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Ex Fabula: Art & Interpretations

Ex Fabula
Storyteller Shawn Mitchell at Sculpture Milwaukee

On July 21, Ex Fabula and Sculpture Milwaukee teamed up for the first of two special guided storytelling tours led by Ex Fabula storytellers Elaine Maly and Shawn Mitchell. These special storytellers shared their own stories inspired by select works of art from Sculpture MKE’s 21 piece urban outdoor exhibit. If you missed the Ex Fabula tour, you’re in luck. We have a few of those stories for you this weekend. Luckier still, the Sculpture Milwaukee exhibit is here through October so there’s time to take your own tour and see what inspires you.

When Elaine Maly came upon Bernar Venet’s, 97.5° Arc x 9, 2007, she exclaimed, “It’s a wave.” The sculpture, “an arc bend, seemingly against a permanent wind,” took Elaine back to an afternoon with her grandson, sitting on the Pacific Ocean. Listen to Elaine’s story and how Venet’s piece reminded her to be present and live in the moment. Listen to Elaine’s story and how Venet’s piece reminded her to be
present and live in the moment.

Credit Ex Fabula
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Ex Fabula
Storyteller Elaine Maly at Sculpture Milwaukee

Shawn Mitchell felt an immediate connection to Sanford Biggers’ Seated Warrior, a polished bronze statue located on 5th and Wisconsin.

There are generations of “seated warriors” in Shawn’s family; service members starting with the Civil War and continuing to the present day with Shawn. But the hero he sees most when he gazes at this statue is his grandfather. Listen to find out why.

Lastly, we came across Liberty by Hank Willis Thomas. The sculpture, an iridescent bronze arm of a
former Harlem Globetrotter spinning the basketball on the tip of his forefinger, was created as a social
commentary on race, media and propaganda. However, when Elaine Maly came upon it, she recalled a story from her childhood that became a social commentary all her own:

Love our radio show but miss our live events? The wait is over! Ex Fabula Season 10 Kicks off on Friday, September 14th at Garfield’s 502. Come share your "Generations" story with us! Our Garfield’s events always sell out so get your tickets today!