Watermarks: Public Murals, Abstraction, and the Built Environment

Abstract

This paper examines WATERMARKS, a site-specific mural installed in a newly renovated School of Architecture building, and its relationship to the history of public murals, abstract painting, and the discourse between art and architecture. Departing from the tradition of public murals in the U.S. that celebrate figural narrative, the project explores both its conceptual and physical context through abstract painting. Through an architectural lens, the mural functions as a didactic element in the school, integral to its recent expansion and rebranding as the School of Architecture “and Built Environment.” As a discursive work, the piece questions the purpose of public art and its mission of engaging viewers in a process of reflection and environmental critique.

Presenters

Tiffany Lin
Design Program Director, Architecture, Tulane University, Louisiana, United States

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

The Form of the Image

KEYWORDS

Public art, Abstraction, Architectural painting, Murals, Spatial Representation