Commissioned art seems to be a practice of years past, reserved for sculptors and painters paid to decorate the cathedrals and palaces of the Renaissance.
Back then, artists vied for positions as court painters and sculptors, producing near-endless copies of portraits portraying Marie Antoinette and Napoleon Bonaparte in all their bourgeois luxury. Sculptors like Michelangelo and Lorenzo Ghiberti were commissioned to create sculptures to adorn the extravagant cathedrals and churches that peppered Italy and greater Europe.
Patrons were the basis on which artists built their careers — if you didn’t have patronage, you would have a rough time getting noticed among the great masters dominating visual arts at that time.
But the meaning behind the creation of art and the subsequent sale of artworks changed considerably. Artists had their own messages to push and their own reasons for creating art. They no longer created for someone else but created for themselves.
So, has the practice of commissioned art and state patronage completely died out?
Not at all; in fact, artists are commissioned to create pieces as often as ever before. But instead of telling artists what to make, patrons find artists and commission them to create their own interpretation of subjects. Patrons are paying for a style specific to that artist, not how well they can recreate something 20 times.
This is most apparent with the murals and sculptures that bejewel the arts district and various parts of greater Phoenix.
Many are both signed and proclaim their commission by the building owners and the approval from the city. According to the City of Phoenix’s website, the Phoenix City Council established the Phoenix Arts and Culture Commission in 1985. Its goal was to, “preserve and enhance the natural beauty of Phoenix, its cultural and artistic heritage and to encourage the proliferation of the arts in all facets of the public and private sector.”
The City Council also created The City of Phoenix Public Art Program, which serves to "create community landmarks to foster civic pride and incorporate community input into the design of shared urban public spaces throughout the city."
Each year the Phoenix Arts and Culture Office develops the Public Art Project Plan, which identifies public art projects that "offer the greatest potential to improve the design of Phoenix," according the the City of Phoenix website.
The plan includes all types of public art projects including site-specific commissions, artwork refurbishment and temporary commissions.
Once projects are approved by the Mayor and the City Council, the city sends out an open call for artists and the selection process begins.
Once an artist is selected, community meetings are held near the site where city residents can share their insights with the artist. Because of this, the city stands behind their public art projects, stating on their website: "The best public art often sparks controversy Many artworks that are initially met with mixed public reaction eventually become accepted as part of the cultural fabric of the community."
The City of Phoenix, along with many other communities nationwide, presents us with a prime example of contemporary practices for the state-backed commissioning of art meant for public consumption.
Here we can draw a parallel with the monarchs' commissioning of their painting from the days of high court. Except today, we aren't being confronted with grandiose portrayals of Mayor Greg Stanton while walking to school.
At any rate, public art in Phoenix continues to flourish and provides a necessary basis on which the arts district can thrive.
Under their "Frequently Asked Questions," the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture answers why people should care about public art:
"It creates and enhances neighborhood and community identity. It enhances the visual landscape and character of the city. It turns ordinary spaces into community landmarks and promotes community ownership of the city’s infrastructure. It promotes community dialogue, and, most importantly, it is accessible to everyone."
On Aug. 28, the Office of Arts and Culture issued a call to artists for two upcoming projects and the deadline was Friday, Sept. 19. Community meetings will be announced once artists are chosen in order to discuss installations for the two projects. Visit here for more information on the projects.
For more information on the Public Art Program and its process, visit here.
What's your favorite piece of public art in Phoenix? Let me know at mamccrea@asu.edu or via Twitter @mmccreary6.
