''Polyphony'' is a public artwork by

Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...

artist Egon WeinerPolyphony.
Marina City Online. located on the

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a public urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and a member of the University of Wiscons ...

campus, which is in

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Description

This sculpture is one of two Polyphony sculptures made by Egon Weiner; ''Polyphony'' is a much larger version of ''Polyphony II''. These bronze sculptures are made up of geometric shapes. Long poles and large triangles are intertwined in a maze-like piece coming from a central area in the base. Weiner ultimately created Polyphony to symbolize the

rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...

and

motion In physics, motion is the phenomenon in which an object changes its position with respect to time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed and frame of reference to an observer and m ...

of a conductor’s baton as he directed his

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

. The inscriptions on the sculpture are as follows: POLYPHONY BY EGON WEINER 1963 on the northeast corner of the circular platform and KRIA.KUNST & METALSTOBERI-OSLO-NORWAY on the southwest corner of bronze platform.
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Historical information

When the Fine Arts- Music building was completed in 1962 on the

campus, sculptor Egon Weiner spent the summer session there as artist-in-residence. Arrangements were made with the university to place a piece of his work on the campus.Buck, Diane M. and Virginia A. Palmer (1995). ''Outdoor Sculpture in Milwaukee: A Cultural and Historical Guidebook'', p. 131. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison Throughout the summer of 1963, Weiner sculpted ''Polyphony'' in plaster-of-paris, and then cast the sculpture in bronze. During the work’s dedication ceremonies, Weiner stated that the sculpture represents “the rhythm of music and its inner structure.”

Location history

Originally the sculpture was placed at the west entrance to the music building, but years later the sculpture was moved due to the growing number of students on campus. The Fine Arts-Music building needed additions for the art department and an auditorium therefore Polyphony was moved into storage. After the construction was finished Polyphony was moved to its current location on a grassy knoll at the corner of East Kenwood Boulevard and North Maryland Avenue, next to the Student Union.

Artist

Born in 1906 and died on August 1, 1987. He was an Austrian sculptor and professor. Weiner taught at the School of the Art Institute of ChicagoAsk Art
Ask Art. from 1945 to 1971. He is widely known for his 33 foot abstract bronze sculpture ''Pillar of Fire'', which can be found on the grounds of the Chicago Fire Academy, symbolizing the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Weiner lectured and exhibited widely. He created hundreds of public and private commissions, and received many awards and honors.

References

{{University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Outdoor sculptures in Milwaukee University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Bronze sculptures in Wisconsin 1963 sculptures