Sensational Sculptures

Sensational Sculptures

Walking around our fair city over the past couple of years, you may have seen the metal trees outside the art museum or the red Solo cup in the Third Ward. And you might have wondered, “who made this?” or “how did it get there?” or “what does it mean?” Sculpture Milwaukee, wants to help you answer these questions. If you haven’t seen any sculptures, there’s no need to have FOMO (fear of missing out). Outdoor art is alive and well and appearing all over town.

We’re lucky to have a local organization that sees a city street corner or an open field and envisions ways to make that space inviting and exciting. Sculpture Milwaukee loves putting art around town for people to find and enjoy. Their website’s mission is clear, concise and impressive: “We believe great art has the power to rouse individuals, bring people together and make Milwaukee an even better place.”

Placing art in natural, accessible outdoor spaces is nothing new in the art world. Recognizing the relationship between art and nature, Marc Chagall, one of the most influential artists of our time, said, “Great art picks up where nature ends.” Here in Milwaukee, that relationship is the centerpiece of Sculpture Milwaukee’s current project, “Nature Doesn’t Know About Us.” It features some very unique pieces from a variety of artists.

Sculpture Milwaukee artists combine “skeptical clarity and at times humor-tinged desire to locate the intersection of spiritual and physical presence in daily life,” their website explains.

Check out this story from On Milwaukee about Sculpture Milwaukee and this list of some of the many works that are fun, free, accessible, and thought-provoking.

  • Spiky Column Green by Ned Smyth – found in Museum Center Park, 910 E. Michigan St.
  • Sky/Stairs #2 by Geoffrey Hendricks – found on the stairway leading to Museum Center Park
  • Courtyard Sea by Maya Lin – found in the courtyard next to the 411 East Wisconsin building
  • William Hambling by Sarah Lucas – found at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, adjacent to the Riverwalk

The works featured in the Nature Doesn’t Know About Us exhibition began appearing last summer and will run through October 2023.

Using this Sculpture Milwaukee map, you can take in the many visually appealing works of art all over downtown and the surrounding areas. Drive, walk or grab a ride on the coolest streetcar in the state, The Hop, to take in all the whimsical fun.

Within very close proximity to Eastcastle Place senior living community on Milwaukee’s Eastside, are the renowned historic lion sculptures at Lake Park.

Additionally, we are lucky at Eastcastle Place to have our own renowned sculptor, resident Judye Frankowiak.  Recently, we encountered one of her pieces of art during a tour of the David Barnett Gallery.

At Eastcastle Place, we are also fortunate to be able to sit back, relax and leave the logistics and the transportation for viewing Milwaukee’s fabulous artwork to our life enrichment department. Later this month, we’ll have a Mystery Bus Tour, where we’ll explore Milwaukee’s sculptures together as a community.