Permanence of an artwork in public areas and a design project: Draw and Erase (Yaz-Boz)

Abstract

There are three elements that come to the forefront while questioning the permanence of an artwork: The artist who plays a role, although indirectly, in individuals' establishing a direct relationship with the artwork; the political authorities and city administrators who have effective power on the permanence of artworks, and the watchers/users who realize conscious or unconscious vandalistic behaviors to artworks in public areas. While, at times, emerging as a consequence of a systematic destruction of the cultural structure of societies and a dogmatic thinking, the vandalism can also emerge in the form of destructive actions of individuals provoked by psychological and sociological causes. Users who are  consciously or unconsciously injurious behavior to the artwork in the public areas is starting point of the project. At the same time, this interactive project  was born of necessity  as a result of human – behavior – environment  interaction. This project aims the protection of  the artwork in public spaces and bring together people with interactive art. Keywords: public art, sculpture, vandalism, design, interactive Art