Sidney Edward Boyum (1914 – February 22, 1991) was an industrial photographer, sculptor and graphic artist in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. [1] Much of his work falls into the category of outsider art. [2] Boyum is best known for his public sculptures scattered throughout the Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara Neighborhood [3] on Madison's east side. [4] [5]
Background and history
Sid Boyum was born in Duluth in 1914, and lived most of his life in Madison. [6] After graduation from high school in the early 1930s, Boyum worked in the art department of the Brock Engraving Company in Madison for 11 years. He then worked as an industrial photographer for the Gisholt Machinery Company in Madison for 31 years, and also periodically worked on Air Force command manuals for the government. In 1973, he retired so he could work on his many art projects. [7]
Each year from 1963 to 1989, The Wisconsin State Journal commissioned Boyum to draw a different full-page, poster commemorating the opening of the Wisconsin fishing season. [8] After his father's death, his son Steve Boyum donated 60 of his father's sculptures to the City of Madison, reportedly the largest single art gift the city had ever received. [9]
In 2017, a group of neighbors of Boyum, purchased his house and property, which had been abandoned, for back taxes owed in the amount of $28,000. The Friends of Sid Boyum organization performed some minor repairs on the house, and then it was put on the market. [10] As of 2019, his house had been sold, with 29 sculptures remaining in the backyard. The Friends of Sid Boyum has found locations for approximately half of the sculptures to be displayed, and "a few will remain at the house". [11] Karin Wolf, Madison Arts Program administrator, opined that Boyum's offbeat works were "comic, little middle fingers to the status quo", and his works "offer us a relief from the tedium of the absurd times we live in". [11]
Boyum was a close friend, collaborator and influence on other Wisconsin artists and collectors, including Baraboo's Tom Every (A.K.A. "Doctor Evermor"), [12] creator of the Forevertron [13] and Alex Jordan, Jr creator of the House on the Rock. [14] [15] [16] During his lifetime, Boyum also produced thousands of photographs (including a number of whimsical self-portraits), 16-millimeter films, drawings, paintings and bas-relief works. [6]
Gallery
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Two of Boyum's sculptures, Man-Eating Mushroom and Blue Urn with Dragon in Jackson Square in Madison, Wisconsin -
Boyum's concrete sculpture Easter Island Head at Lowell Elementary School in Madison, Wisconsin -
Boyum's Blue Tripod Lantern in Madison, Wisconsin
I've been interested in art all my life. Evidence of past civilizations is found in the art they've (artists) left behind. Artists are the real historians. People drew pictures long before they knew the alphabet or studied math and algebra. [7]
— Sid Boyum
References
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^
"Sidney Boyum, Sculptor, Dies". The Capital Times. 27 February 1991. p. 8. Retrieved 10 March 2019 – via
Newspapers.com.
- ^ Rajer, Anton (1999). "Sid Boyum's Sculpture: The Challenge of Preserving Folk Art Environments". Folk Art Society of America Retrieved 15 October 2015
- ^ "Madison Neighborhood Profile: Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara Neighborhood Association". City of Madison. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Art in public places: Sid Boyum’s concrete sculptures find new homes on Madison’s East Side". Quintessential Madison. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
- ^ "Map of the Sculpture Locations". Design Coalition. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ a b Barber, Brian (27 December 2019). "Selective Focus: Sid Boyum". Perfect Duluth Day.
- ^ a b Carr, Debra (9 April 1979). "Sid Boyum: eccentric in paradise". The Capital Times. p. 13.
- ^ "Opening Day Fishing Season - Fish Tales | Drawing". Wisconsin Historical Society. 1 December 2003. 121626.
- ^ Goff, Nadine (8 August 2007). "Quirky sculptures add character to east side". Neighbors. The Capital Times. p. 10.
- ^ Rickert, Chris (4 July 2018). "Folk artist's pieces to be moved". Wisconsin State Journal. p. A3.
- ^ a b Becker, Abigail (3 July 2019). "City plans for Boyum sculptures along bike path". City. The Capital Times. p. 13.
- ^ Kupsh, Tom (1 June 2008). A Mythic Obsession: The World of Dr. Evermor. Chicago Review Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-56976-460-2.
- ^ Rajer, Tony (1 September 2007). "Religion, Rock and Rebar: Wisconsin's Outsider Folk Art Environments". Wisconsin Visual Artists. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
- ^ Balousek, Marv (1990). House of Alex. Oregon, Wis.: Waubesa Press. ISBN 1878569066
- ^ House on the Rock (1996). "Did Alex Jordan Build The House on the Rock to Spite Frank Lloyd Wright?" (PDF). The House on the Rock. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2011.
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^ Balousek, Marv (28 February 1991).
"Boyum Was Friend to Many". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 15. Retrieved 11 March 2019 – via
Newspapers.com.