Post Summer Posts: Public Service Art

This past summer in Milwaukee, a mother smothered her child while "co-sleeping" or in other words sleeping with the baby in the bed. In response, a public art exhibition served as a public announcement to raise awareness of the precarious nature of "co-sleeping" with infants.



The issue has social implications, as it is thought that those impoverished may be more inclined to "co-sleep" in the absence of the ability to afford a crib for their child. The tea party local news station Fox 6 also published a story citing that breast fed babies (or their parent) sleep different as to make "co-sleeping" safe. Individual characteristics could possibly be of consequence; apparently the mother had done this before.


Unfortunately, this tragedy has happened several times in Milwaukee recently, as in barely a year apart.


















The art display comprised of multiple mattresses set in a tripod formation was staged on the boulevards cleaving West Capital Drive starting at the intersection with Sherman Boulevard, ending at Fon Du Lac Avenue. For those not familiar with the area that is roughly seven blocks.

Man or Wax Man?

I think camera phones are super obnoxious, but ultimately great for capturing unexpected moments. Too bad mine is super low resolution, damn old skool razor phone. I still managed to digi-click this one.

Maybe since I've been in a artsy mood things look different to me right now. Anyway, I'm in the UWM Student Union and on the landing of a stairwell is this guy sleeping extra hard. Understanding that this is the best rest he will get for the remainder of the night I can't knock him, because I'm sure he will be hustled out on to the streets as soon as the building closes. In this moment though, I could not help but think how cool of a public art sculpture he would be if he were wax, since he is not, he still manages to add interest to an otherwise drab stairwell, in actuality he is providing a public good by appearing as art, so his presumed indigence is not for naught... hmmm, ponder that thought.