5 Huge Rainbow Arcs Coming To Downtown

“Elysian Arcs” by Atelier Sisu. Image from Marcus Performing Arts Center/Milwaukee Downtown.

Twenty-foot-tall inflatable rainbow arcs will make landfall Downtown just after the Republic National Convention leaves town.

Sydney-based art partnership Atelier Sisu will return to Milwaukee with a new public art installation from July 23-27. The partnership delighted passersby last year with its “Evanescent” inflatable sculpture of lighted, large bubbles that were accompanied by music.

“Elysian Arcs,” as the newest piece is known, will be installed on the grounds of the Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 N. Water St., as part of the organization’s annual Rainbow Summer program. Milwaukee Downtown, Business Improvement District #21 is serving as an event co-host.

The July installation will mark the first time the latest piece, formed by five large arcs, has been exhibited in the United States.

The pieces will be free to experience with a live music performance each evening as well as a marketplace with food trucks and activities. As with the 2023 installation, getting the full experience will require visiting at different times. The pieces reflect light but transform in the evening when they are internally lit with a programmed display.

Atelier Sisu is a partnership of Peruvian sculptor and industrial designer Renzo B. Larriviere and spatial architect and artist Zara Pasfield. The partners work in “art-chitecture,” which they bill as the intersection of art and architecture.

“The world is at the precipice of change. This change can be felt from all directions, from climatic influences, political feuds, economic fluctuations and social pressures… Amongst so much seemly chaos, it is important now, more than ever to find joy in the everyday, to find moments of wonder that excite our inherent curiosity,” says a statement describing the piece by the artists.

“The opportunity to host the internationally acclaimed Elysian Arcs installation is a testament to Downtown Milwaukee’s reputation as a premier destination for public art,” said Milwaukee Downtown CEO Beth Weirick. “We, along with our partners at Marcus Performing Arts Center, look forward to sharing this joyful experience with the community this summer.”

Live music will begin each night at 7 p.m. Saturday’s performance will begin at 6:30 p.m.

“Rainbow Summer: HIGHLIGHT is more than just an event – it is a vibrant celebration of creativity, community, and connection,” said Marcus Center CEO Kevin Giglinto in a statement. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Milwaukee Downtown to bring this world-renowned installation to our community alongside a diverse selection of musical artists, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to enjoy and experience this incredible week.”

The Marcus Center grounds were rehabilitated following the controversial removal of the Dan Kiley-designed garden, which featured a grove of Chestnut trees. Center officials said the trees had outgrown their intended size, were dying and were an impediment to accessibility, while preservation advocates said it was an important space designed by a famous landscape architect that was worthy of historic protection. A large lawn is now at the center of the space, which can be used for its own events or as an extension of the adjacent Peck Pavilion amphitheater. A new war memorial, which debuted in November 2022, serves as a nod to the building’s history as part of a war memorial for Milwaukee County. The grounds are located along E. Kilbourn Avenue, just west of N. Water Street.

2023 Installation

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