Vita Brevis was established in 1998 to broaden the reach of The Institute for Contemporary Art, Boston (ICA), adding relevance and visibility to adventurous present-day art. The program commissions artists from around the world to create temporary works of public art in response to Boston"s rich landscape and history. Unusual and challenging settings are used for these projects--public parks, urban wilds, historic sites, roadways, riverbanks and more--resulting in works that encourage people to experience Boston"s environs and multifaceted history with renewed understanding and focus. Participating artists include Olafur Eliasson, Cornelia Parker, Krzysztof Wodiczko, Ann Carlson, Nari Ward, Jim Hodges and others. ICA/Vita Brevis 1998-2003: History, Landscape and Art documents the program"s first five projects.