Thursday, March 14, 2019

When Milwaukee's state office bldg. goes, save its unique mosaics

The forlorn state office building in downtown Milwaukee
will likely be torn down in the next couple of years, and, while the structure is hardly a gem, it contains large, significant and dazzling mosaics which definitely need to be preserved.
Hiding in Plain Site: Marjorie Kreilick's Midcentury Mosaics for Milwaukee's State Office Building
There's one of these floor-to-ceiling installations on each of the building's nine floors, plus another in the lobby (4th photo, below).

Here are a few details and then some larger views:





This is "Forward,' an homage to the Wisconsin Idea, in the building lobby.



























5 comments:

Katrina said...

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Anonymous said...

Can people actually tour this building or do you need an appointment?

James Rowen said...

It’s a public building which houses several agencies.The major installation is in the lobby, so inside the entrance on N. 6th St. behind the back of the Convention Center in the heart of downtown. A building guard will give you a pass so you can go to any or all the floors to see the mosaics which are by the elevators’ doors. I had time to see only two levels above the lobby.

Lillian Sizemore said...

Hi James, thanks for linking to my lecture! I also wrote a feature essay with 20+ photos for this publication, Andamento Journal: http://www.bamm.org.uk/shop/node/42 I'm looking for opportunities to offer the talk to folks in Milwaukee, it's a good time to get everyone up to speed, since the murals are picking up attention now. Any ideas appreciated. Thank you for your support! PS. the artwork in the basement is a painting, it is not one of Ms. Kreilicks' mosaics.

James Rowen said...

Dear Lillian; Thanks for the note. I will correct the text with regard to what's in the building basement. jim