While the public art field has grown rapidly over the last three decades, little attention has been paid to preservation. Artworks that were installed with great effort are now suffering the ravages of time, while conservators and commissioning agencies are vigorously searching for solutions. 'The Conservation and Maintenance of Contemporary Public Art' is a collection of papers based on presentations delivered at a conference held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2001. Among the contributors are many of the most renowned artists, administrators, critics, and conservators working in public art in the USA today. Together, they bring varied perspectives on the complex issues involved.
Theoretical questions of permanence and public participation are addressed along with specific concerns, such as funding and legal responsibilities. The book also includes case studies that examine major conservation projects and how commissioning agencies have responded to the conservation challenge