within a designed environment, since many factors future research on this topic can help build a greater under- determine whether an affordance will solicit, or repel, action. standing of the interactions between public art and public space. These contributions are important to support increased Affordances, however, do not cause behaviour; they either con- knowledge of how public art can be used in urban design pro- strain it or create a possibility for it (Heft, 1989). Further, an cesses and produce better public space outcomes. assembly of behaviours, people and objects within small-scale social situations can be described as a behaviour setting, an interdisciplinary construct that brings together ideas from 2. Affordances psychology, ecology, sociology and design (Popov and When establishing the affordance theory, Gibson (1979) Chompalov, 2012). This construct emphasises the idea that rejected behaviourist stimuli–response models of interaction, in there is a specific pattern of behaviour, or programme, that is which the perception of the environment is considered to be found in many places (Gifford, 2007). As a means to explain the result of conscious
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