Art U Need: My Part in the Public Art Revolution

Artist Bob and Roberta Smith was appointed by Commissions East to oversee a project in which five artists were commissioned to create site-specific projects to transform open spaces in South Essex. ‘Art U Need: My Part in the Public Art Revolution’ is an intimate account of this project, written in diary form. With sensitivity, candour and a great deal of humour, Bob Smith, and his alter ego, Roberta, ponders the nature and place of public art in today’s world. ‘Art U Need’ is a refreshing addition to the art debate, providing a unique insight into the workings of the artist’s mind. Through his remarkably honest approach Bob and Roberta Smith manages to encapsulate the larger issues surrounding the roles of funding bodies, self-expression and, of course, the public, in public art today. Charming and accessibly written, ‘Art U Need’ will appeal to young artists, students and the world of public art equally. Through his musings and arguments with his alter-ego Roberta, Smith allows the reader a glimpse into the artist’s life and mind, and a fascinating observation of the world of public art today that is illuminating, honest and light-hearted.

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