A Wisconsin artist's work caused a kerfuffle in Appleton. Green Bay hopes it happens again

Jeff Bollier, Green Bay Press-Gazette
·6 min read
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GREEN BAY - Paul Bobrowitz knows from experience it only takes one hater to give artists and public art a “wonderful gift.”

The Colgate-based artist hopes "BirdWomanTree," his newly-installed work on Green Bay’s west side, stirs up the same sort of kerfuffle his head-shaped sculpture “The Collective” did while installed along College Avenue in Appleton from 2019 to 2021.

Bobrowitz said varied reactions to the piece, a head made of scrap metal and recycled propane tanks that look like faces, invigorated him personally and called attention to Sculpture Valley’s ACREofART rotating program in the Fox Valley. After its tenure in Appleton, The Collective ended up in Bozeman, Montana.

A pedestrian looks at "The Collective," a sculpture by Paul Bobrowitz, while walking along College Avenue Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, in Appleton. The artwork drew both praise and criticism while it was installed near the College Avenue bridge. The piece is part of Sculpture Valley's ACREofART project.
A pedestrian looks at "The Collective," a sculpture by Paul Bobrowitz, while walking along College Avenue Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, in Appleton. The artwork drew both praise and criticism while it was installed near the College Avenue bridge. The piece is part of Sculpture Valley's ACREofART project.

“It created a wonderful gift creating that controversy, bringing publicity and acknowledgement of the program,” he said. “I had a number of people visit me at my sculpture garden-studio-home and mention that piece. And they’re not just from Appleton.”

Now, it’s time to see what Green Bay thinks.

A feminine take on Atlas and comment on humans' impact on nature

"BirdWomanTree" is a feminine take on the Greek Titan Atlas and the traditional-but-wrong story he had to carry the weight of the world as a punishment (it was the celestial spheres, not earth; Atlas turned down the gig and ended up in Hades).

Rusted metal scraps depict a woman with human and bird faces, a right arm that morphs into a tree trunk rooted in the earth and a left arm that morphs into a teal bird. A gigantic earth made of rusted propane tanks cut to look like faces springs from her womb.

“BirdWomanTree,” a sculpture by artist Paul Bobrowitz, on display along Walnut Street just west of Ashland Avenue in Green Bay, Wis.
“BirdWomanTree,” a sculpture by artist Paul Bobrowitz, on display along Walnut Street just west of Ashland Avenue in Green Bay, Wis.

Bobrowitz said it symbolizes everyone as part of the world, contributing to overconsumption and its environmental impacts on the planet.

“We are crushing our planet,” Bobrowitz said. “In this case the world is her womb. Nature, the roots and the bird are part of the world that’s being crushed by humanity.”

Where can you find this funky sculpture?

Bobrowitz in early August installed “BirdWomanTree,” on a concrete pad south of Walnut Street, one block west of Ashland Avenue, one of the higher-visibility sites in the city of Green Bay’s Rotating Art Program. Each spring, members of the city’s Public Arts Commission solicit submissions, review them and select six sculptures to display from June to June at locations spread throughout the city.

He said he's a little disappointed the work hasn't caused much of a kerfuffle yet.

Quite the opposite might be happening: The Seymour Park Neighborhood Association posted about the sculpture on its Facebook page, eliciting likes and questions about who's behind the work.

Laura Schley, the city’s Public Arts Coordinator, said the Commission saw BirdWomanTree as an opportunity to spark conversations similar to those The Collective generated in Appleton before the sculpture's time in Appleton ended and it found a permanent home in Montana.

“I consider public art a very safe door to open up conversations and discussions with people,” Schley said.

“BirdWomanTree,” a sculpture by artist Paul Bobrowitz, on display along Walnut Street just west of Ashland Avenue, one of the higher-visibility sites in the city of Green Bay’s rotating public art program.
“BirdWomanTree,” a sculpture by artist Paul Bobrowitz, on display along Walnut Street just west of Ashland Avenue, one of the higher-visibility sites in the city of Green Bay’s rotating public art program.

There's no wrong (or right) reaction to BirdWomanTree

Bobrowitz doesn’t want people to think there’s a right or wrong response to “BirdWomanTree.” Rather, the reaction, the stir of emotion or feeling whatever it may be, is the point.

“It shouldn’t just be bland wallpaper. Ideally (art) speaks to a person, sometimes positively, sometimes negatively. It doesn’t matter. Art should be something that stimulates something in a person,” Bobrowitz said.

Schley said she hopes BirdWomanTree turns some heads, as long as they’re not driving. She said public art’s goal is to expand access, to reach people on the way to work or out for a bike ride, to give them something unexpected to talk about.

“Art in the public sphere should be appropriate, but it should open up productive conversations and different viewpoints,” Schley said.

Schley noted those who aren’t fans need only wait until next summer. The sculpture, like all rotating public art program pieces, will be replaced by a new sculpture for the 2024-25 season.

“As of right now, I have not heard any similar discussions in Green Bay regarding this piece, but if people have strong feelings they wish to share they can give me a call or send me an email,” Schley said.

Green Bay area looks to support, grow art and culture opportunities

Schley called the rotating art program “one small aspect” of a broader, community effort to add more murals, sculptures and culture throughout the city. She said artists, the arts advocacy group SAGE, Downtown Green Bay Inc., On Broadway Inc., The Art Garage, and NWTC's Artisan and Business Center are some of the many organizations that contribute.

“There’s definitely a larger, growing movement of artists and arts organizations working to unify and build up and voice the culture and diverse voices in our community,” Schley said.

It also comes at a time when community surveys show the public values arts and culture and as recognition grows that art and culture have a significant economic impact. A 2015 Arts and Economic Prosperity study found the arts contributed about $36 million to the Green Bay area economy and supported more than 1,300 jobs. An updated version of the same study is expected to come out in October.

The region continues to look for ways to expand and add more arts and culture opportunities, too. Spark GGB!, published in December 2022, sought to better define the arts and culture groups that exist, highlight areas that need improvement and identify ways to increase funding and support for artists, the arts and cultural events.

How artists, residents can get involved in Green Bay public art scene

Schley said the Public Arts Commission has several opportunities for people, artist or not, to get involved in public art.

  • The rotating public art program seeks new submissions every winter.

  • The city currently seeks submissions for a permanent installation in Farlin Park. Submissions are due Sept. 7.

  • An ongoing public art grant program offers artists a one-time grant of $2,500 to $10,000 to support their work, whether it’s a sculpture, mural, outdoor performance or otherwise.

“As long as it’s a public art project, I have money,” Schley said.

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Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier. 

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay arts program hopes Bobrowitz sculpture a conversation starter