City Hall Sculpture Garden

On one of my Milwaukie walkabouts, this outdoor gallery was a recent discovery. I’ve enjoyed city hall’s seasonal displays before, but somehow had missed this sculpture garden at the side of the building by the transit center.
This small outdoor garden was first opened in 2010 and has six pedestals that display a rotating collection (they swap out half of the pieces annually) of sculptures. Since all of the pieces are on loan, if you fall in love (or seriously in like) with a piece it may be on sale. I like that they intentionally chose to exhibit a variety of pieces that are intended to be interactive (make noise, spin or swing). All of these elements make it an ideal introduction to art for children. And it is free!
Of the current collection, I spent the most time looking at what I call «Redrum.» It is a metal sculpture of a woman but she is facing out on each side. The side facing the street is rather voluptuous (considering she’s a metal frame), while the back side is definitely more of a bare frame and a bit scary. It reminds me of the Terminator without it’s skin. I always enjoy a gallery where something stops me in my tracks. The other pieces are light and bright, reaching towards the sky or a collection of shapes.
Since it is located directly across the street from the Milwaukie Sunday Farmer’s Market, I highly encourage you to incorporate a visit here into your shopping trip.
This gallery was made possible through a grant from artMOB (Art-​Milwaukie on Board). Kudos for their efforts!