Art in Architecture: Milwaukee's State Office Building Mosaics Tour

819 North 6th Street,Milwaukee WI 53203

04 November, 2022

Description

We are celebrating artist Marjorie Kreilick’s 97th birthday with this rare insider tour! In the early 1960s a wave of modernism was sweeping Milwaukee. The State of Wisconsin was building a new downtown office building to meet needs of the growing metropolis and the State Architect wanted ART to be an integrated feature to all new architecture. At the office building he envisioned monumental murals to be sited on each floor, and so commissioned a young muralist and UW professor, Marjorie Kreilick. Ms. Kreilick created ten marble and gold mosaics depicting the indigenous bioregions of Wisconsin, plus a large abstract lobby mural dedicated to the State’s motto “Forward”. The murals took two years to complete and were shipped from a Roman mosaic atelier direct to Milwaukee up the newly opened St Lawrence Seaway. Join us to learn the fascinating backstory to the creation of these phenomenal artworks, including rare behind-the-scenes peeks at the production of the murals, and visuals of the original paintings and project schemas for the murals in development. The event begins with a visual presentation by mosaic specialist Lillian Sizemore, and architectural historian Eric Vogel. Following the presentation you will have the opportunity to tour the 10 story State Office Building with Lillian and Eric, and see each of the Kreilick mosaics up close! ARRIVAL: Due to the security at the location we ask that you arrive promptly. Arrival by 2:30 PM for orientation and check in. You will be greeted at the door and escorted to our conference room where a 30 minute presentation will begin at 2:45PM then we will break into groups to visit the murals in person. We will exit the building promptly at 4:30PM SAFETY: The area is wheelchair accessible. Participants will be walking and standing for short periods. In light of COVID-19, We will be taking necessary precautions to ensure a safe gathering. You are encouraged to wear a face mask for the safety of yourself and others. If you feel unwell or are experiencing symptoms, please stay home. Hand sanitizer will be provided PARKING: available near the facility.6th & Wells Lot: Westown Downtown Milwaukee Parking (secureparkingusa.com)Interstate Parking: Interstate Parking (https://www.interstateparking.com/milwaukee) MARJORIE KREILICK was born in 1925 in Ohio, on the shores of Lake Erie. She earned degrees in sculpture from Ohio State University and from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, known as the ‘Cradle of American Modernism,’ when Eero Saarinen was its director. In 1953, she joined the art department at UW–Madison. In 1956, she took a year-long sabbatical to Rome for in-depth study and hands-on training in the ancient art of mosaic, and to cast bronze. She worked with master mosaicist, Giulio Giovanetti, and began a long collaboration with the Meloni brothers, who assisted with fabricating many of her architectural works. She returned to Italy frequently and learned to speak fluent Italian. Kreilick’s first architectural commission was in 1959, and she continued to collaborate with architects, creating more than 15 mosaic installations throughout her career. She taught in the UW–Madison Department of Art for 38 years, where her color theory courses were renowned for their rigor and science-based approach. She undertook years of material and formulary research and created an artificial blue ‘marble’ for her bespoke mosaic works. Her sculptures, paintings, and fine art mosaic panels are held in private collections, at the Chazen Museum of Art, the Racine Art Museum and the Museum of Wisconsin Art. Photo credit: Steve Agard / Marjorie Kreilick Legacy Foundation Burning Prairies Mosaic at the State Office Building Photo Credit: David Erickson/ AIAP SPEAKER: Lillian Sizemore is an Italian-trained mosaicist, researcher and educator with a specialization in the twentieth-century mosaic movement. Sizemore, fondly known as “Miss Marble the mosaic detective” published the guide ‘Mosaics of San Francisco’ guiding dozens of city walking tours. She’s guided guests through the ancient mosaics the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, and organized groups to visit the astonishing mosaic art environment, George Ehling’s Mosaic Mansion in Hollywood. Her writing has been published internationally in Mosaïque, Andamento, Raw Vision, and Society for Commercial Archaeology. Sizemore holds a double degree in Fine Arts and Italian from Indiana University. She lives in Madison, and assists Ms. Kreilick and her estate to support acknowledgment, acquisition, study, and preservation of her work via the Marjorie Kreilick Legacy Foundation.