On the University of Michigan campus, a unique digital initiative has launched, bringing the university’s extensive collection of public art into the digital age. With a focus on accessibility and engagement, the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) has introduced an interactive map that breathes new life into 110 pieces of public art scattered across the campus.
Heading this innovative project are UMMA curator Jennifer Carty and Erika Larson, who manages the Art in Public Spaces initiative. Launched in July, the map serves as a digital touchpoint for the community to explore and connect with the university’s public art collection in a more interactive manner.
Carty commented on the project, saying, “Everybody loves to spin Tony Rosenthal’s the Cube when they pass the Regents Plaza or to run through Maya Lin’s Wave Field on North Campus,” highlighting that the digital map enhances access to the art collection like never before.
Fueled by a generous $5 million commitment from the President’s Office, the map is a stepping stone in the broader effort to digitize the public art collection. This initiative aims to break down barriers and make the artworks more accessible to a wider audience, as Larson noted, “This database is the first step to really establishing a core place where people can go to start exploring public art on campus.”
Behind the scenes, the map began as a simple list on paper. Student interns, including Adi Behar from the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, and Yuchen Wu, embarked on a journey to uncover the stories behind each piece. Their research involved delving into old newspapers, emails, and files to create comprehensive digital records, complete with geographical data for each artwork.
Behar described the research process as a rewarding experience, likening it to a “scavenger hunt.”
Carty, appointed as U-M’s inaugural curator of Art in Public Spaces in 2023, emphasized the importance of forming a collection that reflects the university’s culture and stories, stating, “Coming into this role I really wanted to build a public art collection that is about our place and about the stories here on campus and that speak to our student and faculty needs.”
Larson shared how the initiative addressed a widespread need, saying, “You would be surprised how many people reached out to us to tell us that there was no place to find the public art collection.”
The map not only serves as a digital exploration tool but also highlights the university’s rich history of public art, with many pieces being integral parts of campus life for decades.
Carty reflected on the enduring nature of these artworks: “Coming back to campus as an alum in this new role I have seen how different buildings have changed and how campus continues to grow. But you see public artworks endure.”
Behar emphasized the unique accessibility of public art, noting that while museums often have barriers, public art allows for close and personal engagement: “With public art you can get really close and observe it and look at it from all angles.”
Public art naturally interacts with the campus community, as Larson pointed out, “Public art is available to everyone and it’s something that whether or not people want to encounter it, they’re going to,” and praised Ann Arbor as a welcoming environment for such initiatives.
The future promises even more for the UMMA team, with plans for new artworks set to enhance the campus landscape in the coming years. Carty expressed optimism about this growth, stating, “It feels like we’re perfectly poised to take on these next five years and show some really extraordinary public artworks and activations on campus.”
