Special Event: Traces of Living Things: Writing as Public Art
About this Event
Join us to celebrate the publication of Traces of Living Things: Writing as Public Art at the Wisconsin Convention Center (Woodland Pattern, 2026), a book that will chronicle the story of the largest text-based public art installation in the U.S., Portals and Writings Celebrating Wisconsin Writers. Come pick up your copy and share in a toast and hors d’oeuvres, a tour with artist Jill Sebastian, and readings from authors included in the installation. Woodland Pattern founders Anne Kingsbury and Karl Gartung will be in attendance, as will former Wisconsin Poet Laureate Kimberly Blaeser.
Portals and Writings Celebrating Wisconsin Writers was a collaboration between Woodland Pattern and artist Jill Sebastian commissioned for the Wisconsin Convention Center in 1998. Last year, this unique art work—representative of 400 years of Wisconsin literature—was under threat of deaccessioning. While we were fortunate to preserve many of the original works, and to reimagine and relocate others, some of the pieces could not be saved. Happily, this forthcoming book will gather all of the texts original to the project, including those that were never installed, along with contextualizing commentary and photography of both installations.
***In person at Baird Center (South Building entrance at 400 W. Wisconsin Ave.)***
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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