Books by Harriet F. Senie
A Companion to Public ArtEdited by Cher Krause Knight and Harriet F. Senie
A Companion to Public Art is the only scholarly volume to examine the main issues, theories, and practices of public art on a comprehensive scale. Edited by Cher Krause Knight and Harriet F. Senie, two distinguished scholars in this burgeoning field, it brings together established and emergent scholars ranging from art and architectural historians, critics, public art curators and art administrators, as well as artists. More>>
Memorials to Shattered MythsVietnam to 9/11
The Vietnam War, Oklahoma City bombing, Columbine High School shooting, and attacks of 9/11 all shattered myths of national identity. Vietnam was a war the U.S. didn’t win on the ground in Asia or politically at home; Oklahoma City revealed domestic terrorism in the heartland; Columbine debunked legends of high school as an idyllic time; and 9/11 demonstrated U.S. vulnerability to international terrorism. More>>
The Tilted Arc ControversyDangerous Precedent?
Since its installation at and subsequent removal from New York City’s Federal Plaza, noted sculptor Richard Serra’s Tilted Arc has been a touchstone for debates over the role of public art. Installed in 1981, the 10-foot-high, 120-foot-long curved wall of Cor-Ten self-rusting steel instantly became a magnet for criticism. Art critics in the New York Times and the Village Voice labeled it the city’s worst public sculpture. More>>
Critical Issues in Public ArtContent, Context, and Controversy
In this groundbreaking anthology, twenty-two artists, architects, historians, critics, curators, and philosophers explore the role of public art in creating a national identity, contending that each work can only be understood by analyzing the context in which it is commissioned, built, and received. More>>
Contemporary Public SculptureTradition, Transformation, and Controversy
In the twentieth century, public sculpture has changed almost beyond recognition. Works inspired by classical and renaissance traditions—imposing equestrian monuments and triumphal arches—have been replaced by works such as Claes Oldenburg’s Clothespin and Christo’s Running Fence. This break from tradition has led to radically different approaches to public sculpture—but not without bitter controversy in the art community and the general public. More>>
Forthcoming:
Co-editor and Contributor with Cher Krause Knight, Museums and Public Art? (Cambridge Scholars Press, early 2018)