Every Wednesday at noon, Ryan Schleicher, Evan Rytlewski, and Matt Wild take to the WMSE airwaves to discuss all things Milwaukee. This half-hour fun-fest is called The Disclaimer, so named because none of the oft-ridiculous views expressed on the show necessarily reflect the views of the hosts’ employers. Milwaukee music, Milwaukee art, Milwaukee events, and D.I.Y. lawn care tips are frequently discussed—and rarely agreed upon. The Disclaimer: Talk radio for the sane.
One of Milwaukee’s great public art success stories is Sculpture Milwaukee. The ambitious 22-piece “outdoor art gallery” has graced Wisconsin Avenue since June, giving downtown denizens a chance to enjoy top-flight works of art from local, national, and international artists. That it has done so without all the crowdsourcing, marketing, and “placemaking” gimmicks that have plagued similar projects in recent years is incredibly refreshing. Want great public art? Get someone with a lot of money, someone with a lot of expertise (in Sculpture Milwaukee’s case, Steve Marcus and Russell Bowman, respectively), and let them do their thing.
Ryan, Evan, and Matt discuss Sculpture Milwaukee’s quiet, old-school success, and compare it to recent efforts that were often more insufferable marketing-speak than art. Next, the trio wonders what the hell Milwaukee Magazine was thinking by using Black Cat Alley’s controversial “Devontay” mural as a backdrop for a fashion shoot, and applaud Coakley Brothers for just going ahead and creating some bold public art of their own.
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