Personal sculptures are intended to stand on their own they will be moved and displayed. where ever the purchaser owner desires. Good public sculpture on the other hand has a sense of place and context it ideally interacts with its surrounding environment to enhance the meaning of the sculpture. its surrounding location or both. It does not exist as an island unto itself. When an alignment with its surroundings is a fundamental attribute of a public sculpture as it should be changed to the direct environment aimed at impacting the public sculpture can subvert its intended meaning.

Many of you may be familiar with the Charging Bull public art controversy currently brewing in New York City. For the uninitiated, since 1985 there has been a large public sculpture of a charging bull on the bowling green. A small public park in New York City’s Financial District. The bronze sculpture entitled appropriately Charging Bull stands 11 tall and weighs 7,100 lbs. It was originally installed as unofficial guerilla art by artist Arturo Di Modica but its popularity led to it becoming a permanent fixture in the park. The sculpture has become a popular tourist destination and now serves as an icon symbolizing Wall Street and New York’s Financial District.

Many view the Fearless Girl statue as a symbol of gender equality. Di Modica however has taken offense to it. Claiming it distorts the intent of his Charging Bull sculpture transforming it from a symbol of prosperity and strength into one of a villain. While he supports the concept of gender equality. He argues that the Fearless Girl statue should be placed in another location. Where it does not hijack and subvert the meaning of his Charging Bull sculpture. Yet another artist now inserted himself into the mix heightening. the controversy.

The late artist Alex Gardega created and installed a third sculpture that interacts with the other two. The sculpture titled Pissing Pug depicts a small dog lifting his leg and urinating on Fearless Girl. Gardega created this sculpture in support of Di Modica emphasizing the point that new works of public art can change the meaning of existing public art.

Out of all the creative art I've seen in the past 2 1/2 years since running My Modern Met one of the most standout pieces has got to be Los Angeles-based artist Bumblebee's phone booths. By taking abandoned phone booths and turning those into beehives Bumblebee made us remember. Why do we love public art so much? Just recently at Carmichael Gallery for the Beyond Eden Art Fair Bumblebee showed off a sweet sculpture called Bee is for Bucket. I love how the yellow paint looks like it's dripping right off the wood and how these worker bees are flying around with their mini buckets and brushes. How whimsical and wonderful.