Sculpture Milwaukee gives Wisconsin Avenue some LOVE

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (May 9, 2018) – Sculpture Milwaukee, a free outdoor urban art experience in downtown Milwaukee, is adding more LOVE to Wisconsin Avenue. Work from Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE series will be featured in the 2018 installation. LOVE, 1966-2000 will be installed Friday, May 11 outside Northwestern Mutual’s Tower and Commons. Sculpture Milwaukee will be on view from June to Oct. 21, 2018.

“We’re thrilled to bring Robert Indiana’s work to the 2018 installation,” said Marilu Knode, project director for Sculpture Milwaukee. “Indiana has had a long affinity with the city and I’m certain Milwaukeeans will be delighted to see his work in the public realm again.”

Many in Milwaukee will remember Indiana’s massive painting for the former MECCA arena. Steve Marcus, founder of Sculpture Milwaukee and chairman of the MECCA board at the time, with gallerist Judith Posner championed hiring Robert Indiana to paint the court as a way to make Milwaukee pop for the national basketball crowd. Indiana’s floor did not make the move to the Bradley Center; however, the current owners are looking to restore the work to a permanent location in Milwaukee.

As part of the 1960s pop art generation, inspired by American post-war prosperity and the rise of modern advertising, Robert Indiana helped provide an important visual backdrop to the cultural upheaval of his time. His paintings and assemblages incorporated words and letters that evoked both Madison Avenue and Main Street, providing subtle commentary on changing social relations in the country.

Indiana’s LOVE series features simple words with endless meanings and implications. The bold graphic style of the lettering is part of the artist’s appropriation of advertising, giving this particular work a flavorful punch. This emotionally generous and accessible body of work requires us to live up to its simple message of love. LOVE, 1966-2000 is on loan courtesy of the artist and the Paul Kasmin Gallery.

Installation of Sculpture Milwaukee works will begin on May 10 along Wisconsin Avenue. All of the 21 art works by 22 artists, with the exception of one borrowed from a private collection, are available for purchase with a percentage of each sale going toward Sculpture Milwaukee’s future installations. An extensive range of tours, hands-on workshops and additional “avenue activation” activities will be held throughout the summer and fall. Additional info on Sculpture Milwaukee 2018 can be found at www.sculpturemilwaukee.com.

Founding partners provide invaluable in-kind support for Sculpture Milwaukee and include The Marcus Corporation, Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21, KEI, Jigsaw, Ellingsen Brady Advertising, Graydient Creative and VISIT Milwaukee.

About Sculpture Milwaukee

Debuted in 2017, Sculpture Milwaukee is the vision of Steve Marcus, a local philanthropist and chairman of the board of The Marcus Corporation. Milwaukee Downtown, Business Improvement District #21, a 501(c)(3) organization, serves as the administrative arm of the project with many Milwaukee organizations and institutions lending their support. This tremendous gift to the community is made possible through grants, in-kind donations and sponsorships.

The exhibition’s inaugural year was organized by advisor Russell Bowman, former director of the Milwaukee Art Museum, and included 21 regional, national and international artists – Donald Baechler, Lynda Benglis, Chakaia Booker, Deborah utterfield, Santiago Calatrava, Saint Clair Cemin, Tony Cragg, Jim Dine, Paul Druecke, Michelle Grabner, John Henry, Sol LeWitt, Dennis Oppenheim, Tom Otterness, Will Ryman, Alison Saar, Joel Shapiro, Jessica Stockholder, Tony Tasset, Manolo Valdes and Jason S. Yi. Sculpture Milwaukee 2018 is curated by Russell Bowman and Marilu Knode, Sculpture Milwaukee’s project director and former director of Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis. For more information, visit www.sculpturemilwaukee.com or call 414.220.4700.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.