First 6 Sculpture Milwaukee Pieces Installed

Downtown workers, residents and visitors can catch a sneak peek of the third annual Sculpture Milwaukee exhibit.

Sculpture Milwaukee, in partnership with Milwaukee Downtown and landscape firm KEI, has installed six sculptures near Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons and the US Bank Center. Northwestern Mutual is the presenting sponsor of the temporary exhibit.

The non-profit, created by Marcus Corp. chairman Stephen Marcus, plans to install 23 sculptures this year. The project is being curated by Marilu Knode and Russell Bowman.

Additional sculptures will be installed as weather permits over the coming weeks. Signage will be installed closer to the opening, providing detail on the sculpture and artist. For the first time in the exhibit, a specially-commissioned sculpture will be directly installed on a downtown building.

The full complement of sculptures will be on view from June 7th through October 27th along Wisconsin Ave.

A grand opening celebration is planned for June 7th at 11:30 a.m. in the parking lot immediately east of 600 East Cafe (600 E. Wisconsin Ave). A press release promises “artistic activites, live music and free lunch to the first 500 guests.”

A full list of artists and locations is available on the Sculpture Milwaukee website.

All of the works are available for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds going to sustain the annual sculpture exhibition. The majority of the exhibit is financed by local sponsors.

Installed Sculptures

“Penguin” (2018)
John Baldessari
Location: Northwestern Mutual Tower grounds

“A Greater Perspective” (2015)
Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset
Location: O’Donnell Park near the Milwaukee Art Museum bridge

“Untitled” from the series Kitchen Trees (2018)
B. Wurtz
Location: O’Donnell Park near E. Wisconsin Ave.

“Hot Dog Vendor” (2005)
Red Grooms
Location: 875 E. Wisconsin Ave.

“Large Boxing Hare on Anvil” (1984)
Barry Flanagan
Location: 777 E. Wisconsin Ave.

“Séraphine-chérubin” from the series Big Brother: Teaching Staff for a School of Murderers (1967)
Max Ernst
Location: 611 E. Wisconsin Ave.

Photos

If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits, all detailed here.