UWM launches architectural photo exhibition with free talk, tours on Nov. 2

MILWAUKEE __ The history and artistry of modern landscape architecture takes over in the gallery of the School of Architecture & Urban Planning at UW-Milwaukee beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, with a free symposium on landscape architecture and the design of the public realm. The symposium for art lovers, architecture enthusiasts and design professionals officially launches a traveling photo exhibition that celebrates the legacy of influential modernist landscape architect Dan Kiley.

“Landscape architecture is both iconic and familiar, from landmarks like New York’s Central Park to streetscapes like Milwaukee’s East Newberry Boulevard,” said Mo Zell, architecture and urban planning associate dean and architect. “We’re excited to dedicate space in our public gallery to honor the legacy of a true genius of the genre. It’s fitting that the exhibition launches with a community conversation about how landscape architecture can build community and shape it.”

“The Landscape Architecture Legacy of Dan Kiley” is organized by the Cultural Landscape Foundation and will be on view in the school’s first-floor gallery space until Jan. 12, 2018, at 2131 N. Hartford Ave.

About the symposium and panel
The symposium, 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the School of Architecture & Urban Planning, is free and open to the public. All events are co-presented by the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Registration is required for the symposium tour and presentations, but not the opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The symposium will begin with a tour of two public gardens designed by Kiley, the Cudahy Gardens in front of the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Horse Chestnut Grove along the southern section of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts campus. Landscape architect Pat Kressin, who worked with Kiley on the art museum project and now a GRAEF USA principal, will interpret that garden. Jennifer Current, a landscape architect and associate at Quorum Architects, will guide the Marcus Center garden tour. Seating is limited for transportation for the site visits, and there’s a $15 fee. Tours will run from approximately 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Peter Ker Walker, Kiley’s long-time partner, will be the keynote speaker at 3 p.m. Walker will also moderate a panel discussion about “The Role of the Designer in Public Space” at 4:15 p.m.

Local sponsors for the symposium include Margarete Harvey, ASLA, Wisconsin ASLA, Milwaukee Downtown, BID 21, and UW-Madison Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture. Additional information and registration are available online.

About the exhibition
The exhibition features newly created photographs by noted artists including Milwaukee-based Tom Bamberger, Marion Brenner, Todd Eberle, Millicent Harvey and Alan Ward, which document the current state of 27 of Kiley’s more than 1,000 designs. A companion 72-page gallery guide includes exhibition images, brief site descriptions and site plans, and excerpts from recently gathered personal recollections from colleagues. Visit The Cultural Landscape Foundation online to learn more about Kiley’s life and legacy.

About UWM
Recognized as one of the nation’s 115 top research universities, UW-Milwaukee provides a world-class education to 26,000 students from 89 countries on a budget of $667 million. Its 14 schools and colleges include Wisconsin’s only schools of architecture, freshwater sciences and public health, and it is a leading educator of nurses and teachers. UW-Milwaukee partners with leading companies to conduct joint research, offer student internships and serve as an economic engine for southeastern Wisconsin. The Princeton Review named UW-Milwaukee a 2018 “Best Midwestern” university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews, and the Sierra Club has recognized it as Wisconsin’s leading sustainable university.