Design Concepts Revealed For Downtown Sculpture Honoring Vel Phillips
Public will be able to sit in a bronze version of Phillips' desk, contemplate her legacy.
“I Didn’t Do It Alone” by Karyn Olivier. Rendering provided.
“I didn’t do it alone.”
It’s a phrase that civil rights trailblazer Vel Phillips is said to have often uttered. And now it will serve as the central theme of a planned memorial at the newly-completed Vel R. Phillips Plaza, 401 W. Wisconsin Ave.
The Department of City Development (DCD) announced Monday it has selected Philadelphia-based artist Karyn Olivier to design the permanent memorial at the new downtown park. Olivier was selected from a competitive request-for-proposals process.
Phillips was the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School, and the first woman and first African American elected to the Common Council where she led a relentless charge for fair housing. She was also the first female judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court and the first African American judge in Wisconsin. In 1978, Phillips became the first woman elected to the office of Secretary of State, becoming the first African American to ever win a statewide election.
The new memorial, subject to Milwaukee Arts Board approval, will feature three central components: two vertical stone sections with figurative sculptures, a bronze desk and a bronze chair.
“Six outward-facing figures will represent citizens, activists, and leaders who worked with Phillips for change. The linked-arm citizens symbolize the unity of the 200 days of open housing protests and stand as protectors of liberty, justice, and democracy – the ideals Phillips fought for,” says DCD’s press release. “The integration of the intimate office with the more traditional architecture highlights the importance of the personal in our politics.”
The desk is designed to reflect Phillips’ “eagerness to listen to all.” Bronze cast items planned for the desk include a framed photo of Phillips and her husband Dale, a page from her fair housing ordinance, a name template, phone, papers and folders.
The chair will be empty, reflecting Phillips’ passing, but also as a challenge for observers to question what impact they can make. “Visitors are encouraged to sit and interact at the desk, and over time, the natural patina formed by the oils of human touch will become a part of this memorial, mirroring the way Phillips felt the people were always a part of her work,” says the release.
“The Vel R. Phillips memorial reminds Milwaukee of the transformative power of unity, commitment to justice, and expanding liberties,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
The memorial is anticipated to be completed in 2026.
Phillips, who passed away in 2018, would have turned 100 in 2024. A statue honoring Phillips was unveiled in Madison on the Capitol Square in July. The Milwaukee plaza opened in June.
“I’m very excited to have this opportunity to create a public work for the Vel R. Phillips Plaza,” said Olivier. “Vel’s legacy is so inspiring—one that reminds us of the values found in persistence, hard work, and unflagging optimism. This installation is meant to honor Vel and her accomplishments on our behalf. Just as importantly, my intention is to inspire all of us to carry on where Vel left off.”
Olivier’s proposal was selected by a team of 16 from a field of 60. Olivier was one of three finalists announced earlier this year, when final submissions were under development and review.
“‘I Didn’t Do It Alone’ honors the great Vel R. Phillips and her belief that we must work together to achieve justice and equality,” said Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, who considered Phillips a mentor and chairs the arts board. “Her legacy as a trailblazing leader and advocate reminds us all of our responsibility to do what is right and fight for a better, more inclusive community.”
“‘I Didn’t Do It Alone’ celebrates the legacy of Vel R. Phillips and invites the community to reflect on her impact, while inspiring future generations to continue the mission towards a more inclusive society,” said Phillips’ son Michael Phillips. “Milwaukee is home to the best contemporary public art collections in the nation, and Karyn Olivier’s work will further enrich Downtown with a vibrant testament to Vel R. Phillips’ vision.”
Olivier’s credits include participating in several internationally-recognized arts showcases, including the Whitney Biennial in New York City. Next year, she will debut a new memorial in Philadelphia that commemorates the more than 5,000 African Americans buried beneath a playground in Center City. She is also an associate professor at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art. Olivier is a native of Trinidad and Tobago.
The council, in 2022, allocated $600,000 for the sculpture from a tax incremental financing district. Approximately $17 million in additional funding went to develop the plaza.
The arts board will first review the proposal at its Oct. 8 meeting.
A series of kiosks at the 30,000-square-foot plaza already tell Phillips’ story. They also highlight past winners of the city’s Vel Phillips Trailblazer Award and, at the time of the park’s opening, displayed a democracy-focused art project.
The west end of the plaza is anchored by a 2,900-square-foot building that will be occupied by a cafe from Draft & Vessel owner Nathaniel Davauer. The latest DCD release says it will open in 2025. Exterior-facing public restrooms, available for use with events in the plaza, are included in the building. Most of the plaza is covered in brick pavers, trees and concrete walls designed as seating. The southern portion of the plaza is covered in grass.
A future extension of the streetcar is planned to bisect the plaza. A new station for the Milwaukee County Transit System‘s Connect 1 east-west bus rapid transit line is located along W. Wisconsin Avenue.
A partnership of The Kubala Washatko Architects, HNTB and landscape architecture firm Saiki Design designed the plaza. Selzer-Ornst Construction Company served as the general contractor with support from Walbec Group, engineering firm Clark Dietz, Rams Contracting and others.
The southern half of the site, which covers 55,626 square feet, is being marketed for sale for $3.34 million as part of an attempt to land a multi-building, high-density “landmark development” and, in the interim, continues to be privately operated as a parking lot.
Design Concepts and Olivier
Plaza Photos
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With all due respect to Vel Phillips, wasn’t one of her colleagues Lloyd Barbee, who served in the City and State as quite a progressive Black leader? It would be great if he too was featured as one of her contemporaries who greatly influenced all of us!
I was excited to see that an artist had been selected and renderings were in. However, I was initially underwhelmed by what I saw. I was really expecting to see something more “monumental,” and by that I mean large and a bit of a landmark that could be seen at a distance.
So, it took me about 30 minutes to really sit with the design; the artist, Karyn Olivier’s, intent; and to imagine people interacting with it. What better way to honor the life of a true leader for Wisconsin and the country than to have people engage it in a tangible and tactile way. Sit in her chair, behind her desk, see a picture on her wall, look out her window.
I also checked out Olivier’s anticipated monument at Bethel Burying Grounds in Philadelphia and it is equally engaging in some different ways.
Let’s hope the Milwaukee Arts Board approves this work. It’s wonderful and inspiring.