Suzanne Lacy, New Genre Public Art vs. Traditional Public Art, Three Weeks in May

Last term in Intro to Art & Social Practice, we read an article by Suzanne Lacy from Mapping the Terrain: New Genre Public Art, an anthology of essays about the evolution and place of public art, which apparently she also edits. The essay was entitled Cultural Pilgrimages and Metaphoric Journeys. In it, Lacy distinguishes between what she calls "new genre public art" (which sounds a lot like what we call social practice art), and traditional public art (such as what Tom Wolfe refers to as "the turd in the plaza"). Of NGPA artists, she writes, "artists of varying backgrounds and perspectives have been working in a manner that resembles political and social activity but is distinguished by its aesthetic sensibility." "Public strategies of engagement are an important part of its aesthetic language," as well as "collaboration with his or her audience." This is how I've been defining social practice art since last term. I feel as though the essay is really helpful to anyone who is as confused as I used to be about what defines social practice art, so the essay can be found here.

What I didn't know about Suzanne Lacy when I read that article last term is that she's also a pretty awesome feminist artist, and could be thought of as a social practice artist as well! She studied under the aforementioned Judy Chicago at the University of Fresno in the '70's, and participated in the University's first feminist art program. In 1977 she collaborated with artist Leslie Labowitz in a series of events entitled Three Weeks in May, the goal of which was to expand awareness of the prevalence of sexual violence against women. The series included installations, performances, and even self-defense classes for women.

"On this map of Los Angeles, installed in the mall outside City Hall, Lacy stenciled the word 'RAPE' in red on the approximate locations attacks reported to police during the three weeks of the project. (At the close of Three Weeks in May, ninety rapes had been reported.)"-MOCA

-h