Big and Little

Hosta grow in the shade of fir trees 

on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

As the hosta turn yellow and translucent 

in the autumn light, they support a fallen sprig, 

one that had earlier given them shade

from the summer heat.

Into Antiquity ...

This past weekend I explored a new gallery at the 

Indianapolis Museum of Art, 

one showing a large part of the museum's 

growing collection of decorative and industrial design. 

A lot of the items I've been familiar with since college, 

such as the work of Charles and Ray Eames; 

their work transformed our lives in ways we cannot 

imagine until we have it pointed out to us.

There are examples of beautifully made silverware,

twinkling chandeliers, clever lighting,

wonderful furniture, and a Dyson vacuum cleaner

to keep it all tidy. 

And then there was this, 

the 1985 Macintosh Plus computer.

Using elements from Pagemaker -- bullets, borders, 

Dingbats, lines and textures, I used the computer 

to design display ads for a local agency.

The bosses I had at that agency were evil cusses,

but I loved their Macs. Still do.

It was the first computer I'd ever used. Period.

The user-friendly Mac was a revelation to me. 

It felt odd to see my old friend on show 

in a Plexiglas case like some 

archaeological curiosity, but I guess it is.  

IMA: Autumn Equinox: A Girl and Her Guitar

The beautiful young woman above 

was among fifty to sixty other guitarists 

who joined composer Stuart Hyatt 

in the performance/sound installation, 

E is for Equinox.

The musicians stood in a circle beneath

an existing sculpture, Team Building (Align),
 installed in the IMA 100 Acres.

The sound of the E chord being played was nice,

although it didn't seem to take over 
the (air) space with as much power as I'd 
have thought sixty guitars could make. 

Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable afternoon; 

people were everywhere on the IMA grounds, 

with family and friendly dogs in tow.

Purple Strand

As the sun began to dip behind the main entrance

of the Indianapolis Museum of Art,

someone seemed ready to make their entrance;

This strand of purple blooms stood tall 

above their green leaves, like an amethyst necklace 

set off against a dark green gown.

IMA Model

It hasn't yet been two weeks 

since the Indianapolis Museum of Art welcomed

Roy Lichtenstein's sculpture, Five Brushstrokes 

to the Sculpture Garden on the east lawn.

As I was leaving, I saw that one of the pieces

was already being used as the backdrop

for a fashion photo session. 

Families were all about, many with small children 

in strollers, happily exploring the grounds, 

and taking the time to lounge under 

the tree-lined promenade.

On one of the park benches, I saw 

the model's accouterments, 

shopping bags full of fashionable clothing

and her own, neatly folded and piled.

The nice young woman taking the pictures 

told me her name was Evelyn Binkley, 

while the pretty model's name 

was Ciera. I doubt I've spelled their

names correctly because I didn't

write either down until after 

I left the Museum grounds. My bad.

Summer Haze

It's hot here in Indy, and muggy.

We're waiting for what is called 

a "scattered" thunderstorm,

which I suppose means it could rain 

just about anywhere 

except on us.

Whew.

In the Ravine Garden on the grounds 

of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, 

the heat hung low, moisture

slowing the movements of everything

except goldfinches and hummingbirds.

Along with the bees, they darted among the flowers

on this quiet stream, gorging on seeds

and nectar. The hummingbirds will be leaving

any time now; they're just waiting for

that signal, that angle of the sun, that tells

them it's time to fly to Mexico.

The bees will go to their hive to care

for the queen, buzzing their way through

the cold winter, while people, stupid people,

insist on behaving as though winter makes no

difference to the cycles of daily life.

Instead, they will obey their corporate masters,

droning away in their cubicles as the blue

light on their computer screens

sucks away their spirits, if not their lives.

Echinaecea

Spring seemed as though it would never come.

Summer was tardy, too, but once here, on the days 

it hasn't rained, it has been hot and muggy.

Now we are only three weeks or so from fall and,

if the tired leaves on the trees and the faded flowers are

any indication, it seems summer may leave 

us right on schedule. Damn.

Installation: A Room

A Room, an installation by Cambodian artist, 

Sopheap Pich, has been on view 

this summer at the main entrance of the 

Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Suspended from the ceiling, the circular

enclosure is made from strips of bamboo, 

aluminum, plastic, polyethylene 

braided line, and Teflon floss. 

Each bamboo strand, thirty-seven feet in length, 

was shaved and shaped by the artist's 

assistants after being cured in boiling water 

to remove any insects. As people moved in and out 

of the enclosure, a metallic ring could be heard

when one of the aluminum strands sang its protest.

It reminded me of the chimes many folks

had on their front porches, tinkling atonal choruses

in the summer breezes. 

The effect of A Room then, is not exactly from 

its physical presence, but what it may make 

the individual see in its surroundings. 

For me, it was the shadows made by the curtain 

as the sunlight filtered through the strands, 

and the occasional metallic ping that recalled 

the pleasant chimes of my childhood.

Paint Brushes the Sky

The Indianapolis Museum of Art held a block party 

on Friday to unveil artist Roy Lichtenstein's 

five-part sculpture, Five Brushstrokes.

People of all ages came to see the latest addition 

to the Dudley and Mary Louise Sutphin Mall. 

The sculpture, designed in 1983-1984,

and fabricated in 2012, was a gift to the museum

by the Lichtenstein Foundation, with assistance from

the Robert L. and Marjorie J. Mann Fund.

Monthly Theme Day: Just the Best

It's just a small wad of leaves and one single, simple flower petal, 

but this has to be my favorite picture for 2013.

I found them floating in the basin of a water fountain

on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

To see other favorite images from the City Daily Photo

community, click on the above link or the CDP badge

at the top right column of this page. The photos

have been taken by photographers all over the world,

giving you the chance to see the cities where they

live from their viewpoint.

A Season of Contrasts

Based on anecdotal evidence -- my own experience, the seasons 

don't really seem to change in Indiana until about a month 

after the "official" date. We've had really mild, late summer weather

until the past week or so, when the rains came in, bringing

colder temperatures and gloomy days.

These pictures were taken last week at the bridge 

in the Oldfields Gardens, which form part of the grounds 

of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The gardens were designed 

in the 1920s by Percival Gallagher, of the renowned 

Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm.

The day was by turns rainy and sunny, light and dark,

creating shadows that echo the curves of the bridge's wrought

iron gates, then fading into a gray, rainy mist dripping 

from the surrounding trees.

Complementary Colors and Size

When I wander the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, 

I am always pleased to see how the gardeners have arranged 

the plantings, not only for color but for contrast in size.

Here, the big jade green colored leaf is poised above a background

made up of dark red leaves, with an analogous 

bit of yellow green tossed in. 

Tangled Pink

While wandering the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, 

I found these pale pink flowers, their long stems 

tangled and entwining as they wound 

themselves sinuously towards the sunlight.

IMA Art Park: Eden II

Stranded in the middle of the lake, Eden II is monitored 

from the bank by a security system that watches the on-board 

activities of an imaginary group of refugees

displaced from their own country by climate change 

and rising sea levels. The security cameras are located

in a guard shack that can be used by visitors

to both view interior of the ship and of the shack.

The creator of Eden II, Finnish artist, Tia Makipaa, is known

for her multi-media projects using photo landscapes,

video documentation, and built objects to record

"human habits and habituations."

IMA: Stratum Pier

Among the pieces inhabiting the IMA's Art Park, I believe Kendall Buster's 

Stratum Pier is my favorite. Its undulating layers and shapes, 

jutting from the bank of the lake, is a three-dimensional representation 

of a topographical map. Fitting in nicely with the landscape,

the fiberglass and steel structure provides a pleasant place to quietly

view the surrounding landscape in quiet privacy.

Small Discovery

I went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art this afternoon to wander the galleries 

and the museum's beautiful grounds.There's a fountain near 

the Lilly mansion, Oldfields, where I caught sight of some fallen leaves. 

They had clotted together on the surface of the pond 

to create a colorful composition of their own.

Afterwards, I crossed the Central Canal to visit the 100-Acre Wood. 

The picture below is a view of the canal taken from the west side 

of the foot bridge, looking south towards 38th Street.

Finding My Way

I always find this light installation at the Indianapolis 

Museum of Art to be intriguing.

The fluorescent tubes exist both as an artwork

and as illumination in the museum's atrium;

since it was found that bright, artificial light contributes

to the deterioration of delicate works, light in all

the galleries has been substantially dimmed.

This is especially true in the Asian art galleries,

where the galleries are so dark I wonder

whether it's okay for me to be in there.

In and Out

I fell asleep last night with my Blogger page up - 

a picture but no copy.

There's something about being outside in warm, 

humid weather then coming inside to an air conditioned 

environment that just makes me drowsy. 

Add to that the relaxed feeling I have after an hour's swim 

and I just want to snuggle under the covers with 

a crossword puzzle or a book (the right man 

would be infinitely nicer, 

but prefer puzzles to the wrong 'un).
Of course, I fell asleep and did not wake up
until morning.

The day was gray and humid when I took this picture 
of hosta on the grounds of the Indianapolis 
Museum of Art. People wandered the grounds with
their umbrellas to protect from intermittent
showers and the rain dripping from the
lushly green trees, but the place is so beautiful,
no one minded the moisture.

Textured Tuesday: Majestic African Textiles

After leaving Ai Weiwei's exhibit Saturday at 

the Indianapolis Museum of Art, I took a bit of time 

to visit some of the other galleries.

In the Gerald and Dorit Paul Gallery, I found

Majestic African Textiles, an exhibit of 

beaded and embroidered objects, drawn primarily

from the IMA's textile collection.

The exhibit is organized by geographic region, 

representing various ethnic groups, and includes

items ranging from royal and prestige cloths,

masking and ritual garments.

The colors and patterns are wonderful and

strikingly contemporary, with masterfully

balanced shapes that would be the envy 

of any modern painter.

My favorite piece is an intricately

constructed garment, an Egyptian woman's shawl

made in the early 1900s. It is almost entirely

covered in strips of German silver attached to

a backing cloth of cotton netting.

From a distance the scarf almost gives 

the appearance of silver lame'.

I wa-a-a-a-nt one.

Straight: Steel Rebar 2008-2012 (38 Tons)

The tragic reality of today is reflected

in the true plight of our cultural existence:

we are spineless and cannot stand straight.

- Ai Weiwei

I went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art on Saturday 

to see According to What?, a touring exhibition 

of work by international artist Ai Weiwei.

I became aware of the artist through his role in the design of

the "Bird's Nest" stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympic

Games and, more recently, when he was detained

by the Chinese government in 2011 without any charges filed 

(after two months it was alleged he'd committed

"economic crimes," (i.e., not paying his taxes.) 

Ai Weiwei uses his considerable artistic skills

as a vehicle to express his dissatisfaction with the 

Chinese government's practices involving

democracy and human rights.

I had read about and seen photos of a number of his 

works, but I found myself surprisingly moved by

Straight: Steel Rebar 2008-2012 (38 Tons), which was

created in reaction to the deaths of an estimated 

5,000 children in shoddily constructed school buildings 

during the 2008 Sichwan earthquake.

His support of the Citizens' Investigation aimed to compile

a list of the casualties at the schools. A copy of that

list is posted on the gallery wall and, to date,

shows the names of well over 5,700 names of

dead and/or missing children.

Ai Weiwei and his associates were able to obtain

over 150 tons of twisted rebar from the schools,

which they have been able to straighten to near

pristine shape and used to create works to 

commemorate the children.

Thirty-eight tons of recycled steel has been used 

for this particular installation. Each piece was hammered 

approximately 200 times in order to straighten it.

Lying in such order, the jagged lengths reminded me 

of seismic graphs showing tremors that

brought the buildings down onto the unsuspecting

children and their teachers.