"Tilted Arc" by Richard Serra, installed in 1981 in New York's Federal Plaza and removed in 1989, is one of the most debated public art pieces in American history. This 12-foot-tall, 120-foot-long, 15-ton COR-TEN steel slab was not just another sculpture to be observed from a distance; Serra intended for it to be experienced physically, altering how people interacted with the space around it. Its placement across the plaza meant that passersby had to walk around it, making them actively engage with the work and the environment (Khan Academy).
The sculpture was part of the U.S. General Services Administration's "Art-in-Architecture" program, aiming to integrate large-scale, permanent artworks into new government buildings. However, Serra's vision of public art as a means to critique rather than beautify public spaces led to immediate controversy upon its installation. Critics, including government employees who worked nearby, labeled it an eyesore and a disruption, accumulating 1,300 signatures for its removal. This criticism gained momentum when William Diamond became the GSA administrator and initiated a public forum to discuss the sculpture's fate (Khan Academy) (Smarthistory).
Despite the controversy, Serra defended "Tilted Arc" as a site-specific work that couldn't simply be relocated without losing its meaning. He and his supporters argued that its removal would not only violate his First Amendment rights but also underscore a failure to understand the essence of public art. Nevertheless, the federal government, citing security concerns among other reasons, decided to remove the sculpture. A jury voted 4-1 for its removal, and despite Serra's legal battle to keep it in place, citing violations of his First Amendment right to free speech and Fifth Amendment right to due process, the courts ruled against him. The piece was dismantled in 1989 and stored, never to be re-erected, as per Serra's wish that it not be displayed anywhere other than its original location (Wikipedia).
The "Tilted Arc" controversy sparked significant debate about the nature of public art, its audience, and the role of government in arts administration. It also influenced the enactment of the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) in 1990, providing artists with moral rights to their creations. However, a 2006 court decision established that VARA does not protect the location as a component of site-specific work (Wikipedia). This case remains a pivotal moment in the discourse around public art, raising questions about who the intended audience is, who has a say in such commissions, and what roles art should play in public spaces.