One image from the documentary, in particular, caught my attention. It was of the National Sports Festival that was hosted in Indianapolis in 1982. I can’t find a copy of the image anywhere online so I’ll try to describe it to you (by the way, I have a VERY unreliable memory, so I might be remembering the details wrong…). Essentially, the image is of a stadium with a track, the stands are filled with fans and the infield is filled with athletes. In the center of the image stands 1, 2, and 3 from Robert Indiana’s Numbers. After doing a little research, (a.k.a. reading Richard McCoy’s blog from April 5), I discovered that they were used as backdrops to the gold, silver, and bronze medal platforms for the games.

The more I’ve thought about the image, the more I appreciate the connection to the current configuration of Numbers. We are currently displaying 4 & 6 in the Museum’s Welcome Center. 1, 2, 3, 4, & 6 now have a place in art history and sports history. Fingers crossed that 5, 7, 8, & 9 will have their chance one day, as well.

Robert Indiana, "Numbers," 1980-1983. Gift of Melvin Simon and Associates; 1988.241. © Morgan Art Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Indianapolis stands at the crossroads of the U.S., but now more than ever, it also stands at the crossroads of sports and art. The balance of the aesthetic and the athletic makes Indianapolis a vibrant host for the Super Bowl, but an even better home for the 1.7 million people that live in our Metro area.

Robert Indiana’s Numbers are just one of the many examples of art and sports intersecting in the Circle City this week. For a full list of all the fun cultural events organized in celebration of the Super Bowl, click here.

The Big News

The IMA has been selected to represent the United States at the 2011 La Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale) and present the work of Puerto Rico-based artist collaborative Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla. Often described as the Olympic games of the contemporary art world, more the 70 nations present the newest and best works from their respective countries every other year at the Venice Biennale. This year marks the 54th International Art Exhibition.

A Few More Details

U.S. Pavilion

The IMA will present the work of Allora & Calzadilla at the U.S. Pavilion in Venice, Italy from June 4 through November 27, 2011. The U.S. pavilion is presented by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, which supports and manages the official United States participation at selected international exhibitions. Lisa Freiman, Chair of the IMA’s Department of Contemporary Art, will serve as Commissioner of the U.S. Pavilion.

More to Come

More details about the Venice Biennale and Allora & Calzadilla’s work will be posted in the coming weeks and months.

Read All About It

The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/arts/design/08arts-ARTTEAMREPRE_BRF.html?ref=todayspaper

Wall Street Journal: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/09/07/artist-pair-from-puerto-rico-to-represent-us-in-venice-biennial/

Indianapolis Star: http://www.indystar.com/article/20100908/LOCAL/9080348/IMA-picked-to-represent-U.S.-at-show-in-Venice

Artinfo: http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/35714/united-states-picks-allora-calzadilla-for-the-54th-venice-biennale/

ArtForum: http://artforum.com/archive/id=26356

1. Ball-Nogues Studio: Gravity’s Loom - Benjamin Ball and Gaston Nogues have been the guests of the IMA for the last week installing their site-specific work made of multicolored string. This week, don’t miss your opportunity to get up close and personal with the artists and the IMA’s design and installation crew as they install the work in the Efroymson Entrance Pavilion.  The team will be working throughout the day and in open view of visitors, so stop by and check out how this exhibition comes together. The show opens to the public this  Friday, but if you’ve got time, come by Thursday evening for a preview and artist talk.

2. Distance closes this Sunday. Kids and adults alike have been mesmerized all summer by Jeppe Hein’s rollercoaster-like track in the Forefront Galleries. Stop by this week for your final chance to follow a white, plastic ball as it rolls through 3 different rooms on the IMA’s fourth floor. This exhibition is a can’t miss, but hurry…you’ve only got 6 more days to see it!

3. Bring your family and friends to 100 Acres this weekend. I just checked the forecast and the weather looks perfect for a picnic! Bring a frisbee or a football and play around in the Park’s meadow. Interested in a tour? Every Sunday, there is a docent-led walk around the Park from 11 a.m. to noon.

(Don’t forget the Museum is closed on Mondays, but 100 Acres is open 7 days a week, including Labor Day.)

OK, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, but those are 3 good reasons for our friends in and around Indianapolis to come to the IMA this week.

Want more? Visit our calendar to see a full list of programs and exhibitions.

IMA Summer Intern Steph Gray

After spending almost 8 weeks of my summer at the IMA, I cannot believe that it’s almost over. This summer has been a busy one for us interns and everyone at the Museum. From the opening of 100 Acres to working diligently to bring you (yes you!) the most exciting exhibitions and art around, I believe that the staff drank enough coffee to water a nation.

If you haven’t been to the IMA this summer, take a moment to see what we’ve been up to:

The opening of 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park

Around 10,000 visitors came out on July 20th to check out the opening day of 100 Acres. Even though it was incredibly hot outside, everyone seemed to be having such a great time interacting with the art. The islanders were giving tours, music was playing, a giant grasshopper was walking around and some of the artists were even watching how the public interacted with their work. Alfredo Jaar stood by me while he was waiting for the trolley…I was star struck.
We’re glad that everyone has been enjoying the park so much and it’s gotten such wonderful press! New York Times, Wall Street Journal, plus our great local news stations and papers as well. If you haven’t been to the park yet, check it out ASAP!

VTS & Tara Donovan: Untitled

A part of our internship included weekly program that allowed for the interns to experience different sides of the Museum and the art “world”. Learning about all the different aspects of the museum and how exhibitions and artwork comes together has become incredibly useful in both my internship and how I now view visual art. The one of the programs I enjoyed most was the Visual Thinking Strategies tour of Tara Donovan: Untitled that allowed us to effectively talk about and analyze Donovan’s work in the exhibition. Through a facilitated discussion we were able to learn so much more about the work than just a regular stroll through the gallery.

Summer Nights

If you haven’t been able to come out and see a film on Friday evenings at the IMA, there is still time! Summer Nights films are fun and you can view them outside on our amphitheater or in the Toby with your family, friends and tons of food (obviously, the best part.) PLUS, if you buy a membership you get discounted tickets and priority seating! It’s a win/win.

Some other great tidbits

Joshua Mosley’s A Vue is amazing. Go see it immediately. Jeppe Hein takes champion of the summer, not only for creating Bench Around the Lake that can be seen in 100 Acres, but also for Distance, the ball roller coaster located on the fourth floor of the museum! PLUS, we have tons of amazing art in all of our galleries from Asian Art all the way to Design. There is something for everyone!

And coming soon…

Andy Warhol Enterprises will be opening October 10, 2010 (or 10/10/10) to the public. This will be your chance to experience the work of Warhol up close and personal at the Museum! “But Steph,” you may be thinking, “that’s almost THREE MONTHS AWAY!” Don’t worry; we’re hard at work to bring Warhol to you all the time. Stay Tuned!

Also, do you have plans for Friday, August 13, 2010? The Public Affairs team has been working diligently to bring you a SURPRISE EVENT at noon on Monument Circle! I’m not at liberty to say what it is, but I promise it will be worth your while if you show up downtown a little before noon…

I’m guessing this blog post has inspired you to immediately stop what you’re doing and head to the IMA…after all, it’s free! Get ready to be amazed (like this guy).

This October, the IMA will be presenting Andy Warhol Enterprises: an exhibition that examines Andy Warhol’s lifelong exploration of commerce, consumerism, and the business of art-making.

Featuring works that span his entire career, Warhol the artist, the businessman and the personality will loom large throughout the entire Museum this fall and winter…

…which got us thinking: why keep Andy inside the walls of the museum? Why not make his presence city-wide?

Even almost 25 years after his death, Andy Warhol may be the most popular artist of the 20^th century. So popular, in fact, that you can buy Andy Warhol wigs on Amazon. Which is exactly what we did last week!

(via Amazon.com)

Beginning next month, our street team will be wearing those wigs and popping up at various events around town. ” The Andys” will tailgate at Colts games, attend fairs and festivals, and hang out on college campuses. Perhaps you’ll run into an Andy while shopping for shoes or a loaf of bread. Where’s Warhol? Aisle 3.

So here’s your chance to get your 15 minutes of fame.

The IMA needs volunteers to join our Andy Warhol street team. We’re looking for a few enthusiastic and friendly folks that can spend about 2-3 hrs a week making appearances (dressed in a wig) and passing out info about the exhibition.

Interested? Email web@imamuseum.org and make the subject line ‘Warhol Street Team’. Applicants will be screened and interviewed in the coming weeks so that a final team can be finalized by September 1.

And to help you get in character:

The Highs:

• My favorite moments of yesterday were watching visitors interact with the art works. From toddlers crawling on Atelier van Lieshout’s Funky Bones to families shooting basketballs on Los Carpinteros’ Free Basket, it was delightful to see people-both young and old-experiencing and enjoying the art and discovering the Park.
• While I was walking towards the Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion early in the day I overheard a man gesturing towards the dense woods and stating to his wife “Who could have imagined this was all tucked back here behind the museum?” The dense woods, the meadows, the lake all make 100 Acres feel like an oasis in the middle of the city and it’s wonderful that visitors will now be explore the space throughout the year.
• A major treat of the day was watching many of the artists  talk to visitors about their work. Having worked on the project for years, the artists were absolutely delighted to see the crowds finally get to explore the art works. Adam and Andrew from Type A were practically skipping around the park as they greeted the crowds and Visitors Pavilion architect, Marlon Blackwell, maintained a giddy smile on his face throughout the day as he led visitors through the structure.

The Lows:

• For 3 hours I stood at the 38^th street loop and watched visitors flow in and out of the park. I helped direct traffic, and I fielded dozens of questions and complaints about the parking situation. What happened? Based on the attendance totals from past events (including the 2005 celebration of the new building), we estimated 3-5,000 people would visit 100 Acres over the course of the 5 hour celebration.  Consequently, the IMA arranged for 2 large trolleys that would run on loops every 30 minutes from the Park to the Velodrome to the IMA’s parking lot. By approximately 2 p.m. we realized that the crowds were growing beyond our original estimate and in response, we added a third shuttle to manage the flow.  For all of those that rode their bikes and used Park & Pedal or took the IndyGo bus, thank you for traveling green! For all of those that parked at the IMA or the Major Taylor Velodrome, thank you for your patience! For all of those who turned away because of the traffic, we are sincerely sorry that you missed the day, and we hope that you will return in the future to explore the park.

So, that’s the recap. I’m sure we’ll be posting all kinds of additional photos from the event on our Flickr page and Web site. Stay tuned! For now, just remember that 100 Acres is here to explore for free 365 days of the year from dawn until dusk. If you were here yesterday, please come back and bring your friends. If you missed the opportunity to join us for the celebration, we hope you will get a chance to explore the Park in the near future.

(photo via Joe Shoemaker)

Last week, I represented the IMA (@IMAMuseum) at the Indianapolis Social Media Breakfast (@indysmb) on the topic of Using Social Media in Travel, Tourism and Attraction Industries. Serving on the panel with me were representatives from IndyHub (@IndyHub), The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (@TCMIndy), The State Fair Grounds (@IndyStateFair), and the ICVA (@VisitIndy). Sitting in the audience were some of the most engaged social networkers in the city. It was a great opportunity to discuss the IMA’s social media strategy and to hear how other organizations are utilizing social networks for marketing and audience development strategies. (In case you don’t know, the “@” behind the organization refers to its Twitter account).

To sum up, here’s what I discussed:

1. Social Media = Social Networks (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) + Social Content (Video, blogs, etc.) If an organization creates great social content then social networking is a heckuvalot easier! Producing good, engaging content should be your top priority.
2. The staff person/s that manage/s Facebook and Twitter is your online visitor services staff. Whether they speak from their own voice or on behalf of your organization, Social Media staff are evangelists of the organization. They have to be authentically passionate about what they communicate and be willing to live the mission of the organization. The best Social Networking is done 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.
3. When it comes to online strategy, the best plan is to not plan. While it’s essential that overall communication objectives and key messages are understood, the best social media presences are those that have the ability to be flexible, responsive and experimental.

See the full discussion:

Indianapolis Social Media Breakfast | May 13th 2010 from Twelve Stars Media Productions on Vimeo.

Want More?

If you are local and want to learn more about the IMA and our social media strategy, you’re in luck! This Thursday, May 20 at 5:30 we will be hosting Bloggers Anonymous, a meetup group of individuals who are interested in art, technology, online communications and networking. Come, grab a drink in Nourish Café, get some freebies, and meet some really great people while you’re at it!

THANK YOU to all our blogger candidates. It was fascinating to read your perspectives on the museum experience. We really appreciate your willingness to participate and share.

THANK YOU to all of our blog readers that voted. The poll got record-breaking participation. In fact, on Wednesday, March 10, our Web site received the most  hits in a single day in IMA history. Votes were cast from as far away as the Netherlands (27 votes) and China (17 votes).  We even had 3 votes from Trinidad and Tobago.

OK, so that’s it for now! The NEW IMA blogger has been crowned. Ms. Neville will be joining the team this April and we’re looking forward to what she has to say. Until then, we’ll be working on a new blog contest…Stay tuned!

Oh, oh and Katie – Expect an email from the Blog Team today. We’re excited to have you on board!

IMA's Rain Garden

While green slips into our wardrobe only once a year here, it is at the top of our minds every day. Here’s just a sampling of all the ways the IMA thinks green:

• Recycling – In 2009 the IMA recycled 7,392 pounds of newspaper, 12,950 pounds of office paper, 2,099 pounds of aluminum, and 2,046 pounds of plastic. Each employee has a recycling bin at his or her desk and large recycling bins are available in areas available to the public and staff.

• The Toby – During the renovation of The Toby in 2008, the IMA used green products whenever possible. The floor is made of recycled cork and tires. Recycled carpet tiles were used in the lobby, seating areas and hallways. Recycled glass and concrete was used for the countertops in the service area.

• Rain Garden – The IMA’s rain garden (see image above) captures and filters storm water runoff from the asphalt parking lot outside the Greenhouse that would otherwise flow into nearby waterways, carrying oil and other pollutants with it. Next time you visit the Greenhouse, be sure to check it out!

• Visitors Pavilion at 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park – Currently being constructed and opening June 20, 2010, the 3,000-square-foot Visitors Pavilion will be a LEED certified facility.  See images of the ongoing construction of the pavilion.

• Programming – The Planet Indy speaker series – an annual speaker series that addresses quality of life from a sustainable, creative perspective.  Last month the IMA hosted filmmaker Chris Paine (director of Who Killed the Electric Car?) as he discussed transportation and green lifestyles.  As part of the event, the museum exhibited an electric car just outside Nourish Cafe (check out the IMA TV clip).Upcoming Planet Indy talks include “gestalt gardener” Felder Rushing (April 22) and author of The Not So Big House series, Sarah Susanka (May 20)

So there it is, just a few examples of how the IMA is green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

Slainte!