Frank Oebser, WILittle Program1900–1990 
(left to right) Frank Oebser, The Pig with a Harness, (detail), n.d.; plastic, metal, wood, mixed
media; Frank Oebser, George Washington Seated in a Buggy, (detail), n.d.; wood, paint, mixed media; Frank Oebser with sculptures in his Little Program. photo: c. 1989. Oebser was a farmer, an inventor, and a man who saw humor in everything and fun everywhere. “Tinker Frank,” as he was known, built a fanciful amusement park-style environment in his barn in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Oebser called his conglomeration of sculptures the “Little Program;” a showcase for his ideas on how to recycle the farm equipment fading into obsolescence. In the 1960s and 1970s many visitors came to ride his Ferris wheel and laugh at “George Washington” engaged in numerous endeavors. Many sculptures were preserved after the artist’s death, though Oebser’s employment of myriad temporal materials in his works resulted in continual decay over time. The five large pieces in the Arts Center’s collection are among the few that still exist. Related Links
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