Embossed on and extruding from the Art Preserve’s central stairwell walls are representations of hobo symbols, a collaboration between Ruth DeYoung Kohler and Tres Birds. The installation pays homage to Kohler’s tireless efforts in the realization of the Art Preserve and in the development of the collection it houses.

Conceived as a series of open-ended responses to the unique nature of artist-built environments, the Art Preserve provides a platform for continual explorations into the John Michael Kohler Arts Center’s expansive collection. This response model is reflected in the architecture of the building and the ongoing commissioning of work by contemporary artists.

“The hobo symbols came to be a part of the design based on our extensive discussions with Ruth Kohler,” wrote the architectural team. “Acknowledging outsiders, those rarely recognized or honored, has been a repeating theme in Ms. Kohler’s life. As a child, Ms. Kohler recollected seeing these symbols on her own home and when visiting with tramps in Sheboygan.” Moving through the stairwell, visitors will find symbols of welcome and caution used within the hobo community. Some are subtle, expressed with a change in the type of masonry block used, while others protrude from the face of the wall and light the stairway.