Andrew Wasserman Archives - Reynolds College Blog

Internationally recognized artist Janet Echelman will deliver a public talk about her work at 6 p.m. April 23 at the Historic Fox Theatre in Springfield, Missouri.

Head shot of Janet Echelman — Janet Echelman

Immediately after her talk, Echelman will sign copies of “Radical Softness: The Responsive Art of Janet Echelman,” edited by Gloria Sutton.

The Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities; the Department of Art and Design; Sculpture Walk Springfield; the History Museum on the Square and Bookmarx are co-sponsoring the event.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for not only the university community but also the greater Springfield community,” said Dr. Andrew Wasserman, assistant professor of art history. “As we think about the roles that art plays in society, the chance to hear from an artist directly gives all of us a chance to consider how we see and move through our local spaces.”

Public art serves as a powerful medium for expressing cultural identity, fostering community connections and engaging with our environments.

That’s according to Dr. Andrew Wasserman, assistant professor in Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design.

In his new book, “The World Atlas of Public Art,” Wasserman embarks on a global survey that highlights the diverse practices of public art over the past six decades.

The landscape of public art has become increasingly complex, Wasserman said. The book was thus inspired by a desire to document how artworks interact with public spaces, as well as the meanings public artworks hold within different contexts.

As a result, the book goes beyond documenting the visual appearance of works to explore what public art signifies for various communities.

Published by Yale University Press, “The World Atlas of Public Art” was recently mentioned in The New York Times.

Artist Janet Echelman to deliver public talk at Fox Theatre

MSU’s Dr. Andrew Wasserman publishes book on public art