After such a relentless and gray winter, it’s important to remember that Milwaukee can be a colorful place. Nothing is a better testament to this fact than the city’s arts scene, which exists both indoors and out.
Murals are one thing that Milwaukee does very well, with old staples around every corner and new favorites constantly popping up. Even the most avid art enthusiast could spend weeks hunting down each adorned wall.
Fortunately, many of these beautiful installations can be found right along the MCTS Green Line and 15 routes, meaning that you can take advantage of Milwaukee’s public transportation and give yourself a mini tour to boot.
There are plenty of places to jump on the bus – which runs all the way from General Mitchell Airport to Bayshore and back again – but we’ll start our tour at Kinnickinnic Ave and Mitchell Street. While you wait for the bus, check out the first two murals on your tour:
1) Culture Work
by: Raoul Deal, UW-Milwaukee students and high schoolers
“Culture Work” is a tribute to the work of the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS), who serve Hispanic populations throughout the Midwest. The mural represents challenges that immigrants face and the richness of culture they bring with them. In bright, striking colors, it calls for equal rights and opportunities.
2) Peacemakers
by the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council
Across the street and next to your bus stop, it’s hard to miss “Peacemakers,” dating back from the 1980’s but still looking good. This mural by the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council features peacemakers from Milwaukee and beyond. See if you can spot familiar faces, such as Father James Groppi, Nelson Mandela or (fittingly, for your bus tour) Rosa Parks.
3) iLLustria Salon mural
by Zenon Castillo
Once you’re done admiring these works of art, jump on the next bus and head north. As you ride along First Street, look out your right-side window to catch the mural on iLLustria Salon & Academy, painted by Zenon Castillo. This geometric and abstract piece was the result of the artist wanting to give himself a challenge – with earthly and universal elements and a large portrait of a woman, it was the biggest work Castillo had done at the time.
4) The Rhythms of Water, Land and Sky
by Mark David Gray
As you reach the corner of First and Florida, keep an eye out the back window. You just might glimpse “The Rhythms of Water, Land and Sky” on the loading dock of Studio 420b. This tribute to the earliest Milwaukeeans was painted by Mark David Gray to honor native tribes and the Menomonee River Valley. (Of course, to truly appreciate it, we recommend hopping off the bus for a closer look.)
5) Migration
by CERA and Katie Batten
If you feel like stretching your legs, jump off at the Public Market and walk east to Jefferson Street. There you’ll find the brand new “Migration” adorning the Jefferson Street pedestrian tunnel. Freshly painted by MIAD alumni CERA and Katie Batten last October, this mural features native birds and Milwaukee landmarks that brighten up the once-gloomy underpass.
6) Black Cat Alley
by various artists
Loop back to the corner of Water and Michigan to rejoin the Green Line or 15 for the last leg of your journey. Sit back and relax as the bus takes you along the river and through the Lower East Side. You probably know where we’re going with this – Milwaukee’s renowned Black Cat Alley, just a block and a half east of your stop on North Ave. This “open gallery” is constantly changing and features both local artists and visitors to Milwaukee.
7) & 8) The finale
However, it’s worth noting that there are a couple of other fun murals nearby that stand in Black Cat Alley’s shadow. For the finale of your tour, don’t miss the giant 3D guitar on the north wall of what was once G-Daddy’s BBC, or “Grocery Aisle” by Yvonne Hangsterfer, a short walk south on the last building before the bridge.
