Installation Art in Public Spaces as Socio-Spatial Framing of Place: Case Study Loominous River Installation Art (2022)

Abstract

As a means to revitalise sluggish cities, public and private investment agencies have taken a keen interest in public installation art. As place-making initiatives endeavour to attract valuable trained human talent to their cities, local governments and city councils have deemed art in public spaces indispensable. Installation art in public spaces is crucial for revitalising run-down areas of a city. By placing the individual's perception at the centre of the aesthetic experience, installation art has the potential to help people perceive the city in a different way. Through novel corporeal experiences, it is possible to introduce new narratives of the city. Moreover, such experiences are essential for creating memories and fostering a sense of belonging among the city's residents. The commissioning of installation art is a complex creative process involving multiple stakeholders and public funds. This exploratory essay seeks to examine the public commissioning of installation art as a means to instigate socio-spatial relationships framing a specific location. The primary case study is Loominous River (2022), one of the commission beneficiaries of Thinkcity and Cendana's Project Light in 2021. Through empirical observations of the production process from conception to completion, the author attempts to establish the relationship between installation art and place-making.