Thesis Format
Monograph
Degree
Master of Arts
Program
Geography and Environment
Supervisor
Luginaah, Isaac
2nd Supervisor
Richmond, Chantelle
Co-Supervisor
Abstract
Infrequently have art, place, and health been studied together. This thesis bridges research in public art and health geography to explore public art as a healing place for artists by building on Wilbert Gesler’s (1992) concept of therapeutic landscapes. The results of this study are based on in-depth interviews (n=17) with public artists in Toronto. The focus of this thesis is on the experiences of artists creating public art in public space, the impact of public art on an artist’s holistic health, and artist’s interpretations of the therapeutic landscape of public art. The findings reflect the experiences of artists as both art-makers and dwellers within the public art landscape. The results explore the holistic health outcomes of art-making for artists, and qualities of the therapeutic landscape. Overall, the impact of public art on an artist’s holistic health is explored and artist’s interpretations of the therapeutic landscape of public art are developed into a framework to measure therapeutic landscapes of public art.
Summary for Lay Audience
Public art has gained increasing popularity in the city of Toronto through public art programs like Street Art Toronto (StART). These programmes provide funding and opportunities for artists to create artwork intended to beautify city streets and have been thought to provide economic and social recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little has been done to consult artists on the success of public art programs. The focus of this thesis is on the experiences of artists creating public art in public space, the impact of public art on an artist’s holistic health, and artist’s interpretations of the therapeutic landscape of public art. The findings reflect the experiences of artists as both art-makers and dwellers within the public art landscape. The results explore the holistic health outcomes of art-making for artists, and qualities of the therapeutic landscape. This thesis bridges research in art and geography to explore the relationship between art, place, and health. This thesis introduced a new framework to explore the therapeutic landscape of public art for artists as art-makers and dwellers in the public art environment.
Recommended Citation
Bradshaw, Sarah Anne, "Public Art as a Therapeutic Landscape" (2023). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 9759.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/9759
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.