To make an artwork for
a public place for me is the opportunity to speak as one individual to another, an acknowledgement of our common humanity
in the crowd.
Every place is different, with a different history, cultural/political heritage, pattern of usage and future. All these are considered in the artwork’s design, along with the artist’s
own reactions, concerns and aspirations. Conversations with other stakeholders in the commission are vital to the design process
from the outset both to understand the motivation behind the project and to establish a shared vision. If it is not to be mere decoration the piece must have some purpose in its place, operating usually on
a number of levels: practical, intellectual and spiritual, for example. In the
best work, place, purpose and artwork can fuse as one whole exhilarating experience.
