Public Art and Urban Identity in Multicultural Societies

Abstract

Public art occupies a uniquely contested position at the intersection of aesthetics, politics, and urban life in multicultural societies. This article examines the role of public art in the construction and contestation of urban identity by analyzing its diverse functions—from place-making and community building to political resistance and cultural commemoration. Drawing on case studies from global cities and scholarship from art criticism, urban studies, and cultural geography, the analysis addresses contested monuments and the politics of public memory, community-engaged art practices, street art as democratic expression, digital and interactive public art, and the tensions between public art and gentrification. The article argues that public art is not merely decorative but constitutes a vital medium through which diverse communities negotiate questions of belonging, memory, and collective identity, requiring critical attention to power dynamics and social equity