New Milwaukee Public Museum sculpture, local artist crafting piece
MILWAUKEE - A sculpture that celebrates Wisconsin's rich indigenous history will greet visitors at the future Milwaukee Public Museum.
Germantown sculptor and Oneida Nation member Mark Fischer was selected from a group of indigenous artists to create the sculpture that will stand outside the future museum.
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The sculpture is called "The Gathering Place." It consists of 11 aspen trees that represent the 11 tribal nations of Wisconsin. Fischer said the trees represent the interconnectedness of the nations.
"The aspens are a really unique tree," he said. "They're made up of a family group, they're all interconnected through their massive root system, and so they're always communicating with each other. That's one of the stories I wanted to get across. We're always communicating, and we're always a part of each other."
Mark Fischer's "The Gathering Place" sculpture to greet visitors at new Milwaukee Public Museum
Fischer said, so far, he has poured about 800 hours of work into the sculpture – and it will take another 200 hours before it is completed. It is made almost entirely out of copper, which he said will ensure it stands for a long time.
"I feel like you can feel the energy just standing underneath it, and just seeing it come to life is amazing," said James Flores, manager of travel relations.
The new Milwaukee Public Museum is currently set to open in 2027.
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