PHOTO CREDIT: Anna Ward
Susan Longhenry
Susan Longhenry, Director and Chief Curator at the Haggerty Museum of Art.
When Susan Longhenry came to Marquette University’s Haggerty Museum of Art as director and chief curator in 2015, she became aware of New York artist Mary Miss, who had previously aided in designing the Third Ward’s Riverwalk. Miss’ new concept,“WaterMarks: An Atlas of Water and the City of Milwaukee,” conceived to educate the public about water issues with public art across the community. The first “WaterMarker” was painted outside the United Community Center’s Acosta Middle School (1038 S. Sixth St.).
How does Marquette fit in to a project that educates the public about water issues?
We have labs at the Global Water Center, and I thought “How about an artist in residence?” I was also inspired by Marquette President Dr. Michael R. Lovell’s commitment to social justice and community engagement. I thought it made a lot of sense for us to get involved. It is Mary Miss’ concept, and we are playing a pretty specific role. We raised funds over two-three years through Marquette’s Explorer Challenge Program and a federal grant with the idea that the Hagerty would provide the funds that were required by Mary and her team to take it from a very basic concept to a project that was ready to implement.
“A” stands for excellence, art, agua and Acosta—the “A” on the school will be the first WaterMarker. The middle school students were part of the process. Artists, scientists and Milwaukee resident coming together—where can folks see the project in person?
There are giant cement pillars right outside the school. I think Melanie Ariens (artist in residence for Water Commons) saw this and saw a canvas. Her proposal was to talk to students about the project, and she came up with the idea of dialogue bubbles, in English and Spanish, to show what roles water plays in our lives. The students interviewed family members about water, bringing their stories forth. That will have the entire WaterMarks life-cycle concept played out at Acosta Middle School.
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We learned a lot about meaningfully engaging your communities. In the past, we were told we needed to be “community anchors.” Meaning that people come to you as a place for dialogue—the energy is coming to you, the institution. Now they are asking, “what if the anchor is the community?” and you are going out to the anchor. You are bringing your mission as an art museum to the community.
What can you say about the Kinnickinnic River Trail Installations by Gabriela Riveros and Mollie Oblinger?
We also worked with Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers. We did three walks around Pulaski Park. Widening the river and tearing down homes left open space. We came along and asked about the trail through the eyes of an artist. The KK River Neighbors in Action (KK NIA) planned the walks and had a picnic planned in the Pulaski Park pavilion. The artists shared their proposals and the group chose Gabriela Riveros’ idea. Her stop by the river had a meditative, spiritual feel to it. She had a proposal to think about river deities from the current or past cultures represented in that neighborhood. A series of banners relates to the cultures of the neighborhood.
The voting was so close it was decided that Mollie’s installation needed to happen as well. With the support of Alderman José Pérez, the grant from the Milwaukee Arts Board came through for her artistic birdhouses. These works of public art engage local artists and are informed deeply by that community—chosen by members of that community and neighborhood.
