New Murals Add Color to Riverwalk
With a fourth on the way. Collection aims to engage pedestrians and waterway traffic throughout Downtown.
Brian Kaspr’s collage-style mural is located near 740 North by 3L Living. Photo taken Jan. 14, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.
A trio of new murals adds a splash of color to the Milwaukee RiverWalk.
The artwork, part of the in-progress Milwaukee Riverwalk Mural Collection, aims to engage both pedestrians and waterway traffic across a mile-long stretch of the downtown riverfront.
A fourth mural is slated for installation this spring.
Perhaps the most prominent installation, created by artist CERA, is located on the tower at the Juneau Avenue Lift Bridge. Visible to both pedestrians and drivers, “Buoyancy” is part of CERA’s “Light Seekers” series, which captures protagonists in “moments of curious and inquisitive exploration.” In this case, the concept depicts a musician in motion, following a light, as a nod to nearby performing arts venues.
Further south, a colorful, layered mural unfolds below street level near River Bank Plaza. Artist Brian Kaspr designed the collage-style piece based on input from more than 140 community members, incorporating landmarks like Milwaukee City Hall and the Hoan Bridge alongside imagery of native plants and patterns from Indigenous tribes.
The third and northernmost concept, “Luminous Waters,” enhances the underpass at Knapp Street Bridge. Created by Thyla Arden and Ayda Rose of Unnaturell Design Co., the mural represents the river’s biological diversity with depictions of otters, fish, a frog and an array of aquatic plants.
The fourth mural, planned for a site near Marcus Performing Arts Center, will feature containers of all shapes and sizes. Titled “Vessels of Milwaukee,” the piece by Christina Vang of La Bang Studio is designed to signify “the rich narratives and unique assets of the Milwaukee Riverwalk and the Milwaukee Theater District.”
The Milwaukee Riverwalk Mural Collection is presented in partnership with the Downtown Placemaking Task Force, Milwaukee Riverwalk District, Milwaukee Theater District, Visit Milwaukee and the City of Milwaukee. Artists were selected through a request for proposals process launched last August.
The most recent installations continue the work of Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 and its partners, which have coordinated more than 25 murals across downtown Milwaukee since 2017. Past projects include “Westown in Bloom,” “Heart & Sol,” the Schlitz Park mural, “Brighten the Passage” and the Giannis mural at 600 East.
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