June 20, 2019
Madison Square Park Conservancy to Host a Public Art Symposium June 21
Over the years, the Madison Square Park Conservancy has come to be recognized as a leader in public art curation, not only showing the work of world-renowned artists in the Park, but also curating this year’s U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale featuring the work of Martin Puryear. On June 21, 2019, the Conservancy will join forces with the School of Visual Arts to host Innovating Public Art, a morning-long symposium held at the SVA Theatre in Chelsea to examine the evolution of public art in modern times.
The symposium seeks to open up a discussion about how the creation and display of public art has expanded from a commemorative function into a catalyst for conversation and debate as it challenges the status quo. Sheila Kearney Davidson, Chair of the MSPC Board of Trustees will introduce the event followed by opening remarks delivered by Brooke Kamin Rapaport, Deputy Director & Martin Friedman Senior Curator. The symposium will include panel discussions, conversations and presentations by noted museum directors and public space curators from across the country, as well as noted artists whose work has been displayed. Featured will be:
Holland Cotter | Moderator
Co-Chief Art Critic, The New York Times
Firelei Báez
Artist, New York
Alex Da Corte
Artist, Philadelphia
Ryan Dennis
Curator and Art Programs Director
Project Row Houses, Houston
Max Hollein
Director, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Martin Puryear
Artist and U.S. Representative
2019 Venice Biennale
Billie Tsien and Tod Williams
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, New York
Exhibition Designers, U.S. Pavilion
2019 Venice Biennale
Stéphane Aquin
Chief Curator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.
Abigail DeVille
Artist, New York
Leonardo Drew
Artist, Brooklyn
Cristina Iglesias
Artist, Madrid
Special events of the morning you might want to catch will include a conversation between artist Martin Puryear and architects Billie Tsien and Tod Williams, the artist and architectural team behind Martin Puryear: Liberty/Libertà, currently on view in the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Also there will be a presentation by artist Leonardo Drew, whose exhibit City in the Grass opened in Madison Square Park earlier this month.
The Innovating Public Art symposium takes place at the SVA Theatre on June 21 between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. The event is free and open to the public, but due to limited seating, an RSVP is required. Come out and be part of the conversation.
Innovating Public Art
Friday, June 21, 2019
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
SVA Theatre
333 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011