Joel Sisson helping guide the “Barrel Boy” tricycle with Seth Stattmiller driving. (Josh Blanc)
Something unexpected rolled into the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District this spring: “Barrel Boy.”
Public artist Joel Sisson, known for his 1993 “Adirondack Chair” series, is back with a new vision for temporary public art. Joel’s past work brought colorful and community-built chairs to neighborhoods around the Twin Cities, engaging youth from marginalized communities.
During Art-A-Whirl®, Sisson passed by the Arts District Welcome Center while the Recovery Bike Shop’s “Coffee Outside” group was gathering. Old friends spotted him — Seth Stattmiller, the bike shop’s owner, among them — and invited him to reconnect. That conversation rekindled a connection and sparked a new collaboration.
Sisson introduced “Barrel Boy” to Stattmiller, alongside Arts District board members. His concept? Scatter these larger-than-life, quirky, kinetic characters throughout the District, inviting surprise, curiosity and conversation.
The group quickly set a goal: Debut “Barrel Boy” at the Northeast Parade on June 17 and aim for a whole series installation by the Fall Open Studios in November.
Sisson took the idea and ran with it. In just two weeks, he built a companion “Barrel Boy” tricycle to ride alongside the already completed “Barrel Dog.” At the aforementioned “Coffee Outside” meetups, volunteers formed a crew to walk alongside for the parade float. The float rolled down Central Avenue, turning heads and lighting up faces.
Kids pointed. Families asked questions. People smiled. “Barrel Boy” was a hit.
It was popular enough that the original sculpture was purchased by Art in Motion, an art center along the Lake Wobegon trail in Holdingford, Minn. There, “Barrel Boy” will continue to be in the public eye for cyclists and passersby alike.
The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District is now exploring a deeper partnership with Sisson to expand the “Barrel Boy” concept across the neighborhood. With the upcoming Central Avenue reconstruction (targeted for 2028), there have been early discussions to install rotating sculptures on pads along the corridor, offering a lasting home for public art.
Partners, volunteers and space are needed for these sculptures. If you’re a property owner, artist or just someone who believes in the power of play and creativity in public space, the District would love to hear from you.
Let’s keep the momentum rolling.