A Tour of the Zoo’s Art
Text by Paula Brookmire
Sculpture garden, art museum, poetry tour, totem walk, flowing fabric art, flower designs—did you know your Zoo offers so many types of culture? There’s a discovery around every curve. In between greeting the animals, you can go on an art tour. Or hunt for the 54 poetry displays. It’s a great way to explore the Milwaukee County Zoo. Many of the artworks were donated to or commissioned by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee (ZSM) and then presented to the Zoo. The poetry installations were designed and/or created by ZSM artists. Another art display greets you as you enter the Zoo trhough the U.S Bank Gathering Place: an array of dramatic animal photos by Richard Brodzeller, a ZSM photographer. See how many sculptures, paintings and other artworks you can find. Add in the animal art made from flowers and plants created by Zoo horticulturalists, and you have more of a challenge.
Go on a virtual tour here of Zoo artworks (a few of which you can see only online). You also can view a slide show of some of the Zoo’s topiary and flowers. The first photo below is of a flamingo-inspired sculpture and clock that has long been a landmark at the Zoo. This artwork once greeted visitors at the front of the Zoo and then was moved, appropriately, to the Flamingo Patio next to the flamingo yard.
This elephant family was carved out of butternut wood by Milwaukee artist Dick Wiken, who also carved a 25-foot-wide African animal mural out of 2-inch-thick butternut. This tabletop sculpture of four elephants sits in a conference room (not on public view) in the Karen Peck Katz Conservation Education Center at the Zoo. This was a model for what was to be a life-size sculpture to adorn the Zoo’s entrance mall, but funds were not available to do the project.
Photo by Paula Brookmire
