Indianapolis Museum of Art Blog » Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog The IMA blog is a space to discuss everything related to the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:51:08 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Super Bowl XLVI: More than a Football Game http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2012/01/26/more-than-a-football-game/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2012/01/26/more-than-a-football-game/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:11:55 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=18515 It’s hard to believe that it has been almost four years since Indianapolis was selected to host the 46th Super Bowl. For most of us, the Super Bowl has some sort of yearly tradition tied to it. We get together with friends, indulge ourselves, laugh at a few commercials and watch a football game. It’s one day, maybe two with a lingering hangover, and one event.

For a host city, the Super Bowl is much more than this.

Super Bowl XLVI
Pictured left to right, from the IMA’s permanent collection: Untitled, plate 8, Garo Z. Antreasian, 1969. © Garo Antreatsian; Letter L, Edward Lear, about 1862; Double V, 1978; Double Shaft Pen Holder, Asian.

Like many of its predecessors, Indianapolis has transformed in preparation for its countless visitors. From new hotels, to temporary businesses, street improvements and hours upon hours of logistical planning, the Super Bowl Committee has worked hard to prepare our city for its big day. But when those temporary businesses close and the zip line is taken down, what will our city be left with? Lots.

2,012 Trees Program
According to the Alliance for Community Trees, More Trees = Less Crime. In an effort to maximize the community impact (not to mention environmental impact) of additional trees, the Super Bowl Host Committee aimed to plant 2,012 trees by 2012. Not only did the Committee succeed in generating early excitement for the Super Bowl, but they surpassed their goal, planting 2,876.

Indy Super Cure
Did you know that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer? Did you also know that Indianapolis is home of the world’s only known tissue bank that collects healthy breast tissue for cancer research?  Extending a nod to the city’s leadership in health and life sciences, the Super Bowl committee has teamed up with the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank to develop Indy Super Cure. The goal of Super Cure is to raise awareness and increase donations to the tissue bank, while also raising money. Super Cure has surpassed their million-dollar fund raising goal but is working to collect 700 tissue donations in the weekend leading up to the Super Bowl XLVI. You can learn how to donate here.

Super Baskets of Hope
Super Bowl hosts cities have a long history of service projects, but Super Baskets of Hope will be the first to extend its reach nationwide. Beginning on January 30, gift-filled baskets will be put together for 7,000 hospitalized children in each of America’s 32 NFL cities. The Riley Children’s Foundation, the Basket of Hope program, and Tony Dungy have partnered on this effort, recruiting NFL players, coaches, and volunteers to then hand deliver the baskets.

46 for XLVI
Spear headed by the Arts Council of Indianapolis, 46 for XLVI ‘sought to elevate the arts and culture of our city.’ Supported by partnering institutions (including the City of Indianapolis) and a team of talented muralists, the project resulted in 46 new public murals throughout the city’s neighborhoods (you can search the murals map here). So next time you’re walking on Mass Ave. and Kurt Vonnegut greets you with a smile, you’ll hopefully smile back in reflection of this city, its partnerships and the lasting impact of one football game.

Be proud Indianapolis.

46 Murals

My Affair with Kurt Vonnegut by muralist Pamela Bliss.

These are just a couple of the service projects connected to the Super Bowl. Additional efforts include (but are definitely not limited to): the Legacy Project, Super Scarves, Student Ambassadors, and Super Learning in a Super State. 

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2012/01/26/more-than-a-football-game/feed/ 2 XLVI 46 Murals A Lesson in Clean-Air Plants http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/10/05/a-lesson-in-clean-air-plants/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/10/05/a-lesson-in-clean-air-plants/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:09:09 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=17902 As a recent first-time home buyer, I’ve learned a lot of things that I did not know six months ago. From the actual home buying process to moving and settling in, it has been a crash course. Most recently, I covered a chapter in household plants.

My husband and I moved from a 750 sq. ft. apartment to a tri-level three bedroom house, so needless to say, we’ve started the search for furniture. Oddly enough however, the first items on our “to purchase” list were plants – who needs a couch, anyway? Now I must say, I have only owned one or two plants in my lifetime. I’ve always appreciated plants, especially the kind I can eat, but I’ve never really explored owning them until I purchased a home.

With the IMA’s Greenhouse Shop full of plants from which to choose, I knew where I wanted to shop, but had no idea what to buy.  No idea. One of the great things about working at the IMA is that each department is a resource, full of knowledge across a wide-range of topics, especially when it comes to horticulture. Thankfully, my green-thumbed colleague Lynne Habig agreed to some hand holding and plant teaching. When she started talking about all of the different types of greenery, she said something that really sparked my interest: clean-air plants.

And with that, my plant lesson was quickly interrupted by an impromptu guest-lecture on household pollutants. Pardon my ignorance, but this was the first I had heard of sick building syndrome. As Lynne broke it down for me, our indoor environments are full of pollutants (trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, benzene, etc.) that are espoused from common household items like electronics, adhesives, paints, cleaning products, and fabrics (yikes!). These chemicals are linked to everything from eye irritation and dizziness to liver carcinogens and even throat cancer. Sick building syndrome occurs when small spaces are tightly concealed in an effort to save energy, but in turn creates a harmful space where these pollutants can gather.

So what does all of this have to do with plants? For many years, NASA conducted a study on ways to purify the air both on earth and in space habitats which are perhaps the most contained work environments. The study found that common household plants are actually the best crime fighters for such pollutants.

I was sold. I wanted to fill my house with plants, but now I needed to fill it with clean-air plants. According to the study, the top plants found most effective in decreasing the amount of air-pollutants include:

  • Bamboo Palm – Chamaedorea Seifritzii
  • Chinese Evergreen – Aglaonema Modestum
  • English Ivy- Hedera helix
  • Gerbera Daisy- Gerbera Jamesonii
  • Janet Craig – Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’
  • Marginata – Dracaena Marginata
  • Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana
  • Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii
  • Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium
  • Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum

With Lynne’s continued guidance, I picked out a selection from the Greenhouse Shop that fit the clean-air profile and my personal tastes: English Ivy, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, Golden Pothos, Peace Lily, Spider Plant, and Dracaena, all pictured below.

English Ivy Mother-in-Law's Tongue Golden Pathos Peace Lily Spider Plant Draceana

And while they might not bestow “clean-air” – I couldn’t pass up a few other nice looking gems.
For those of you now wanting to purify your own air, don’t worry, it won’t break your bank. The plants purchased range from only $3.95 – $7.95. If you’re still not sold, check out the video below of our 2011 Indianapolis Island resident Katherine Ball talking about her use of clean-air plants.

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/10/05/a-lesson-in-clean-air-plants/feed/ 2 English Ivy Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Golden Pathos Peace Lily Spider Plant Draceana We’re Going for the Gold. Are You? http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/06/06/were-going-for-the-gold-are-you/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/06/06/were-going-for-the-gold-are-you/#comments Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:41:40 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=17337

Learn more on how you can Go for the Gold!

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/06/06/were-going-for-the-gold-are-you/feed/ 0 A Virtual Trip to Venice http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/06/01/a-virtual-trip-to-venice/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/06/01/a-virtual-trip-to-venice/#comments Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:50:32 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=17259 It’s a bit quieter around the office this week, though my inbox is no lonelier. From curatorial staff to exhibition designers, public affairs representatives and IT staff, the IMA has a mighty team of Biennale ambassadors overseas. They’re hosting VIPs, recording videos, taking photographs, installing work, and surely doing a list of other necessary tasks that I am unaware of. While it may seem like the whole Museum boarded a plane, that’s certainly not the case. Many of us (most of us, really) are here manning the fort.

So what are we up to back in the motherland? A few things really…

While our traveling cohorts organize and gather the documentation materials, a team of us are ready and on-hand to help get that content to you (and our friends in the media) as quickly as possible. Working within a system that includes a 6 hour time difference isn’t always easy, but multiple process meetings prior to the trip has made for smooth sailing (knock on wood).

Most of my job entails getting the content out to you, our online audience. From updating the website with videos, images, and information to managing our Facebook and @imamuseum Twitter account, my work is 90% online and 10% meetings about the online material. I sincerely love this job and it’s because of this job that I feel like I am in Venice along with everyone else.

Closely following all of the @la_biennale and @USPavillion11-related tweets, I am inundated with updates, sightings, and picturesque views. I could open my Hootsuite account now and virtually connect with the city of romance and its temporary visitors. Tweets from everyone in Venice and the subsequent correspondence with those from all over the world have really been fascinating.

Another part of my job (web management) means that I’m one of the luckier ones who gets to see the new IMA content the second its published to our website. I don’t think this really hit me until I was able to publish photos and videos of the US Gymnasts performing on Body in Flight (Delta) and Body in Flight (American).

Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin.

Slideshow: Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta) and Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photos by Andrew Bordwin.

Tethered to my computer, I’ll be anxiously waiting all week for our Publishing and Media team to send over their latest creations. If you aren’t following @imamuseum or @USPavilion11 – now is the time to stay up to date on the latest. Also, be sure to “like” us on Facebook (a behind the scenes photo album coming soon) and browse our Venice Biennale microsite. There is a page for each of the six commissioned artworks, which includes videos and photos (stay tuned for some installation shots and full performance videos).

It’s because of all of these things (and the workings of a lot of people) that I can actually feel the energy radiating from the US Pavilion, 4,500 miles away. Reading tweets from the US gymnasts (@USATeamGloria), I sense their anticipation before opening performances and share in their pride for this wonderful opportunity with which we are all involved.  Watching rehearsal videos I can see the hard work and collaboration needed to pull it all together, while the final installation shots show me why it’s all worth it.

As I write this, I did just finish a nice glass of cabernet so while I may not be riding a vaporetto to work or rubbing elbows with international elites, my focus and heart (along with many others still in the building) is 100% Venetian this week.

Who’s up for some gelato?

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/06/01/a-virtual-trip-to-venice/feed/ 2 Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011. Photo by Andrew Bordwin. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Summer Partnership with IndyGo http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/05/28/special-announcement-summer-partnership-with-indygo/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/05/28/special-announcement-summer-partnership-with-indygo/#comments Sat, 28 May 2011 21:13:54 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=17180 IndyGo Youth PassGreat news for parents looking for some extra time this summer and teens looking for a little independence. The IMA has partnered with IndyGo to offer a Summer Youth Pass with added IMA perks! When purchasing an IndyGo Summer Youth Pass, children and teens—ages 18 and under—can hop aboard the bus and ride to museums, the zoo, the movies, a ball game, the mall and other destinations throughout Marion County from June 1 to August 31 for only $30. That’s summer-long transportation at a price lower than the cost of a tank of gas for most vehicles! A gas and money-saver, the Summer Youth Pass is also a great opportunity to discuss the environmental benefits of taking the bus while also teaching your children how to responsibly navigate through public transportation, a life-long valuable lesson.

So, where does the IMA fit in?

Well, in addition to all of the perks above, 2011 pass holders can gain free admission to two of the IMA’s special exhibitions, Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial and Dynasty and Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria.

Not only is spending time in these special exhibitions worth at least a couple of summer days, but with free general admission, free gardens and grounds, free tours and a selection of free programming, there is much more to do and see at the IMA. Check out our online calendar to see some of the upcoming events.

The pass can be purchased anytime on IndyGo.net or via IndyGo customer service. Hop on Routes 34 or 38 and you’ll hit a stop right at the Museum. Hope to see you around this summer!
Where has your IndyGo pass taken you?

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/05/28/special-announcement-summer-partnership-with-indygo/feed/ 0 Youth-Pass Indy-Go Guess the Name of the Film Game – FINAL ROUND http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/14/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-final-round/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/14/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-final-round/#comments Thu, 14 Apr 2011 12:45:58 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=16824 It’s the final round of the Guess the Name of the Film Game! A big thank you to everyone for playing! Before we go on to today’s clues, here is a run-down of all films on schedule for the 2011 Summer Nights Film Series:

Below are your clues for the last film. I think you all know the drill by now but the first person to correctly guess will win two tickets to any Summer Nights film. Leave a comment below and the answer will be given tomorrow morning.

FILM Thirteen (playing August 26): Based on clues from the works of art below, guess the name of this film. (Hint: click on the image for additional clues such as artist, title of piece, etc.)

Marc Chagall, The Flight into Egypt. Ikegami Shūho, recto: landscape with figure; verso: bamboo and sparrows Nevinson, Christopher Richard Wynne, Building Aircraft: Banking at 4,000 Feet.

Don’t forget tickets will go on sale tomorrow for IMA members. Public sales begin May 2.

See you all June 3 when we kick off the season!

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/14/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-final-round/feed/ 17 More... More... clue one clue two clue three Guess the Name of the Film Game – Round Twelve http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/13/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-twelve/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/13/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-twelve/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:01:02 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=16804 It’s round twelve of Guess the Name of the Film Game! We’re almost to the end and thank you to all of those who have participated in the game over the past two weeks. With two films to go, you still have a chance to win!

Congratulations to yesterday’s winner for correctly guessing To Catch a Thief. The 1955 Alfred Hitchcock film will play August 12 at the IMA as part of the annual Summer Nights Film Series.

Below are your clues for the next film. The answer will be given tomorrow and the first person to correctly guess (by commenting below) will win two Summer Nights tickets. With only one artwork given, this one is going to be tough! I say that hesitantly as you have surprised me in earlier rounds (smarty-pants).

 

FILM Twelve (playing August 19): Based on clues from the works of art below, guess the name of this film. (Hint: click on the image for additional clues such as artist, title of piece, etc.)

M.C. Escher, Ascending and Descending

The answer will be given tomorrow so keep those guesses coming!

Become a fan of the IMA on Facebook and stay tuned for an early scoop on the precise time that tomorrow’s clues will go live.

 

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/13/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-twelve/feed/ 23 More... Clue One Guess the Name of the Film Game – Round Eleven http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/12/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-eleven/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/12/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-eleven/#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:09:46 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=16537 “A hickey from Kenickie is like a Hallmark card.”

Playing August 5 in the IMA’s outdoor amphitheater, the tenth film of the Summer Nights Film Series will be the 1978 sing-a-long Grease! Congratulations to Sarah who correctly guessed the film based off of yesterday’s clues. Three more films to go! 

For those new to the game, we’re asking you to name film titles based on clues from the IMA’s permanent collection. All films are on schedule for the 2011 Summer Nights Series beginning June 3. IMA members can purchase tickets to films this Friday and ticket sales for the general public begin May 2. On the schedule so far, we have Mommie Dearest (1981), Blue Hawaii (1961), The Sandlot (1993),  The Wiz (1978), Zoolander (2001), Poltergeist (1982), Clerks (1994), Top Gun (1986), and Grease (1978).

Below are your clues for film eleven. The answer will be given tomorrow and the first person to correctly guess (by commenting below) will win two Summer Nights tickets.

FILM Eleven (playing August 12: Based on clues from the works of art below, guess the name of this film. (Hint: click on the image for additional clues such as artist, title of piece, etc.)

Edward Lear, Letter A, 1862 Felix Edouard Vallotton, Give Me Your Money, 1902

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Les Vielles Histoires, 1893 Robert Indiana, Title Unknown, 1980-1982

The answer will be given tomorrow so keep those guesses coming!

Become a fan of the IMA on Facebook and stay tuned for an early scoop on the precise time that tomorrow’s clues will go live.

 

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/12/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-eleven/feed/ 16 Clue 1 Clue 2 Clue 3 Clue 4 Guess the Name of the Film Game – Round Ten http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/11/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-ten/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/11/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-ten/#comments Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:16:35 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=16535 Feeling the need for speed? Pull out your aviators because the ninth film of the IMA’s Summer Nights series will be Top Gun (1986)! Congratulations to Sara for correctly guessing the film, which will play July 29 in the Museum’s amphitheater.

Tickets for Summer Nights films  go on sale this Friday, April 15 to IMA members and public sales begin May 2. Not a member? For as little as $45, there are plenty of reasons to join! From priority seating to big savings on ticket prices (50% off each film; that’s only $5 a ticket!) IMA members definitely feel the love during Summer Nights. Join today and enjoy a full summer of great films on the big screen, plus all of the benefits of an IMA membership!

On schedule for this summer is: the 1981 biopic, Mommie Dearest, Blue Hawaii (1961), and The Sandlot (1993), The Wiz (1978), Zoolander (2001), Poltergeist (1982), Clerks (1994), and now Top Gun (1986). Ready for the next one?

FILM Ten (playing August 5): As I mentioned with yesterday’s clues, I’m making it a bit harder for the rest of the week. The clues below may be based on the film’s location, genre, character(s), title, etc. Based solely on the works of art below, guess the name of the tenth film. (Hint: click on the image for additional clues such as artist, title of piece, etc.)

Clues
Guy Pène Du Bois, Portia in a Pink Blouse, 1942. http://www.imamuseum.org/art/collections/artwork/harmony-pink-and-gray-lady-meux-whistler-james-abbott-mcneill Joshua Reynolds, Portrait of Mrs. Thomas Watkinson Payler, 1771. Victor Higgins, Indian Girl with Parrot and Hoop, 1920.


Comment below and the first person to correctly answer the name of the film will win two free tickets to any Summer Nights film. The answer will be given tomorrow.

Become a fan of the IMA on Facebook and stay tuned for an early scoop on the precise time that the blog post will go up tomorrow.

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/11/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-ten/feed/ 12 Clue-One Clue-Two Clue-Three Clue-Four Guess the Name of the Film Game – Round Nine http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/10/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-nine/ http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/10/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-nine/#comments Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:00:03 +0000 Jenny http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/?p=16507 Congratulations to yesterday’s winner! Clerks will be the seventh film of this year’s Summer Nights Film Series. The character, Silent Bob, made his debut in the 1994 film. He later appeared in several films before becoming a title character in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back (2001).

For those just catching up on their blog reading, we’re asking you to guess film titles based on clues given from works of art in the IMA’s permanent collection. All films will be shown during the Summer Nights series, beginning June 3. On schedule so far is: the 1981 biopic, Mommie Dearest, Blue Hawaii (1961), and The Sandlot (1993), The Wiz (1978), Zoolander (2001), and now Clerks (1994).

Thanks to all of those who have played so far and if you’re still hoping for a win, you have 5 more chances.

Here’s are your next clues:

FILM Nine (playing July 29): As we enter the last week of the game, I’m going to make you work a bit harder! Today, I will not be giving any additional clues (such as how many words are in the title, or what type of the clues are below). Based only works of art below, guess the name of the ninth film. (Hint: click on the image for additional clues such as artist, title of piece, etc.)

William Heath, An Appropriate Emblem, 1829. Artist Unknown, Snake Bed, 1975. Terry Frost, Ice Blue, 1972.

Frank Weston Benson, Two Black Geese, 1931. Artist Unknown, Wolfman, 1982. Ronald B. Kitaj, Hollywood, 1970.

John Ottis Adams, An August Sunset – Prairie Dell, 1894. William Gropper, The Cat, 1965.

Comment below and the first person to correctly answer the name of the film wins two free tickets to any Summer Nights film. The answer will be given tomorrow.

Become a fan of the IMA on Facebook and stay tuned for an early scoop on the precise time that the blog post will go up tomorrow.

]]> http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2011/04/10/guess-the-name-of-the-film-game-round-nine/feed/ 9 Clue 1 Clue 2 Clue Three Character Clue One Character Clue Two Charcter Clue Three Character Clue Seven Character Clue Eight