The PAD Award for Achievement in the Field of Public Art is awarded annually to an individual whose contributions have had long-standing effects in our field. Past award recipients include Suzanne Lacy and Mary Jane Jacob for their groundbreaking work.
photograph by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, courtesy Creative TimeCreative Time began commissioning innovative art in New York City in 1972, introducing millions of people every year to contemporary art while making sure it plays an active role in public life. In 1994, Anne Pasternak joined Creative Time as its President and Artistic Director. Her goal has been to present some of the most adventurous and historically important art in the public realm. Under her leadership, Creative Time extended its programming nationally, making it the only national public arts organization with programs that have reached from New York to New Orleans, from Denver to Dallas, and from PA to LA. Now, Pasternak is also taking Creative Time’s work global. Renowned projects under her direction range from exhibitions and performances in the historic Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage, sculptural installations in Grand Central Station’s Vanderbilt Hall, sign paintings in Coney Island and skywriting over Manhattan to the Tribute in Light, the twin beacons of light that illuminated the former World Trade Center site six months after 9/11. She has worked closely with artists such as Doug Aitken, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Mel Chin, Jim Hodges, Jenny Holzer, Sharon Hayes, Gary Hume, Vik Muniz, Takashi Murakami, Shirin Neshat, Steve Powers, Cai Guo Qiang, Paul Ramirez Jonas, Rudolf Stingel, Ugo Rondinone, and many more.
In addition to her work at Creative Time, Pasternak occasionally curates independent exhibitions, consults on urban planning initiatives, and contributes essays to cultural publications. She lectures extensively throughout the United States and Europe, and she served as a guest critic at Yale University.