Art is part of human experience. Without art we find it more difficult to appreciate the world of others, we struggle to be tolerant of difference, and we fail to nurture those things that bind us together.
In human history, art first emerged over a hundred and fifty thousand years ago as dance and music. These two foundational art forms erupt from within us, involuntarily, spontaneously - without study or thought.
We create tools that help us live more easily - a bowl, a spoon. We shape these to be more pleasurable to our senses. We sculpt.
As we come to know our inner life we make sense of it through words we pass on from person to person, and eventually through marks - on the ground, a wall, or a special surface. We write.
As we grow, we experience the complexity of the world and think more carefully about it. We use language and narrative to investigate and interrogate. We collaborate in lengthy and ambitious journeys of sound, word, and light, through dance, music, literature, and drama.
The best things in life are free: kindness, compassion, and love. Art also has the potential to enrich the body, mind, and spirit.
Public art is more readily available in nations that are more tolerant of freedom of expression, and diverse views. In contrast, propaganda art is designed to manipulate public opinion to support a political cause, ideology, or agenda, and is a tool of the state. It may at times be difficult to distinguish between the two depending on the context. Consider why an artwork has been made, and whether its aim serves those experiencing it, or those in power. Power can be asserted culturally, by physical force, emotionally, or economically.
There are many wonderful public artworks to explore across the world, and an early idea for this site was to catalogue these as a shared resource for people to discover art close to their location. Considering the technical complexity, cost, uneven availability, and need for regular updates for such a resource, Public Art World, first published in 2015, delivers a more immediate, diverse, and accessible public art experience.
The latest transformation of Public Art World presents well over 400 works to enjoy, and is completely free of commercial tracking or advertising so that the visitor can focus solely on their thoughts and feelings as they browse.
The Swirl of Wind and Sky
Mike de Sousa is a content philanthropist who creates social and environmental publications, music, literature, and art. In common with his other online publications, Public Art World is gifted free for all to enjoy, and in perpetuity.
Mike's work is available at Art Lover VIP, and you are welcome to visit Mike's Personal Site for more about his background and work...