This summer the City’s Planning Division, the Madison Arts Commission (MAC), and Madison’s Central Business Improvement District (BID) have partnered to commission four unique art projects meant to celebrate Madison’s past while encouraging people to create new memories for generations to come.

At the Top of State, Graphic Artist Daniella Echeverria from Honeybee Studio worked with the City’s Planning Division and Business Improvement District on a custom art wrap for the new Downtown Information Booth. Her design took inspiration from the urban form of downtown building footprints and is a vibrant interpretation of the Isthmus.

Also at the Top of State, artist Gabrielle Javier-Cerulli has created a playful mashup of Bascom Hill’s Pink Flamingos, Madison’s Official City bird, and the angel wing murals that are popping up on walls all over the world. In her pitch to MAC, the artist explained that by placing Pink Flamingo Wings on the side wall of the Wisconsin Historical Museum (30 N Carroll St) she could create a fun homage to Madison’s official bird and the Pail & Shovel Party who infamously installed pink plastic flamingos on Bascom Hill on September 4, 1979. She stated, “It's a free opportunity for people to have a unique memory-making art experience. I foresee families, students, people of all age groups and socio-economic backgrounds standing in front of the wings and taking a selfie photo and hopefully sharing it on social media.”

Pink Flamingo Wings, a MAC BLINK temporary art project coincides with the BID’s official opening of the Top of State and new visitor booth (wrapped with artwork created by Daniella Echeverria) on Monday, May 7, 2018 at 11am. MAC anticipates the Pink Flamingo Wings will be up throughout the summer so that UW-Madison's graduates, visitors to downtown summer Farmer’s Market, shoppers and diners at the Madison Night Market, patrons of the many downtown events and music programs, guests attending The Madison Reunion: A Party with a Purpose, and new and returning students arriving in late summer will be able to pose and have some fun with this popular artistic trope.

Speaking of Madison in the 1960’s and 1970’s, MAC is also sponsoring two opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages to get their tie-dye on. On Saturday, June 2 from 10:30am - 4:00pm, a few weeks before the Madison Reunion, MAC is funding Madison Tie-Dyed!, a special tie-dye event, in the Bubbler makerspace of Madison’s Public Library (201 W Mifflin St). The free, drop-in event will be led by Madison fiber artist Cherie St. Cyr who will demonstrate techniques and help participants create their own tie-dye clothing. Bring your own white or light colored cotton tee-shirts or bandanas to tie-dye (a limited number of FREE tee-shirts available to dye) and take home a bag with your own hand-dyed tee-shirt to wash out, dry, and wear to the Madison Reunion (June 14 – 16, 2018 http://www.madisonreunion.com/)

If you catch that tie-dye groove and you want more opportunities to twist and dye, MAC is also sponsoring Put A Twist On It: A Tie-Dye Buffet and Strange Shanty coordinated by conceptual artist Evan Gruzis with Milwaukee artist collaborative, American Fantasy Classics. That happening will take place at the bottom of State near Lake St (aka The Confluence or Library Mall) on Thursday, June 14, 2018 from 6pm -9pm. Bring white or light cotton fabrics, tee-shirts, or objects to dye and enjoy (some t-shirts will be available FOR SALE on site). Artist wears and other strange sundries will also be available. The Tie-Dye Buffet and Strange Shanty coincide with the BID's June Madison Night Market, which will have a 1960’s theme in keeping with the Madison Reunion. The Night Market will not only present numerous food and craft vendors, but it will feature music of Overture Center’s Rising stars from 6pm – 8pm, and Sweet Delta Dawn from 8pm – 10pm!