Abstract: Objective Public art is increasingly becoming an important topic in the aesthetic research on cultural landscape. Taking spatial imagery as an entry point for the research on modern urban public art, this research reveals the spatial imagery characteristics and evolutionary trends of public art in Beijing's outdoor spaces after 2000, so as to explore the methods for description and interpretation of the diversified phenomena of cultural landscape, and to reiterate the aesthetic significance of public art for urban spaces.Methods The research reviews the development stages of spatial imagery in public art in Beijing, and then analyzes the spatial imagery characteristics of 69representative cases.Results The research outlines the five spatial imagery characteristics of being iconic, narrative, holistic, mediated and transcendental, and summarizes and analyzes the characteristics of 3 typical modes of public art:1) the mode of artwork in public space tends to be iconic and narrative; 2) the mode of art as public space demonstrates mediated and transcendental; and 3) the mode of art space under public interest demonstrates holistic and mediated. Evolutionary trends of public art in Beijing in the new century are found:in the expression of meaning, the object space presents uniqueness, and the associative context moves towards openness; in the process of interpretation, creative practice tends to be professional, and the emotional experience is more inclusive; and in the elements of participants, art services move towards personalisation, and the participation mechanism is more flexible.Conclusion This confirms the process of public art moving from grand narratives to daily life, and serves as supporting evidence for the localization development of public art.