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The power of the arts in ‘creative imagining’ of a post COVID future is frequently not recognized, not understood as part of a movement for change. In this article, Rhiannon Cobb, contends that public art illustrates the inequalities unveiled by this pandemic and uses artistic practice to create greater empathy, increased social awareness, and calls for social justice. Public art touches the fibers of our souls and moves us to confront the confines of racism, misogyny, ageism. It unites us; it connects communities; it builds bridges; it cries out for human dignity and social solidarity. Public art nurtures hope for a different future. She explores the question, What can public art do for us as individuals and as communities? – Joey Edwardh
“For French philosopher Jacques Ranciere, art is disruptive. Done right, he says, it can make the spectator rethink their understanding of politics and society by calling to attention previously hidden inequalities.
For many, the power of public art rests in its ability to turn artistic practice into social practice. It challenges the viewer to confront social issues that affect the very place they stand.[…]”
