The book explores public art and its broadening relations in the public sphere as a result of the broadening of artistic means and methods. The term “public art” was first coined in the 1960s in relation to the public sphere and state funding, while in Greece it was identified exclusively with public/open-air sculpture. “New public art” refers to a broader field of artistic activities, including art with the community, participatory/relational art, net art etc., while retaining its connection with the concept of the public, the social and the political, undermining its spatial identification. The above are presented through case studies, starting from sculpture on pedestal and continuing with works produced in the wake of the turn to the relational, performative and archival production. As the literature about contemporary art is mostly international, and the Greek scene is ignored, in this book it was deemed necessary to include local cases and special features. Thus, it examines urban art as memory, history and image through examples in Athens and Thessaloniki (Haris Kanellopoulou, Panagiotis Bikas, Thanasis Moutsopoulos). Basic concepts are studied, such as public and private, space and time, and their representations (Kostas Vasileiou, Dimitra Hatzisavva, Efrosyni Tsakiri), technologically enriched performative practices, walking performances, gender territories and interactive memory (Vasilis Psarras, Maria Konomi, Panos Kouros); finally, Eva Fotiadi, Elpida Karaba, Kostas Daflos focus on the new public art and the (digital) public sphere.

Angeliki Avgitidou is Adjunct Professor in the Department of Applied Arts in the School of Fine Arts at the University of West Macedonia.