Università Roma Tre

Art, Environment, and Public Space

The course examines the relationships between art, environment, and public space. Starting from the departure of artistic practice from the traditional dimensions of painting and sculpture in the historical avant-gardes, it will explore the operational context of the second half of the twentieth century, in which artistic intervention expands into environmental installations, often created in situ or site-specific, within exhibition spaces or in nature.

Attention will also be given to the relationships between art and public space in contemporary contexts, focusing on projects and relational, socially engaged performative practices, forms of street art, and the issue of the monument today, in light of new commissions, difficult legacies, and decolonial perspectives.

The following topics will be addressed in particular:

- Beyond the frame, off the pedestal: the art–environment relationship in Futurism, Constructivism, and Dada;
- Exhibitions and the curatorial practice of Marcel Duchamp;
- Environments and Happenings;
- From Arte Povera to Land Art;
- Site-specific and time-specific works: environmental installations, with particular attention to the contribution of women artists;
- Street art, between sustainability and inclusion;
- Public space and decolonial artistic practices.

1) G. Centrone, C. Costanzo, Manuale di storia dell’arte. Il primo Novecento, Silvana Editoriale, Cinisello Balsamo (MI), 2024.
2) T. Montanari, Le statue giuste, Editori Laterza, Bari–Roma, 2024.
3) Course handout available on the course Teams platform.
4) Selection of images available on the course Teams platform.