In October 1963, in one of his last public appearances, John F Kennedy spoke at Amherst College in Massachusetts. Addressing the students and guests, he said, "If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him."

Lately in Hong Kong, many artists and art groups, taking their cue from Kennedy, have sparked discussions on the subject of "Art in Public Space in Hong Kong".

Art is simple enough - or is it? We can define it in terms of the visual arts and performing arts - for example, painting, sculpture, design, dance, music, drama, film. Or, we can broaden our horizons to include all creative work - architecture, engineering, landscaping, planning, advertising, fashion, the print and electronic media, the Internet, the sound of water gurgling in a park, or a new ring-tone on a 3G phone. The creativity of the human mind can manifest itself just as easily on a canvas as it does in clay, as it does on film, as it does on a typewriter, as it does with the everyday items we use in our homes. In fact, art is pretty much everywhere that we care to look. So, when we talk about "art", I would like to think that we can give it as broad a definition as possible so that we can "follow our vision wherever it takes us".

Space can be real, in metric terms, and virtual, to include "personal" space as well as "social" space, and indeed, both of them are equally important.

So public space can also be regarded as not just areas that are open to the public, but areas where social interaction takes place. And if public space is where social interaction takes place, then it must also be an integral part of the culture of that society.

Now, what do we mean by "art and public space". At a rudimentary level, it can simply mean incorporating some form of art into the living environment or public space. This could be something like a sculpture, which people will stop and admire; or street performances; or a large mural on the side of a building. We do have elements of this in Hong Kong, but limited space coupled with high population densities does present some difficulties. If you have ventured onto the streets at rush hour, I am sure you will know what I mean. If, for example, we wanted to "install" more artistic works in public spaces in Hong Kong, we would have to do this in areas that allowed free movement around, and interaction with, that art. Or, we would have to make existing sidewalks and public thoroughfares wider. Or, when designing New Towns, we would make sure there is ample space for artistic works - static or live - to be displayed or performed. But for this type of art to have any meaning, it must interact with the space itself, the environment, the people around it, the historicity and the time element singular to that space and that piece of artwork. In the absence of the right spatial temporality, an art work created solely for the work itself might end up having no soul and character.

Hong Kong artists and city planners must pay heed to the fact that art, being part and parcel of the culture and history of the place where it is created, must be a timely artistic response to the values held by the people living there and to what they regard as aesthetic.

The author is former secretary for home affairs of the HKSAR government

(HK Edition 02/10/2010 page1)