The Las Cruces Public Art collection is a classic inventory of bronze figures, steel sculptures, wall art of various mediums, and murals. As we grow our collection, we are constantly asking what else is out there, what are artists and other communities doing, what cool things can we bring here? Let’s look at some emerging trends.
It’s reaffirming when trending art practices are something we are already doing such as sustainability. Sustainability is not a new idea in public art. We treasure our giant roadrunner sculpture made of recycled materials which was first built in 1992 specifically to bring awareness to items that were being tossed in landfills that could have been recycled. But environmental concerns are even bigger now and as we look at future acquisitions of public art, we need to consider how it may contribute to sustainability. The new sculpture located at Fire Station 9 features repurposed decommissioned ladders and fire hydrants.
Another trend is interactive art installations. This can be installations that are touch-responsive, like color-changing surfaces, or motion-sensing technology, which respond to the movement of people who are nearby. Or it can be participatory art. We have many murals that have been created through public participation events, which is a great way to engage the community as well as giving a sense of ownership to those who participate. It is a goal of ours to expand this method of creating art to other mediums, such as tiled mosaics and functional art.
Augmented Reality (AR) in Public Art is a fun trend that would be really cool to bring to Las Cruces. It integrates technology with more traditional art forms such as murals to add digital content that is accessed using smartphones or AR glasses. It can also be virtual art tours for those that can’t visit in person. And it can also blend digital and physical elements to tell stories. For example, you can point your cell phone to a sculpture located in a historic district and a 3D hologram of a historic figure will appear near the sculpture on your screen to tell you a story about that art piece and location.
Two national trends that are already integral to the Las Cruces art scene are public art with a social message and temporary and pop-up installations. To name a few, local artist Saba’s Fine Art Flea market, held on the first Friday of every month downtown, is the current evolution of what started as a small pop-up art show. The Museum of Art holds two annual events that focus on temporary art installations with a social message – Pictograph and Chalk Walk.
Finally, light and projection art transforms public spaces with projection mapping, or LED sculptures that shift colors and patterns, or installations that are light-based to be accessible day and night. We don’t have any permanent installations of this kind yet, but they can be found in nearby El Paso.
Emerging trends are interesting to watch and can elevate a community’s public art program from being traditional to dynamic and exciting. Sure, be smart about what is implemented; our public art projects should be appropriate to our community and a timeless reflection of our city for years to come, but it doesn’t have to be boring. It’s time to play!
