In conjunction with Spring Gallery Night, “Downtown In Bloom,” a visual celebration of flowers, art and light, lands in East Town, with “Light Club” in Cathedral Square Park and “Lights In Bloom,” a video art projection on the side of the BMO Tower by local artist Emma Daisy Gertel.
Starting at dusk on Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22 (Gallery Night weekend), “Lights in Bloom” will be projected onto BMO Tower’s parking structure until 10 p.m. Watch it from the parking lot at 771 N. Broadway.
Gertel’s installation is a short animation inspired by flowers.
Just a block away, “Light Club” brings DJs, a dance floor and a tented bar from Oak Barrel Public House to Cathedral Square Park, which is already adorned with the the illuminated sculptures of “Lightfield” by HYBYCOZO.
It takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. both nights and there will be free hot chocolate and hot apple cider from Milwaukee Downtown’s MOTOR, a s’mores stations compliments of GRAEF, and food from Tots on the Street (April 21), Piña Mexican Eats (April 22) and Meat on the Street (April 21-22).
The event is something of a last hurrah for “Lightfield,” which wraps up on May 5.
“We’re excited to showcase two interactive art experiences in the public realm during Gallery Night MKE,” said Beth Weirick, CEO of Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21.
“‘Downtown in Bloom’ is a way to delight gallery-hopping guests with sound, color and social experiences.”
Read more about “Lightfield,” which opened in January, here.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
