Metal Monsters and Sacred Cement: A Documentary on Outdoor Sculptural Landscapes in Wisconsin

Abstract

Metal monsters and concrete creations-traveling across Wisconsin, one encounters a variety of outdoor sculptural landscapes. From twisted metal dinosaurs to beer bottle Clydesdales, these sculptural behemoths recreate a world all their own. Outsiders look upon these man-made monuments with a simple and resounding, ''why?" · Do their creators know something we don't? What would possess someone to build a wedding cake out of glass and cement? Why build a Forevertron-a huge, hulking, metal time machine? This documentary attempts to chronicle the history as well as question the artists' rationale behind these sculpted goliaths. To achieve this end, ten sites in Wisconsin and one in Iowa ( created by a former Wisconsin resident) were filmed. The sites were constructed from 1894 to present. Over twenty hours of footage were collected consisting of extensive interviews, archival photographs, vintage audio, and of the sites themselves. In addition, narration and music will be added to help accentuate the film. The end result is a film exploring the historical phenomenon behind these sites.