This report by Desmond Hui of Hong Kong U's Centre for Cultural Policy looks at public art in Hong Kong. The study involved comparisons with Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong. I just downloaded it myself, so more considered reactions and notes coming soon...

This weekend I attended a public art forum in Beijing, organized to coincide with Beijing's first big commercial international artfair. Thanks to Pi Li of Beijing's Central Academy of Fine Arts for the invitation. Other presenters included Fumio Nanjo of Mori Arts Center, Desmond Hui of University of Hong Kong and Wu Hong Liang of Space Art in Beijing and Shanghai. An interesting mix of perspectives.

What says Silicon Valley? An article on San Jose's attempts to define itself through public art commissions for its new airport. The writer is intrigued with the idea of using new media art, for a city which has been at the heart of technological change. The discussion has some resonance for Singapore.

Shanghai currently counts more than a 1000 works of public art. But few of them are considered, by the city or by the public, to be of any quality.

"Now, in preparation for the 2010 World Expo, Shanghai wants to change all that."

See this article from the website of Shanghai Daily.

San Diego goes for an "interactive play sculpture" that is designed to appeal to kids. Some interesting points here: the work replaces a piece that did not weather properly, and the city's refusal to replace the rotting piece led to a clash with the artist.