If it's figurative and accessible, it's considered kitsch. But the public rejects that enlightenment, or is totally indifferent to it, so public art becomes a case of special pleading. As an artist, George Segal was exceptional in his ability to be taken seriously by the art establishment while still speaking directly to ordinary people. But there were other problems he would have to solve in order to create successful public sculpture. First was the problem of scale.
Many public sculptures are gigantic in size, because they have to relate to the architecture nearby.
Second, Segal worked in plaster. But outdoor sculpture has to be made from indestructible materials. This required a technique known as double casting, in which molten metal is poured into the interior of a cast, reproducing in great detail the texture of skin and clothing. Double casting made his figures more realistic, while at the same time it allowed him to design permanent outdoor public art.