A Study on Exploring the Relationship Among Public Art, Urban Space, and Human Society

Jingyi Li

doi:10.54254/2753-7064/2025.LC24845

Communications in Humanities ResearchOpen access

A Study on Exploring the Relationship Among Public Art, Urban Space, and Human Society

Research Article

Open Access

A Study on Exploring the Relationship Among Public Art, Urban Space, and Human Society

Jingyi Li ^1*

¹ Central Academy of Fine Arts

^*Corresponding author: jeannnninelee@outlook.com

Published on 11 July 2025

CHR Vol.72

ISSN (Print): 2753-7072

ISSN (Online): 2753-7064

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-225-6

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-226-3

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Abstract

This study examines how public art, as an integrated entity of spatial practice, cultural representation and social responsibility, reconstructs the relationship between urban space and human society. Based on Lefebvre's theory of space production and Merleau-Ponty's embodied cognition theory, through comparative analysis of representative cases including the Jewish Museum Berlin and the CONSCIENCE installation in Stockholm, the research reveals the tension between aesthetic, ethical and commercial dimensions in public art. Ultimately, this research underscores public art’s significance as a catalyst for societal reflection and transformation. It calls for ethical frameworks that prioritize heterogeneous narratives and participatory co-creation, ensuring public art remains a vital medium for spatial justice, cultural dialogue, and collective identity in evolving urban landscapes.

Keywords:

Public art, Space, Jewish Museum Berlin, CONSCIENCE

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References

[1]. Henri Lefebvre. (1974). The Production of Space.

[2]. Michel de Certeau. (1984). The Practice of Everyday Life.

[3]. Merleau-Ponty, Maurice (1945). Phenomenology of Perception. New York: Routledge. Edited by Donald A. Landes.

[4]. Mark Johnson. (1987). The Body in the Mind: The Bodily Basis of Meaning, Imagination and Reason. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

[5]. Cher Krause Knight. (2008). Public Art: Theory, Practice and Populism.

[6]. Janet Kardon. (1985). Siah Armajani:Bridges, Houses, Communal Space, Dictionary for Building. Philadelphia. 77.

[7]. Harriet F. Senie. (1992). Contemporary Public Sculpture: Tradition, Transformation and Controversy. New York: Oxford University Press. 94-95.

[8]. Li, J. (2017). Public art and the construction of urban cultural space. Humanities Vision, 1, 150–156. (In Chinese)

References

[1]. Henri Lefebvre. (1974). The Production of Space.

[2]. Michel de Certeau. (1984). The Practice of Everyday Life.

[3]. Merleau-Ponty, Maurice (1945). Phenomenology of Perception. New York: Routledge. Edited by Donald A. Landes.

[4]. Mark Johnson. (1987). The Body in the Mind: The Bodily Basis of Meaning, Imagination and Reason. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

[5]. Cher Krause Knight. (2008). Public Art: Theory, Practice and Populism.

[6]. Janet Kardon. (1985). Siah Armajani:Bridges, Houses, Communal Space, Dictionary for Building. Philadelphia. 77.

[7]. Harriet F. Senie. (1992). Contemporary Public Sculpture: Tradition, Transformation and Controversy. New York: Oxford University Press. 94-95.

[8]. Li, J. (2017). Public art and the construction of urban cultural space. Humanities Vision, 1, 150–156. (In Chinese)

Cite this article

Li,J. (2025). A Study on Exploring the Relationship Among Public Art, Urban Space, and Human Society. Communications in Humanities Research,72,43-48.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of ICADSS 2025 Symposium: Art, Identity, and Society: Interdisciplinary Dialogues

ISBN: 978-1-80590-225-6(Print) / 978-1-80590-226-3(Online)

Editor: Ioannis Panagiotou, Yanhua Qin

Conference website: https://www.icadss.org/Lincoln.html

Conference date: 22 August 2025

Series: Communications in Humanities Research

Volume number: Vol.72

ISSN: 2753-7064(Print) / 2753-7072(Online)

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