Sculpture Milwaukee taking shape along Wisconsin Avenue

By: CBS58 Staff

Posted: May 24, 2017 1:41 PM CDT

NOW: Sculpture Milwaukee taking shape along Wisconsin Avenue

Steven Marcus, Chairman of the Marcus Corporation, says he just had to do something to get his friends who live in the suburbs to venture downtown for the first time in years.

"I thought to myself what a shame that is, there's so much going on downtown," Marcus tells CBS 58 News.

So he dreamed up an idea based on something he saw in England. World class sculpture on public display.

CBS 58 News watched as crews began unloading the first works of art.

In all, 22 pieces will be on display starting June 1st and running through October.

"I like pieces with color," confessed Marcus. "I like pieces that are somewhat whimsical. But, that's my own personal taste. We'll probably find out, over time, which seems to work best with the public."

Mayor Tom Barrett will declare Wednesday, May 31 “Sculpture Milwaukee Day” at a public ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:45 a.m. at Chase Tower at Water and Wisconsin, 111 E. Wisconsin Avenue.

The event will include remarks from Mayor Tom Barrett; project visionary Steve Marcus; Andy Farbman of Farbman Group, owners of Chase Tower at Water and Wisconsin; and Joe Ullrich and Beth Weirick of Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21. Performances by Jenny Thiel, Lex Allen, Fred Astaire Dance Studio and Milwaukee Public Schools Lincoln Center of the Arts choir will top off the ceremony. Plus, several featured artists in the installation, will be present.

In addition, the first 750 guests in attendance will receive free lunch compliments of Capriotti’s and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Led by Steve Marcus, chairman of the board of The Marcus Corporation, and curated by Russell Bowman, an art consultant based in Chicago and former Director of the Milwaukee Art Museum, the sculptures are on loan from galleries across the nation. Featured sculptures in the 2017 installation will be available for purchase, with a percentage of the commission of each sale reinvested into the project to sustain an annual exhibition. Sculpture Milwaukee will be on view June 1 through Oct. 22, 2017.