Just east of Potawatomi lies a quirky sculpture garden next to a single-story building that was the Cargill Research and Development Building at 1513 W. Canal St. in the Menomonee Valley.
The garden has five sculptures that The Forest County Potawatomi Community – which now owns the site – is looking to give away to a good home.
The building will be razed and the sculptures need to be moved elsewhere.
"There are no immediate plans for that site, or the old Cargill slaughterhouse that is to the west of the hotel and our offices," said spokesman Jay Saunders.
The sculpture garden was by meatpacking mogul Bernard Peck, who bought a piece of land next to his packing plant in 1980. There, with sculptors Joseph Mendla and Hilary Goldblatt, he added the five sculptures, which includes works by the two sculptors, as well as by Richard Pflieger, Clair Liberman and one by Peck himself, in 1983.
The sculptures are "Menomonee" by Hilary Goldblatt (pictured above), "Space Game" by Joseph Mendla, "Oops, Missed" by Bernard Peck (pictured at right), "Angel in a Cage" by Richard Pflieger and an untitled stone sculpture by Clair Liberman (pictured at bottom).
How much is the Potawatomi asking for the artwork?
"New owners won’t have to pay a penny for the sculptures, but will have to arrange for transportation to a new location," according to a press release. "This is a unique chance to obtain some unique pieces of art in the Menomonee Valley that just need a new home."
Interested? Serious inquiries to Charles Opferman, (414) 837-3386 or
Charles.opferman@fcpotawatomi-nsn.gov.
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.
