Birds of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Aluminum sculpture in Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, United States.
Birds of Knowledge of Good and Evil is a metal sculpture comprising six large bird figures arranged in a line along Kilbourn Avenue in Milwaukee. The figures stand at different heights and feature varying numbers of wings, creating a visual rhythm across the street-level public space.
The installation was created in 2001 by Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz to mark the 125th anniversary of the Woman's Club of Wisconsin. This public art work became part of Milwaukee's growing collection of contemporary sculptures in the early 2000s.
The sculpture reflects themes of individuality within groups through six wingless birds arranged to mirror the surrounding landscape near Lake Michigan.
The sculpture group sits at the intersection of East Kilbourn Avenue and North Cass Street in the Yankee Hill neighborhood and is freely viewable from the street. Visit during daylight hours to see how sunlight interacts with the metal surfaces and creates changing shadows.
Abakanowicz deliberately removed bird heads and gave some figures two wings while others have four, exploring themes of individuality and mass conformity. These formal differences subtly shift how viewers perceive each bird as distinct despite their shared form.
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