Mayuko Kono
“Beauty Project: Around Milwaukee”
May 5, 12, 26, from 7:30pm - 10:00pm
west of 3609 North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
As I go around Milwaukee, I often find myself intrigued by storefront window signs such as HOTDOG, SHRIMP, or whatever else someone is selling. Through this project I focused on that aspect of the cityscape, looking for the word BEAUTY as commonly found at beauty salons and beauty supply stores. I isolate the word BEAUTY from the original settings, emphasizing the different colors and typographies that each store chose to use. I see the resulting images as a series of samples from the city and each creates a moment that elevates the idea of beauty from the street to a new level.
Joseph Bolstad
“Amontillado III”
Installed May 7
3712 North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
This piece is built entirely of paper bags. One bag inserted into another creates a unit. There is no hidden armature, no glue or tape involved. The forces of the bags resting against one another create the structure. What interests me is the tension created by a wall of paper bags: at first glance it appears stable, but quickly reveals itself to be quite fragile, ready to fall at the slightest provocation. Through this work, I simply hope to remind people that things aren't always as concrete as they first appear.
Eliot White/T.R.U.E. Skool Inc.
“Dwennimmen: Through The Third Eye of the Hip Hop Culture”
Installed May 28
3726 North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
Through this work, I want to express strength/dwennimmen to the youth of this community in a way that they can relate to. I also want to display ways the so-called “African-American” Gateway District community can strengthen itself. The $10, $, and S imagery embedded within the letters, represents pooling/investing financial resources within this community. The open book in the E represents education/being socially conscience. The grasping hands in the T represents working together as a community and respect for one another.
municipalWORKSHOP
“StreetWISE”
Installed May 27, Cookout May 27 (raindate: May 28)
3725 North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
StreetWISE is a one-day action to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sited near the Tree of Knowledge relief sculpture, StreetWISE looks to identify and visually illuminate street-level wisdom in the form of a public art project. Through creating handwritten signage, in collaboration with local residents, a two-part dialogue will be created. In verbal form, this dialogue will be short-lived and be only of the moment (conversations, personal meetings). In written/visual form, this dialogue will be installed and exhibited for a period of time (connecting with those involved with the project as well as those who simply view the installed signs).
kathryn e. martin
“Untitled (Styrofoam Fence)”
Installed May 31
between 3711 and 3717 North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
Fences are objects symbolic of separation. They divide the “here” from “there” and the “yours” from “mine”. Chain-link fences allow a vision through and beyond. With this project I ask the viewer to look at the barrier and its method of separation. I want the viewer to look at its structure and repetition, its form and way of being. I attempt to beautify what is not, while softening what is hard. I want to allow for a bit of enjoyment in the overlooked of our everyday.
Hmong Artisans
“Pajntaub (fabric flowers)”
May 24 - June 5
3624 North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
This would be used as a table runner or wall hanging. It is a happiness design and is supposed to bring happiness to the family.
The community is welcome to visit the Hmong American Friendship Association (3824 W. Vliet Street) Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 to see and purchase Hmong needle art.
Hmong Artisans
“Refugees 1975”
May 24 - June 5
3624 North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
This “story cloth” depicts the Hmong crossing the river in handmade boats to get from Laos to Thailand in 1975. If they were lucky and found by the police, they were welcome. If they were unlucky, they were found by gangsters and robbed and/or killed.
Story clothes of Hmong history and mythology can be seen and purchased at the Hmong American Friendship Association (3824 W. Vliet Street) Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30.
Matthew Kirk
“the senseless and the savage and the peace we are denied”
Installed May 31
35th Street and North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
it is about dying.
it is about how even though we are surrounded by dying, and it is a natural occurrence, we seem to be terrified by it.
it is about how we are controlled by fear of a natural thing.
9th – 12th Grade Students
(Inland Seas School of Expeditionary Learning)
East Wall Mural: “John Henry”
4th – 8th Grade Students
(MacDowell Montessori School)
East Wall Mural: “Anansi Owns All Tales That Are Told”
9th – 12th Grade Students
(Inland Seas School of Expeditionary Learning)
West Wall Mural: “John Henry”
4th – 8th Grade Students
(MacDowell Montessori School)
West Wall Mural: “Anansi Owns All Tales That Are Told”
7th and 8th Grade Students
(Northwest Opportunities Vocational Academy)
East Marquee Mural: “The Fight With the Bida Dragon”
7th and 8th Grade Students
(Milwaukee Education Center)
West Marquee Mural: “The Hairy Worm”
May - June
3615 North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI
directions
The murals here were created in workshops at the Haggerty Museum of Art-Marquette University in conjunction with the exhibition Bob Thompson: Meteor in a Black Hat. Students from MacDowell Montessori School, Northwest Opportunities Vocational Academy (NOVA), Inland Seas School of Expeditionary Learning and the Milwaukee Education Center worked with artists Ras ‘Ammar Nsoroma and Ralph Heinick in the creation of these paintings. The murals depict three African American folktales (Anansi Owns All Tales That Are Told, The Fight With the Bida Dragon and John Henry) and one new story by Ralph Heinick (The Hairy Worm).
