My work as an 'urban' photographer has led me to consider ways of reading, researching and visually representing the city, its fabric and inhabitants. Working with a group of students at the Roundhouse Studios in London in order to look more closely at public art has provided another great opportunity. Together we have begun to wrestle with what constitutes public art, it's purpose historically alongside its relevance and relationship to contemporary public art. Much of what we have seen both on the streets and also here at The Big Art Mob illustrates how contemporary public art is not as fixed as it used to be, and can even be thought of as temporary semiotic constructs that have the power to, for example, evoke action or question our rights within public and private spaces. What can be seen on the street has implications for artists, commissioners and audiences alike in this ever changing global city.
