As origens históricas da arte pública

Our study states the role that applied arts, as they were meant by Arts and Crafts movement’s socialistic ideario, have had in the expansion of the concept and use of art works, beyond the values of formal and symbolic representations which have supported the academic system of the fine arts since the Renaissance. By Modern Public Art, we refer to the movement launched, under the designation of “Public Art”, by a series of “Public Art Societies” which were created both in Europe and North-America in the last quarter of the 19th century, having as first major public appearance the cosmopolitan stages of the Great Universal Expositions. This international movement came to an end after the first decade of the 20th century, due to the growth of international political, economic and bellicose antagonism, which first lead to the raise of nationalistic ideologies and soon to military confront, blocking the young international movement in favour of Public Art.