Do you like murals? Well, Milwaukee certainly does. It seems a week can’t go by without another giant mural popping up somewhere in town. Last month it was the gorgeous “Gateway Mural” on West Wisconsin Avenue. Earlier this week it was news that new murals are coming to Black Cat Alley and Crossroads Collective. And today it’s news that one of Europe’s most well-known street artists is painting a mural on the side of a Third Ward high rise. Neat!
German artist Andreas von Chrzanowski—a.k.a. CASE, a.k.a. Case Maclaim—will paint his mural on the north face of the Dye House building at 320 E. Buffalo Street. According to a press release:
The structure was originally built for a hosiery company in the 1920s, and Case Maclaim’s mural will pay homage not only to the women who used to dye nylons there, but to the many women who work in the Historic Third Ward today and to working people everywhere. The model for the mural is an entrepreneur who works in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward today.
The artist will begin work on the mural today, and will be in town until August 17. Here’s the full press release:
World-Renowned Muralist Painting High Rise in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward
Wallpapered City and the Third Ward BID welcome German artist Case Maclaim(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) – Another giant mural is going up this summer in downtown Milwaukee and this time it’s being painted by one of Europe’s most well-known street artists. Andreas von Chrzanowski, aka CASE, is a founding member of the renowned Ma’Claim mural crew from Eastern Germany. Known as Case Maclaim, the artist has been painting public murals for over twenty years and his monumental works appear in cities from Frankfurt to Paris, to New York and beyond. He has not yet been to this part of the United States, and was interested to learn that Milwaukee is an American city steeped in German history.
The project is being led by Wallpapered City, the artist-led working group that manages Black Cat Alley and which recently completed a seven-mural corridor in East Tosa. This will be Wallpapered City’s 41 st mural in Milwaukee, and the 4th by an international artist. “We think that the concept by Case is a great fit for the Dye House,” says Stacey Williams-Ng, founder of Wallpapered City. “The Historic Third Ward is a very special place, and the owners of the building had a grand vision for making a statement with a monumental mural that would reflect not only the history of the building, but the future of our city.”
The mural will be on the north face of the Dye House building at 320 E. Buffalo Street, a 125,560-square foot multi-tenant office building in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward. Owned by Singerman Real Estate, LLC, and has been investing in significant improvements to the property including this mural artwork. The structure was originally built for a hosiery company in the 1920s, and Case Maclaim’s mural will pay homage not only to the women who used to dye nylons there, but to the many women who work in the Historic Third Ward today and to working people everywhere. The model for the mural is an entrepreneur who works in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward today.
The entire mural-making process is being documented by Los Angeles-based videographer Craig Schultz, who has captured some of the world’s most renowned mural events, including Pow Wow, Denver’s Crush Walls, the silo paintings of Guido van Helten, and more.
“I’m excited a thoughtful mural by world-renowned artist Case Maclaim was approved by the Historic Third Ward’s Architectural Review Board,” said Alderman Bob Bauman. “This incredible gift to the neighborhood and City complements the rich history of art in the Historic Third Ward.”
Photo: Street Art 360