Public Art in Milwaukee
AY ONE
Morning/Afternoon
Start your tour in the heart of Milwaukee's downtown. Take a stroll along the 4th Street side of the city's convention facility, the Midwest Airlines Center (400 W. Wisconsin Ave.) to see a tribute to Milwaukee's proud heritage. Here visitors can peer into the past by looking at Milwaukee memorabilia, including pieces of the building that previously stood on the site. Created by Sheila Klein, this outdoor "Reliquary Garden" is a good example of the integrated nature of the artwork throughout the Midwest Airlines Center.
Turn the corner onto the West Wisconsin Avenue side of the building and rest your feet by having a seat on New York artist Vito Acconci's "Walkways Through the Wall". A playful bus shelter here on the sidewalk, this pre-cast concrete and glass design continues to the interior of the Midwest Airlines Center where it serves as seats for guests.
Head east on West Wisconsin Avenue to the Henry Reuss Federal Plaza (310 W. Wisconsin Ave.) to seeHelaine Blumfield's "Family". Five forms made of Norwegian blue granite, this piece was commissioned by two private donors in the late 1970's.
Travel a couple blocks east down West Wisconsin Avenue to the Milwaukee River for a stroll along theRiverWalk. There on the corner you will see a bronze statue memorial to Gertie the Duck. In the spring of 1945 Gertie built her nest here beside the Wisconsin Avenue bridge, stopping traffic and capturing local and worldwide attention for more than a month. Nine of her eggs hatched and the whole family was relocated to a lagoon in Juneau Park.
While wandering along the RiverWalk, you'll have the opportunity to admire artwork done in mediums of everything from aluminum and steel to neon tubing. The RiverWalk boasts both permanent and temporary pieces of art. This year, beginning in June, a 17-piece temporary exhibit (works done by five artists) will go on display for the 8th annual presentation of RiverSculpture.
You can stop for lunch at any number of eateries along the RiverWalk or you can head over to Barclay Gallery & Garden Café (158 S. Barclay St./414-347-0500) to enjoy casual dining in a unique gallery setting. After eating you can shop for fine contemporary crafts by North America's top artists.
Evening
For dinner you can return to the Riverwalk to enjoy our public art at night or you can dine at any number of restaurants downtown including Mo's Irish Pub (1142 West Wisconsin Avenue/414-272-0721), Mo's...A Place for Steaks (720 N. Plankinton Ave./414-272-0720), Moceans...A Place for Seafood (747 N. Broadway/414-727-7470), Coast-A Zilli Restaurant (931 East Wisconsin Avenue/414-727-5555), orBacchus, A Bartlotta Restaurant (925 East Wells Street/414-765-1166). After dinner, take part in the nightlife the city has to offer by heading out to any number of clubs or to either of our two theatre districts for everything from ballet to plays to the opera.
DAY TWO
Morning
Fix your gaze on one of the newest wonders in Milwaukee! Resting on the shore of Lake Michigan is theSantiago Calatrava addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum (700 North Art Museum Drive/414-224-3200). The expansion includes a dramatic wing-like sculpture rising high above Milwaukee's lakefront like a bird taking flight.
A short distance from the Art Museum, you'll find a vibrant and bold piece, "The Calling" by Mark di Suvero. The sculpture sits on the bluff at the eastern end of East Wisconsin Avenue like a rising sun. The large iron sculpture resembles an orange sunburst, and is an easy meeting place for you and your friends.
The Art Museum sits inside Veterans' Park (1010 N Lincoln Memorial Drive), a great green space and a stretch of beach along Lake Michigan that is dedicated to the men and women of Milwaukee County who served in the Armed Forces of the United States. Among other great pieces of public art you will find The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Its unique design of three Wausau red granite columns represents those killed in action (KIAs), those taken prisoner of war (POWs), those missing in action (MIA's), and those who returned home. Five granite benches located behind the columns symbolize the five branches of military service. Encircling the memorial are 11 granite posts, each signifying one officially recognized year of the Vietnam War.
Afternoon
After lunch, make your way over to the outside of the Marcus Center for Performing Arts (929 North Water Street/414-273-7121) where you'll see works by Richard Taylor, Seymour Lipton, Allen Ditson and Bilhenry Walker. A short walk along the river will take you to additional works by David Kimball Anderson, Gwendolyn Gillen, Preston Jackson, Paul Sebben, Tom Queoff and Cork Marcheschi.
Head over to Zeidler Union Square (between 3rd and 4th Streets on Michigan Avenue) to take in "Wisconsin Workers Memorial" by Terese Agnew and Mary Zebell, a gazebo incorporating cast steel workers' tools and gears and ornamental posts throughout the park that depict moments in labor history. If your visit is on a Wednesday from the end of June through the end of October you can also experienceThe Westown Farmer's Market. A vibrant and diverse marketplace featuring more than forty vendors selling Wisconsin-grown produce, prepared food items and handmade artwork
Before leaving town make sure to visit Artasia Gallery & Museum (159 N. Broadway Ave./414-220-4292) where you can explore ethnic art, artifacts, carvings, accents, jewelry, clothing, furniture, antiques, and architectural curios-all from the reaches of China, Tibet, Nepal, and Mongolia. Or visit David Barnett Gallery (1024 E. State St./414-271-5058) for a look at African and Latin American art as well as the Old Masters, International, and American artists.
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