The Wolf Woods mural by Andrew Linskens is a striking piece of public art in downtown Oshkosh. Located in Algoma Alley at 110 Algoma Blvd., the massive 2023 mural rises three stories above the alley, transforming an otherwise utilitarian building wall into a surreal forest scene. Linskens, a Green Bay-based multidisciplinary artist, was commissioned by the City of Oshkosh for the project. He designed the forest to incorporate the building’s existing pipes and irregular surfaces, turning those architectural obstacles into part of the artwork.
The imagery is more than just a colorful woodland backdrop. Linskens says the mural’s palette was inspired by the orange sky created by wildfires, while its animals serve as “haunting reminders of our own survival.” The result is an eerie, dreamlike piece that fits surprisingly well with the darker side of Wisconsin’s public art scene. What began as a blighted urban wall has effectively become a portal into an imagined forest, with lines and perspective deliberately manipulated to disguise recessed and protruding sections of the building. Discover Oshkosh identifies it as a three-story-high mural and one of the standout works in the city’s growing downtown mural scene.
If you’re exploring weird, unusual, and visually striking things to do in Oshkosh, Wolf Woods is an easy stop to add to a downtown walking route. It’s part of the public art concentrated around Algoma Alley, where several artists have contributed work, and its unusual scale makes it difficult to miss. For the best experience, walk into the alley and look up: the mural’s height and distorted forest imagery are much more impressive in person than they are in a photograph.
