''Fire and Water'' is a
public art work by American artist
John Luttropp
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
, located on the southwest side of
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin.
The multi-element architectural sculpture was created for the entrance of the
Milwaukee Fire Department Engine Company #25 station. It is located at 300 S. 84th St.
Description
The sculpture includes two primary elements: a pair of
neon
Neon is a chemical element with the symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is a noble gas. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with about two-thirds the density of air. It was discovered (along with krypton ...
-topped tapering concrete walls flanking the entry sidewalk, and a wall-mounted neon sign displaying the number 25 in a stylized
font
In metal typesetting, a font is a particular size, weight and style of a typeface. Each font is a matched set of type, with a piece (a "sort") for each glyph. A typeface consists of a range of such fonts that shared an overall design.
In mod ...
. During the day, the neon is not lit. At night, the entry numbers glow red, and the tops of the tapering wall glow blue. According to the
Smithsonian Institution's
Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey, the red neon symbolizes fire and the blue neon symbolizes water spray from fire hoses.
Historical information
The City of Milwaukee commissioned the work for $9,000 and it was greeted with some criticism. The ''
Milwaukee Sentinel'' compared the neon look to a fast food restaurant and quoted hesitant firefighters based at the station.
References
Outdoor sculptures in Milwaukee
Bronze sculptures in Wisconsin
1988 sculptures
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