You won’t see the Oakland Museum of Contemporary Art listed in guidebooks next to the Art Institute or MCA. Yet this small space had a big hand in reviving the North Kenwood/Oakland community.
The free, outdoor museum sits on two lots on East 41st Place near Berkeley Avenue. The landscaped lawns are dotted with abstract wooden sculptures, the work of the late artist Milton Mizenberg Jr. and Chicago secret #90 in my book.
From Tree Stumps to Sculptures
The South Side neighborhood looked quite different in the 1990s. Mizenberg lived across the street from the lots, and he didn’t like the view outside. Tired of the litter, abandoned cars, and loitering gangs, he began improving the neighborhood one artwork at a time. The self-taught sculptor took a chainsaw to tree trunks, filling vacant lots with art. The Oakland Museum of Contemporary Art was born.
When kids asked what he was doing with the chainsaw, Mizenberg replied, per the Tribune, “I’m giving this art to you. And it’s your responsibility to take care of it.” Mizenberg added several more wooden artworks, and the city even supplied poplar, oak, and ash tree stumps. No pieces in the outdoor sculpture garden have ever been defaced.
According to neighbor Lloyd Brodnax King, seeing the sculptures drew him and other creatives to move to the neighborhood. This summer, the musician has hosted outdoor concerts among the sculptures near his home as a way to share and enjoy music in the era of social distancing.
Restoration
After brightening up his neighborhood with art, Mizenberg spent years battling multiple myeloma. His neighbors kept him inspired by commissioning an artwork. Working through his life-threatening health problems, Mizenberg created his first bronze sculpture.
Mizenberg’s bronze sculpture is located across the street from the museum in Williams-Davis Park. Restoration is dedicated to “the men and women who remained in the Oakland community during difficult times and worked hard to restore its former beauty.”
On My Block I Can
Two decades later, Mizenberg’s work lives on as a reminder of the power of hope, creativity, and community. The gardens are still maintained by neighbors.
“If you want to make a change in anything, you’ve got to do it.”
– Milton Mizenberg Jr.
As he told Chicago Revealed in 2010, “If you want to make a change in anything, you’ve got to do it. You can’t just be speaking of it all the time. And that’s what I did. I said ‘I can do something on my block. I don’t know how, but on my block I can.’”
Want to discover other hidden places in Chicago? Check out my book Secret Chicago!
Oakland Museum of Contemporary Art
S. Berkeley Ave. and E. 41st Pl.
Chicago, IL 60653
Sources
- Clark, Casey & Kijowski, Katie. “The Oakland Museum of Contemporary Art.” Chicago Revealed, 2 November, 2010.
- Leroux, Charles, and Ron Grossman. “PUTTING THE ‘CHIC’ BACK IN CHICAGO.” Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2006.
- Ludwig, Kelly. “Milton Mizenberg and His Oakland Museum of Contemporary Art.” Detour Art, 7 May 2009.
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
