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Discussion 1

On transforming public spaces at Dartmouth College and elsewhere:

I think that the purpose of public art is to create conversation among the public it is being presented to. Public art in my mind is something that allows people to come together and share their opinions on certain topics. These conversations can vary from surface level subjects to deeper topics. This also plays into the role of museums. Museums allow society to come together into a space specifically meant to have these discussions and discoveries.

I believe the Mexican muralists, as well as Walter Beach Humphrey, all wanted to evoke emotions in their audience. They wanted to bring up these kind of conversations they felt needed to be had. They are great representations of this, as they each had their own story they felt they needed to tell.

What is most important in my mind about public art is that it allows people to talk to each other about difficult subjects. The images that are created almost give people permission to ask hard questions. It lets people think about issues and then be open to talk with each other about them. Great artists give people this "permission" to do just that.

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