Aziz + Cucher

Allora & Calzadilla in Indy

Eiteljorg Suite Reinstallation

In Photos: Miller House

FEB–APR2012

0302

Meg Liffick Managing Editor

Matthew TaylorDesigner

Ivy HamstraSilvia Filippini-FantoniRonda KaslRichard McCoyElizabeth MortonAmanda York Contributors

Hadley Fruits Tascha Mae HorowitzMike Rippy Photographers Tascha Mae HorowitzPhoto Editor Julie LongAssistant Photo Editor

Anne M. YoungRights & Reproductions Coordinator

The IMA Magazine is published by the IMA, 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, Indiana 46208-3326. Questions or comments may be directed to the staff at 317-923-1331.

All reproduction rights are reserved by the IMA, and permission to sell or use commercially any photographs, slides or videotapes must be obtained in writing from the Rights & Reproductions office, 317-923-1331.

© 2012 Indianapolis Museum of Art

The IMA Magazine is printed on FSC-certified paper manufactured with electricity in the form of renewable energy (wind, hydro, and biogas), and includes a minimum of 20% post-consumer recovered fiber.(The FSC trademark identifies products which contain fiber from well managed forests certified by SmartWood in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council.)

04 VOICES

Aziz + Cucher

06RECENT ACQUISITION 18th Century Sculpture

08IN THE GALLERIES

Allora & Calzadilla in Indy

10VOICES

Dave Durante and Sadie Wilhelmi

12IN THE GARDENS

Perennial Premiere

N1NOTES

News, Exhibitions, Calendar

13COMMUNITY

Perspectives

14PERSPECTIVES ON

COLLECTING DESIGN George R. Kravis II

16IN THE GALLERIES

Eiteljorg Suite Reinstallation

20MEET OUR AFFILIATES

Lauren Zoll

22IN PHOTOS

Miller House & Garden

African art at the IMA will soon get a new home. When the Eiteljorg Suite of African and Oceanic Art opens in early May, visitors will find a reorganized collection housed in an attractively redesigned space prominently located on the third floor. The updated installation will reinvigorate interest in what is one of the nation’s top African collections.

On the cover » Miller House & Garden. Above » Onabanjo of Itu Meko, Yoruba people, Nigeria, Magbo helmet mask for Oro association (detail), 1880–1920, wood, pigment, iron, 28 3/4 x 13 3/4 x 18 1/2 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Eiteljorg, 1989.754

As chair of the search committee to identify the next Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, I am pleased to use this space, usually dedicated to a letter from the director, to update you on the leadership of the Museum during this period of transition and on the search process itself.

Because the search could conceivably take six to nine months, the Board of Governors, after discussions with the curators and other senior staff members, appointed nine members of the Museum’s staff to serve as the senior leadership team to guide the Museum during this interim period. The team will report to the Board of Governors until a new director is identified.

Those members of the leadership team include Jennifer Bartenbach, Chief Financial Officer; Nick Cameron, Chief Operating Officer; Lisa Freiman, Chair, Department of Contemporary Art, and Senior Curator; Kathryn Haigh, Deputy Director for Collections and Exhibitions; Ellen Lee, Wood-Pulliam Senior Curator; Cynthia Rallis, Chief Development Officer; Rob Stein, Deputy Director for Research, Technology and Engagement; Katie Zarich, Deputy Director for Public Affairs; and Mark Zelonis, Ruth Lilly Deputy Director for Environmental and Historic Preservation. Jennifer Bartenbach has assumed the responsibilities of museum administrator during the transition. As an institution, we are fortunate to have such a strong group of experienced professionals to operate the Museum in the months ahead.

It is with a sense of excitement and great responsibility that we begin the search for our next director. The members of the search committee have long ties to the IMA, care deeply about the institution, and are passionate about art. I’m pleased to report that the committee includes five former chairs of the IMA Board of Governors: Dan Appel, Myrta Pulliam, John Thompson, Anna White and Dick Wood as well as the current chair, Steve Russell. The other members of the committee are current members of the Board: Sergio Aguilera, Gay Barclay, Michelle Griffith, Rick Johnson, June McCormack, Ersal Ozdemir and Kathi Postlethwait.

I will use this space to provide periodic updates on the committee’s progress. In the meantime, on behalf of the entire Board, please know that the members of the Board of Governors are grateful for your ongoing support of this great institution. We look forward to recruiting our next director who will lead the museum into its 130th year and beyond.

Until that happens, we are, in my opinion, in excellent hands.

Sincerely,

TOM HIATT ChAiR, CEO SEARCh COMMittEE AnD SECREtARy, iMA bOARD Of gOvERnORS

04 0505

Recently Aziz + Cucher spoke about their upcoming exhibition at the IMA in their studio in New York City. Their conversation with Lisa Freiman, Senior Curator and Chair of the Department of Contemporary Art, is excerpted below. Sammy Cucher: The work Some People takes conflict in the Middle East as a point of departure, but at the same time we’re trying to extrapolate that specificity to a more general human condition. It’s about a general state of mind that produces conflict, a “stuck-ness” into a certain belief or belong-ing to a specific group. Since 2006 we have been very affected by what was going on in the Middle East. It marks a watershed moment because that’s when the Israel/Lebanon Hezbollah war happened, and we were both devastated. Anthony Aziz: We were surprised by our own reactions to the conflict. Even though we have had ties to that area for a long time, in that particular moment, it cracked open. And we were astonished…Sammy Cucher: …by how depressed we were and how hopeless we felt about that situation and the human race. We were in the middle of the war in Iraq, and it was going really badly at the time. And 9/11 had happened. We realized that we had to address this somehow in our practice, and we thought the IMA exhibition would be a good opportunity to do so, but we still didn’t know how. So we took a two-month trip to Israel, Lebanon and the former Yugoslavian Republics—Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia—to experience these zones of conflict firsthand. Sammy Cucher: The second work in the show is called In Some Country Under a Sun and Some Clouds, a title which is drawn from the poetry of Wislawa Szymborska. She’s a poet who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1996. There’s a certain beauty in her writing. She’s Polish, so she has a built-in darkness [laughs]: WWII, Nazis, Commu-nists—all of that history is there. But you will rarely see these things mentioned specifically in her poetry. It’s all this indirect, tangential observation of something very quotidian that she manages through poetry to enlarge into this enormous cosmic and political event. When I read Szymborska’s poem Some People, I immediately had to show it to Anthony because it was a poetic distilla-tion of the work we were trying to do. Her poetry became a lightning rod for us. It was inspiring that somebody can take very political and tragic things, topics like acts of war and refugees, and still make something that is so concise and moving without being explicit. Anthony Aziz: And it’s also approachable and accessible for those who haven’t actually lived through it. Because I think our task here is to remember we’re working with an American audience who hasn’t experienced any of this firsthand. For the most part, we only know of these situations and stories through the media. But everybody has a relationship to the Middle East, whether it’s biblical or political. So I think it was really helpful to see that not everyone has to live through that in order to be touched by it. That’s our aim. Throughout the four works in the show there’s an accumulation that occurs, and hopefully people will have the urge to move back through it and experience each part in a different way. That’s our hope—that it’s a totalizing, accumulative, sensorial experience that sometimes makes sense and often doesn’t. And only upon reflection will the parts start to fit together. Sammy Cucher: We felt that what we were dealing with is so complex and so layered that we couldn’t put it together in one piece, in one single image, or in one single work. It had to be the product of multiplicity. Anthony Aziz: The show had to be circular and nonlinear. The circularity allows for the complexity to unfold in a variety of different ways. We’re plagued by concerns around history and these stories that never seem to end and are told again and again. I think the looping of history and the literal looping of our videos is an important formal device; although it’s simple, it’s vital to understanding the historical and political trap we’re in today.

Aziz + Cucher: Some People will be accompanied by a catalogue published by the iMA in conjunction with hatje Cantz, germany. this publication is edited by Lisa freiman with contributions by tami Katz-freiman, an independent curator based in Miami, and Richard Meyer, associate professor of art history and fine arts at the University of Southern California. generous support for the catalogue is provided by the Elizabeth firestone graham foundation.

The New York-based artistic collaborative of Anthony Aziz and Sammy Cucher is currently developing a new body of work for an upcoming solo exhibition titled Aziz + Cucher: Some People, which will be on display in the IMA’s June McCormack Forefront Galleries from April 13 through October 21, 2012. Because of familial and cultural ties to Israel and Lebanon, Aziz and Cutcher were profoundly affected by the outbreak of conflict between the two countries in the summer of 2006. After witnessing first-hand the terror of 9/11 in New York, as well as the subsequent barrage of images of violence unleashed by the war in Iraq, they began to understand the 2006 war in Lebanon as emblematic of a cycle of tragic and ab-surd inevitability that was established in antiquity and continues today. The four video installations that comprise the exhibition—Time of the Empress, In Some Country Under a Sun and Some Clouds, Report from the Front, and By Aporia, Pure and Simple—give form to the artists’ complex emotions, extensive research and travel throughout Israel, Lebanon and the former Yugoslavian Republics. Through the use of digital animation, performance, video and sound, Some People situates recent and current conflicts into a never-ending narrative that exists outside of a specific place and time.

Voices

Left » Anthony Aziz and Sammy Cucher outside their New York City studio, 2011. Photo by Martin Persekian.

“That’s our hope—that it’s a totalizing, accumulative, sensorial experience that sometimes makes sense and often doesn’t.”

06

Two years later, Moreno Villa described his prize, calling attention to the harmonious form of the figure and the excellence of the polychromy: “The flesh is finely painted; I mean to say that it has been done by a good painter. It is neither ivory-colored nor rosy, but a livid grayish hue, with leaden marks on those parts of the body most punished by lashes and blows.” Moreno Villa accurately judged the quality of the sculpture, if not its origin and authorship. Although it depends on a type of image popular-ized by Spanish artists like Alonso Cano in the 17th century, the sculpture is now recognized as the work of Manuel Chili, called Caspicara, the best-known sculptor of 18th-century Quito (Ecuador).

Works like this one were created for use as devotional aids by worshipers who meditated on Christ’s suffering as a means of achieving spiritual enlightenment. The idealized anatomy of the nearly nude figure of Christ emphasizes both his human condition and his divine nature, downplaying the physical effects of his torture and focusing instead on his inner torment. The naturalistic effects achieved through the painted imitation of flesh tones and the use of glass eyes are characteristic of devotional sculpture produced in both Spain and colonial Spanish America.

The acquisition of this important sculpture, like that of a Mexican painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe in 2009, signals the IMA’s commit-ment to achieving meaningful representation in this new collection area. The purchase of both works was made possible through the Maisie Eden Power Endowment Fund.

In 1944 José Moreno Villa saw a small wooden sculpture in the crowded display window of a Mexico City antique shop. Believing that he had discovered a work by Alonso Cano, the exiled poet entered the shop, fearful that it would cost a fortune. He purchased it for just 300 pesos.

recent aquisition

18th-century Sculpture from Quito

Left » Attributed to Caspicara (Manuel Chili), Ecuadorian (1723–1796), Christ at the Column (detail), second half of the 18th century, polychromed wood, inlaid glass eyes, H: 16 1/4 in. (without base), Maisie Eden Power Endowment Fund, 2011.131

by ROndA KAsl SEniOR CURAtOR Of PAinting AnD SCULPtURE bEfORE 1800

07

08 09

The IMA will celebrate the success of the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale by displaying two works by the artistic team of Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calza-dilla in concurrent exhibitions. From March 8 through April 22, 2012, Body in Flight (Delta) will be on display in the IMA’s Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion. Recently acquired for the IMA’s permanent collection, Body in Flight (Delta) is a full-scale wooden replica of Delta Airline’s business class seat that serves as the base for performances by female athletes. The form of the painted wooden seat roughly approximates that of a gymnastic balance beam and is utilized by performers in a routine that emphasizes flexibility and fluidity. Sadie Wilhelmi, who performed in Venice throughout the run of the Biennale, will inaugurate Body in Flight (Delta) with a special performance on the opening night. Wilhelmi also will train female athletes from clubs affiliated with Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics who will participate in regularly scheduled performances in the IMA’s Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion through the duration of the exhibition. (See the interview with athletes Dave Durante and Sadie Wilhelmi on page 10 to learn about the performances from their unique perspectives.)

Also opening on March 8 in the IMA’s Carmen & Mark Holeman Gallery, is Allora & Calzadilla: Vieques Series, an exhibition of short films all staged on the small Puerto Rican island of Vieques, which has been a site of protest and civil unrest for decades. The videos, which have never before been presented

together in the U.S., include Returning a Sound (2004),Under Discussion (2005) and the U.S. premiere of Half Mast\Full Mast (2010).

“Presenting Body in Flight (Delta) and Half Mast\Full Mast in Indianapolis allows us to make these internationally acclaimed works more accessible to our local and regional audiences by bringing part of the Venice experience to Indianapolis for a few months,” says Lisa Freiman, Senior Curator and Chair of the IMA’s Department of Contemporary Art and commissioner of the U.S. Pavilion.

Returning a Sound is the first video in the series and documents a symbolic reclaiming of the land by activist Homar, who travels by an adapted moped in areas that were forbidden to the residents of Vieques for decades. A trumpet, affixed to the muffler of the moped, emits a call that varies in pitch due to the land’s terrain and the speed of the bike. This “anthem”—created by an instrument typically used for military ballads—recalls abrasive sounds, such as the bombs that were deployed by the U.S. Navy on Vieques for over sixty years.

Under Discussion, the second in the series, follows Diego, the son of a local fisher-man, as he circles the island on a boat made from an overturned conference table powered by an outboard motor. The video depicts coastlines riddled with deployed bombs and luxury resorts that have been constructed on land previously occupied by the U.S. Navy. By literally mobilizing the conference table, Diego’s actions symbolize the need for

a democratic process of discussion, rather than mandate from the U.S. government or wealthy investors, to determine the fate of the land.

Half Mast\Full Mast, which premiered in June at the Venice Biennale, is a two-channel video consisting of two projected videos, one stacked above the other. Each depicts a different landscape on Vieques, but both share a common cinematic framing of a flagpole in the center of the image. The result of the two images together creates the appearance of one single flagpole connected between the two screens, despite the images’ other-wise obvious disjunctive backgrounds. One gymnast at a time enters one of the two screens and takes the position of a human flag. Depending on which screen the gymnasts appear, top or bottom, the flag seems to be flying at full mast or half mast in sites that symbolically mark places of victory or setback in the island’s 60 year struggle for peace, decontamination, ecological justice and sustainable development.

To celebrate the opening of these exhibitions, the IMA will host a panel discussion on Thursday, March 8, in The Toby. Guest speakers will include artists Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla, U.S. Commissioner Lisa Freiman, U.S. Olympic gymnast David Durante, dancer Sadie Wilhelmi, choreographer Rebecca Davis, composer Jonathan Bailey, Project Manager David Hunt, Installation Manager Mike Bir as well as Deputy Director for Collections and Exhibitions Kathryn Haigh. Sadie Wilhelmi will do a special perfor-mance of Body in Flight (Delta) that evening.

in tHe GaLLeries

Allora & Calzadilla in Indy Body in Flight (Delta) will be presented with scheduled performances in the Efroymson family Entrance Pavilion March 8–April 22, 2012

Allora & Calzadilla: Vieques Series will be on view March 8–October 14, 2012, in the Carmen & Mark holeman gallery.

Support provided by a grant from the Efroymson family fund, a fund of Central indiana Community foundation.

Left » Allora & Calzadilla, Half Mast\Full Mast, 2010, high-definition two-channel video, color, silent; 21:11 min., Courtesy of the artists and Lisson Gallery, London; Gladstone Gallery, New York; Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris; Kurimanzutto Gallery, Mexico City.

1110

How does it feel to be part of an artwork? Dave: I love art, and I do a bit of art myself, mostly drawings and pastels. But this is a whole new realm for me as an artist; this is something that I do not think has ever been done from an athletic side of things. To be a first, in that sense, is special. The whole ride has been scary at times, not knowing if we could pull everything together in time and making sure that the pieces were what the artists and the museum wanted. Sadie: The more I learned about the Biennale and the more involved I got with the project, the more honored I felt about being part of it and how we are basically inscribed in art history. It’s really unique to be part of a performance in a contemporary art piece. We have had such interesting and posi-tive feedback from the audience. How long did it take to create the choreography? Dave: The choreography took a little bit of time. Ini-tially we did not have the sculptures, so we worked with mats and foam blocks. Rebecca Davis, the choreographer, was instrumental in putting it all together and bridged the gap between the gymnastic and dance worlds. The performers also had input here and there. Sadie: It took us months to put this together. We started in January of 2011 and it came together during lots of hours of training and rehearsal. How does it feel to perform so close to the public? Dave: It has been

the best part of performing, because when you are competing in an arena with 15,000 people, it’s just you, the apparatus and the judge watching you. You feel such a disconnection with the public. Here their energy is what you use. They are not speaking with their mouths, but their eyes. There is such a connection; you can feel them holding their breath. Sadie: It is such a new feeling for me. Both with dance and aerial work, there is much more distance between you and the public, so it is really, really intimate to have the public so close. Sometimes I kick people or the sweat is flying around. My toe started bleeding one time. It makes it very real when people can see every-thing that is going on. It brings people in. They can really follow you once they can connect with that.

to watch films of Dave and Sadie’s performances and behind-the-scenes video from venice, visit imamuseum.org/venice/multimedia

Voices

From May–November 2011, gymnasts dave durante and sadie Wilhelmi performed in front of more than 370,000 visitors as part of Gloria, the IMA’s exhibition in the U.S. Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The performances, part of Allora & Calzadilla’s artworks Body in Flight (Delta) and Body in Flight (American), were a rare overlapping of art and sport. On March 8, 2012, Dave and Sadie will be part of a panel discussion at the IMA discussing their roles in the project. As the exhibition came to an end, we asked them to reflect on their experiences.

,

“When you are competing in an arena with 15,000 people, it’s just you, the apparatus and the judge watching you. You feel such a disconnection with the public. Here their energy is what you use.”

12

The Madeline F. Elder Greenhouse resides on the foundation of the original Lilly estate greenhouse used to cultivate plants and produce. Now fully renovated, energy efficient and with automated heating and cooling, the Greenhouse is stocked with native and unusual plants that are adapted to the Indiana climate. In addition to an abundance of plants, the Greenhouse includes a gift shop and staff that offer the highest degree of horticultural expertise. Open all year round, including Thursday and Friday evenings, the Greenhouse experiences its highest traffic in April and May. As a kickoff to the busy season, the Greenhouse will host the third-annual expanded Perennial Premiere on April 21 and 22, 2012.

Perennial Premiere offers opportunities to talk in-depth with experienced horticulture staff, walk the IMA gardens to see mature versions of plants for sale and purchase edible offer-ings, like herbs and vegetables, for your garden. Greenhouse Maganger Sue Nord Pfeiffer explains that “this year, we will carry a lot of varieties of plants that people will have great success with and that will highlight all growing seasons.” Programming for Perennial Premiere includes live music, an exhibition of bonsai, a tulip tree giveaway for kids, and an April 19 talk about sustainable lawns.

in tHe GarDens

A Perennial Favorite

iMA members are invited to participate in the Perennial Premiere pre-sale to receive first choice of all plants for sale. A list of plants will be available online prior to the Premiere, and IMA members will receive 20% off purchases.

Saturday, April 21: 9–11 am, Members-Only Preview / 11 am–5 pm, free and open to the Public

Sunday, April 22: noon–5 pm, free and open to the Public

N1

NEWSEXHIBITIONSPROGRAMMINGEVENTS

NOTES: FEBURARY–APRIL

EllEn W. lEE AppointEd to SErvE on prEStigiouS pAnEl

Ellen W. Lee, The Wood-Pulliam Senior Curator, has been selected to serve on the Arts and Artifacts International Indemnity Advisory Panel. Administered by the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C., the 8-member panel of museum professionals reviews applications from American museums for indemnification of works of art loaned from all over the world to special exhibitions in the U.S. The panelists assess the quality of the exhibitions, their individual works, and the provisions for their safekeeping during travel, before making their recommendations to the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. The program saves American museums millions of dollars each year in insurance premiums. Lee will serve a 3-year term.

nEW MEMBEr nigHt progrAMS AnnounCEd

For 2012, the IMA is expanding its Member Night programs held on the second Thursday of each month. In addition to special tours and discounts, the Museum will also offer curator lectures and more behind-the-scenes opportunities exclusively for members. Upcoming events include a last-chance tour of the exhibition Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection on February 9, Member Appreciation Week from March 6 through 11, and a talk from Mark Zelonis, Ruth Lilly Deputy Director of Environmental and Historic Preservation, on the history of the Oldfields landscape on April 12. To see a complete schedule of events for this year’s Member Nights, visit imamuseum.org/special-event/member-night. Contact our Membership office at 317-920-2651 to sign up or if you have any questions.

general support of the iMA is provided by the Arts Council of indianapolis and the City of indianapolis; by the indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the national Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; and the Lilly Endowment, inc.

N2 N3

On View

ART OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS: THE THAw COLLECTION Through February 12 » $8 Public, Free for IMA members » Allen Whitehill Clowes Special Exhibition Gallery » Floor 2

Revealing the extraordinary range of art produced by Native American cultures, Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection features more than 100 of the most outstanding works from one of the premier collections in the country. The exhibition presents an astonishing variety of pieces, including ritual objects, ceremonial clothing, pottery and basketry. These masterworks provide a glimpse of the diversity of expression found in Native American art and reflect the importance of the arts in sustaining ancient traditions that still exist today and will endure in the future. This exhibition is organized by the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York. Public programs and opening celebration for Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection are sponsored by Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

BRIAN MCCUTCHEON: OUT OF THIS wORLD Through March 4 » Free » June M. McCormack Forefront Galleries » Floor 4

The solo exhibition Brian McCutcheon: Out of this World features a new body of work by Indianapolis-based conceptual artist Brian McCutcheon. For the exhibition, McCutcheon uses video, photography and sculpture to explore the relationships between play, masculinity and the notion of flight. After realizing that his son is currently the same age that he was during the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, McCutcheon chose to investigate the duality of father and son relationships through imagery and footage related to space exploration.

On View

FLOw: CAN YOU SEE THE RIVER? Through February 26 » Free » Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion

Mary Miss’ project titled FLOW: Can You See the River? is a site-specific project commissioned for the IMA’s 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. Using mirrors and markers throughout the Museum’s campus and along a six-mile stretch of the river and canal, the project finds innovative ways to integrate visitors with the surrounding landscape, inspiring them to consider how water affects their everyday lives. Miss’ installation in the IMA’s Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion will serve as an introduction to her expansive project outside the museum’s walls. In a continuation of Miss’ tagline for FLOW—“All property is riverfront property. The river starts at your door.”—visitors can utilize a large map covering the floor of the Pavilion to locate their homes in relation to local bodies of water. Miss’ indoor installation makes visceral the environmental impact of everyday actions of local residents, by illustrating the watershed in relation to Indianapolis and demonstrating how easily the White River and other bodies of water are impacted by the daily activities of locals.

this project is supported in part by an award from the national Endowment for the Arts, the national Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (nOAA) and the Efroymson family fund, a fund of Central indiana Community foundation.

AzIz + CUTCHER: SOME PEOPLE April 13–October 21 » Free » June M. McCormack Forefront Galleries » Floor 4

See page 4.

generous Support for the catalogue provided by the Elizabeth firestone graham foundation.

BODY IN FLIGHT (DELTA)March 8–April 22 » Free » Efoymson Family Entrance Pavilion

See Page 8.

ALLORA & CALzADILA: VIEQUES SERIESMarch 8–October 14 » Free » Carmen and Mark Holeman Gallery » Floor 4

See Page 8.

Above » Jar (detail), about 1905. Nampeyo (1860-1942), Hopi, Hano, First Mesa, Arizona. Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, N.Y., T0810. Photograph by Richard Walker. Brian McCutcheon (American, b. 1965), Capsule, 2011, steel, aluminum, anodized aluminum, plastic, automotive paint, tongue jack, shocks, wheels, tires, racing harness, led lights, 1959 Cadillac tail lights, video camera, 72 x 128 x 92 in., Commissioned by the Indianapolis Museum of Art; Courtesy of the Artist. Opposite » Mary Miss (American, b. 1944), Flow: Can You See the River?, 2011, produced with EcoArts Connections + Parners, Commissioned by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Aziz + Cucher By Aporia, Pure and Simple, 2011, multi-channel video, sound, Courtesy of the Artists.

MATERIAL wORLD Through Feburary 6 » Free » Gerald and Dorit Paul Galleries » Floor 3

From court dress to couture, the objects in Material World will feature extravagant ornamentation of textiles and personal adornment from cultures around the world while highlighting the significance of textiles in displaying wealth, status and power. The exhibition will showcase items adorned with luxurious materials including gold and metallic threads, beads, shells, mirrors, semi-precious stones, bones, fur and feathers, ranging from a Buddhist bone apron to Dior and Chanel couture pieces, spanning several centuries to the present day.

INDIANA ARTISTS’ CLUB ANNUAL ExHIBITION April 20–June 10 » Free » North Hall Gallery » Floor 2

The Indiana Artists’ Club, Inc. was organized as the Indiana Art Club in 1917 by a group of 46 artists and patrons including such notables as T. C. Steele, William Forsyth, Otto Stark, Carl Graf, Wayman Adams, Simon Baus, Marie Goth, Frederick Polley, CliftonWheeler, Randolph Coats, Carl Lieber and Alex Holiday. This will be the Club's 80th Annual Juried Exhibition.

THE VIEwING PROjECT: THE MUSEUM OF wONDERThrough April 15, 2012 » Free » Susan and Charles Golden Gallery » Floor 2

The Museum of Wonder evokes the origin of the modern art museum in the cabinets of curiosities and Wunderkammern that appeared in Europe in the 16th century as collections of natural and man-made marvels. Rather than recreating the appearance and premise of an historic Wunderkammer, this installation extracts characteristics of the form that resonate with contemporary times and amplifies those characteristics. Specifically, the installation focuses on the power of relationships or juxtapositions—of both like and unlike —that allow objects to be seen and understood in new ways. The Museum of Wonder presents a tightly clustered array of objects from across the collection and offers visitors an interactive experience.

funded in part by a generous grant from the ARt MEntOR fOUnDAtiOn LUCERnE.

UNIVERSE IS FLUx: THE ART OF TAwARA YUSAkU Through April 1, 2012 » Free » John T. & Norma A. Thompson Gallery, Francine & Roger Hurwitz Gallery, Frances Parker Appel Gallery » Floor 3

Tawara Yūsaku is a contemporary Japanese artist known for his highly energetic brushstroke. Universe Is Flux: The Art of Tawara Yūsaku will feature works inspired by Tawara’s belief that the universe is unstable and constantly changing. Executed primarily in ink on paper, his works use the cumulative effect of many brushstrokes to create powerful and expressive works. Tawara saw all existence as composed of vibrational energy, made up of wavelike forms he called “hado.” The exhibition will feature works created in the 1990s, following Tawara’s several decade hiatus from painting, as well as pieces created just before his death in 2004.

generous Support for the catalogue provided by the E. Rhodes and Leona b. Carpenter foundation and the Japan foundation, new york.

LOOkING wEST February 3, 2011–August 5, 2012 » Free »The Steven Conant Galleries in Memory of Mrs. H.L. Conant » Floor 2

Over the period 1870 to 1945, the American West became an increasingly popular sketching ground for eastern artists. The first arrivals were such view painters as Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran whose panoramic paintings, reproduced as chromolithographs, brought the unimagined majesty of the Rockies and Sierras to a broad eastern audience. They were followed by reportorial artists such as Frederic Remington and the photographer Edward Curtis intent on preserving artistically and romantically the disappearing frontier and Native American culture. As artists became residents of the West in the early 20th century, their perspective changed, with tidbits of local color replacing the grandiose prospect. This exhibition will bring 51 prints, drawings and photographs to the public, few of which have been shown before, including several never-displayed works by the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico.

On View On View

N4 N5

Above » G. Wingendorp, Musei Wormiani historia, fold-out frontispiece to Museum Wormianaum. Seu, Historia rerum rariorum…, 1655, ink on paper, Courtesy of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University. George Elbert Burr (American, 1859–1939), Arizona Night, 1930, etching, aquatint and drypoint, 7 x 8 3/4 in. (image), 8 5/8 x 11 5/8 in. (sheet), Gift of John G. Rauch, 61.51.

Above » Chinese, Imperial Robe, 1775–1825, silk, metallic threads, L: 64 ½ in., Gift from the Collection of Sonia and Joseph M. Lesser, 76.541. Tawara Yusaku (Japanese, 1932–2004), Nehanzu (Nirvana) no. 139, February 9, 1994, ink and color on paper, 5 3/8 x 7 3/8 in. (image), 19 3/8 x 13 1/4 in. (sheet) 10 5/8 x 8 1/4 in. (backing), Lent by Mrs. Kayoko Okada.

DAILY

02THR

lilly House Closed for seasonal Maintenance.Tour » Offered daily. Visit imamuseum.org for more information.

Film » The Urban Indian Film series: Four Sheets to the Wind (2006) » The Toby » 7 pm » P $5, M $3

Film » Winter nights: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) with La Cucaracha (1934) » The Toby » 7 pm » P $9, M $5

Film » The Urban Indian Film series: The Exiles (1961) » The Toby » 7 pm » P $5, M $3

Film » Winter Nights: Charade (1963) » The Toby » 7 pm » P $9, M $5

Film » We Are City Film series: A Matter of Taste (2010) » The Toby » 7 pm » P $5, M $3Tour » Alliance studio Tour: Ron Crain » Adult Lecture A » 7 pm » P $20, M $15 (Alliance & IMA)

Film » Winter nights: The Godfather: Part II (1974) » The Toby » 6 pm » P $9, M $5

Film » Oscar Film selection » The Toby » 3 pm » P $9, M $5

Class » History of Color in Film » The Toby » 5:30 pm » FreeFilm » Winter nights: The Quiet Man (1952) » The Toby » 7:30 pm » P $9, M $5

Performance » shuffle. Play. listen. » The Toby » 7:30 pm » P $30, M $25, students $10, 18 & under $5

Class » Make your Own Terrarium » Greenhouse » 9–11 am » P $40, M $35

17FRI

23THR

24FRI

25SAT

03FRI

10FRI

16THR

11SAT

09THR

FebruaryIMA Affiliates

IMA affiliates offer members unique opportunities to become more involved with the IMA by exploring their own interests. Affiliates do exclusive tours of IMA’s permanent collection, programs and special events related to the mission of each group. To learn more about how you can join one or more of these interest groups, contact Jessica Borgo, Membership and Affiliate Relations Manager, at jborgo@imamuseum.org or 317-923-1331, ext. 434.

ART, DESIGN, AND NATURE INTEREST GROUPS

TALk Perspectives on Collecting design: The George Kravis II Industrial design CollectionThr, March 1 » 6pm » DeBoest Lecture Hall » Free

TALk Aziz + CucherThr, April 12 » 7 pm » The Toby » Free

PERFORMANCE He she They (a duet)Sat, March 24 » 2 pm » The Universe is Flux galleries, Floor 3 » Free

TALkAnne Hawley, director of the Isabella stewart Gardner MuseumThr, March 29 » 7 pm » The Toby » Free

SAVE THE DATEPlanet Indy: Paul Tukey on sustainable lawns & lawn AlternativesThr, April 19 » 7 pm » The Toby » P $5, M $3, Free Horticultural Society Members

TALk Fashion’s Empire: Royal and Court style in nineteenth-Century EuropeThr, March 15 » 7 pm » The Toby » P $5, M $3, Free FAS members

THE ALLIANCE

The IMA’s longest establish affiliate group develops and supports activities and projects that stimulate public interest in the Museum, its educational programs and collections.

ASIAN ART SOCIETY (AAS)

AAS offers its members the opportunity to learn more about Asian art, history and cultural traditions, and socialize with others who share a deep interest in Asian art.

CONTEMPORARY ART SOCIETY (CAS)

CAS is a dynamic group which promotes the understanding of and appreciation for contemporary art through educational programs, social events and community collaborations. CAS support has improved the quality and scope of IMA’s contemporary art collection.

DESIGN ARTS SOCIETY (DAS)

DAS works to promote a greater awareness of the central role that design plays in our daily lives and to also help establish the IMA as an important center for the design arts in the U.S.

FASHION ARTS SOCIETY (FAS)

FAS seeks to promote awareness and appreciation of textile and fashion arts through the study of haute couture and cloth. Members also help facilitate the expansion and enrichment of IMA’s fashion and textile arts collection.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (HORT SOC)

The Horticultural Society celebrates the art of gardening at the IMA by helping to develop, enhance and maintain the gardens, grounds and greenhouse through volunteer and financial support. The Society also maintains an extensive horticultural library on the IMA campus.

For detailed information on events or to purchase tickets, please visit www.imamuseum.orgAssistive listening devices available for all Toby events and public tours. ASL interpretation available at Toby events where noted.

P: Public / M: IMA Members / s: Students

N6 N7

N8 N9

DAILY DAILY

01THR

03SAT

06TUE

01SUN

lilly House Closed for seasonal Maintenance.Tour » Offered daily. Visit imamuseum.org for more information.

drop In Event Every saturday in March (3rd, 10th, 17th)Greenhouse Event» All About Propogation » 11am–1pm » IMA Greenhouse » Free

Tour » Offered daily. Visit imamuseum.org for more information.

Talk » Perspectives on Collecting design: The George Kravis II Industrial design Collection » 6 pm » DeBoest Lecture Hall » Free

100 Acres Event » Mars Viewing set to Music » Time TBD » Funky Bones » Free

Tour » Alliance studio Tour: ben Johnson » 1–3 pm » P $20, M $15 (Alliance & IMA)

100 Acres Event » First day of sunday artmaking » Ruth Lilly Visitor Pavilion » 12–4 pm » FreeFilm » F Is For Fake (1975) » The Toby »2 pm » P $5, M $3

Talk » Gloria Redux » The Toby » 7 pm (performance in Efroymson Pavilion at 6:15 pm) » Free

Film » We Are City Film City: The Pruitt-Igoe Myth (2011) » The Toby » 7 pm » P $5, M $3

Talk » Royal Fashions of 19th-century Europe » The Toby » 7 pm » P $5, M $3, FAS Members Free

Talk » Art duo Aziz & Cucher » The Toby » 7 pm » FREE

Class » Art of Gardening » DeBoest Lecture Hall » 9am–4pm » half day: P $30, M $25 / full day: P $50, M $40 Register by March 16Performance » He she They (a duet)» Universe is Flux, Floor 3 » 2 pm » Free

Performance » silent Film with live score: The Mark of Zorro (1920) » The Toby » 7:30 pm » P $30, M $25, S $10

Talk » director's Talk: Anne Hawley of the Isabella stewart Gardner Museum » The Toby » 7 pm » Free

Special Event » Perennial Premiere » Greenhouse » 11am–5pm (9–11 am IMA Members only) » Free100 Acres Event » lyrids Meteor shower Viewing » Funky Bones » Midnight » Free

Special Event » Perennial Premiere » Greenhouse » 12–5pm » Free

Tour » Alliance studio Tour: barbara Zech » 1–3 pm » P $20, M $15 (Alliance & IMA)

Talk » What is Good design? » DeBoest Lecture Hall » 6 pm » Free

Greenhouse Event » Gardening in an Eggshell Activity » 11am–1pm » Greenhouse » Free

100 Acres Event » bird biomechanics » Ruth Lilly Visitor Pavilion » 9 am » Free100 Acres Event » spring Equinox: Kite Performance » 100 Acres Meadow » Times Vary » Free

100 Acres Event » Hoola Hoop Games » Align >> 9 am >> Free

Film » We Are City Film series: With My Own Two Wheels (2010) » The Toby » 7 pm » P $5, M $3

Talk » Planet Indy: Paul Tukey on sustainable lawns & lawn Alternatives » The Toby » 7 pm » P $5, M $3, Free Horticultural Society members

100 Acres Event » spring Equinox: Kite Performance » 100 Acres Meadow » Times Vary » Free

24SAT

20FRI

29THR

21SAT

22SUN

24TUE

26THR

31SAT

08THR

SAT

05THR

17SAT

14FRI

22THR

19THR

18SUN

15THR

12THR

March April

For detailed information on events or to purchase tickets, please visit www.imamuseum.orgAssistive listening devices available for all Toby events and public tours. ASL interpretation available at Toby events where noted.

P: Public / M: IMA Members / s: Students

N10

Universe is Flux: The Art of Tawara Yusaku. November 10, 2011.

Deep Ink: Tattoo Legend Lyle Tuttle. November 5, 2011.

Architect Liz Diller on Architecture and Special Effects. October 20, 2011.

Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection opening party. December 1, 2011. Sponsored by Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

Urbanized Summit: Look/Move/Grow.October 7, 2011.

EventsEvents

N11

AdMIssIOn

General admission is free.

Special Exhibitions » Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection ($8 Public, Free for members); Dynasty and Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria ($8 Public, Free for members). (Combination ticket $14 Public, Free for members) School groups are also free (must book through IMA Education Division at education@imamuseum.org).

The IMA also offers complimentary Wi-Fi, coat check, wheelchairs, rollators, strollers, public phone, and lockers.

GETTInG HERE locationThe IMA is located at 4000 Michigan Road in Indianapolis. The main entrance is approximately one block north of 38th Street and Michigan Road. Note that south of 38th Street, Michigan Road becomes Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

The IMA is accessible off the Central Canal Towpath (an Indy Greenways trail). Bike racks are available on campus, including in parking garage. by Indy Go bus» From downtown Indianapolis, take #38 Lafayette Square» From Michigan Road, take #34 North or South» Visit indygo.net/tripplanner to plan your trip.

ParkingMain lot and Garage: Members Free; Public $5; Outlots: Free

HOURs Museum Tue, Wed, Sat » 11 am–5 pmThur, Fri » 11 am–9 pmSun » noon–5 pm

lilly HouseOpen April through December, all Museum hours except on Thur & Fri; closes at 5 pm.

Both Museum and Lilly House are closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

100 Acres, Gardens and Grounds Open daily from dawn to dusk

TOURs

The IMA offers free public tours of its galleries, 100 Acres, Lilly House, and gardens. For a complete schedule, including tour themes, visit imamuseum.org.

ACCEssIbIlITy

The IMA strives to be accessible to all visitors. » The Museum building and Lilly House are accessible for wheelchair users» Open captioning is available on in-gallery videos; Closed captioning available with select public programs» Assistive listening devices are available for all public tours and Toby events» ASL interpretations during select public programs and tours or by request. Call 317-923-1331 at least three weeks prior to event.» Service animals welcome» Family restrooms and nursing mothers room available

For more information: imamuseum.org/connect/accessibility or 317-923-1331.

dInInG

nourish CaféNourish Café offers delicious snacks and inexpensive meals set in a chic cafeteria setting.

sHOPPInG

Museum storeBooks, jewelry, and museum- inspired merchandise 317-923-1331, ext. 281

Madeline F. Elder GreenhouseRare and choice plants, gardening supplies, and gifts. April–December closes Thur & Fri at 8 pm. February–March closes Thur & Fri at 5 pm.317-920-2652

Shop online 24 hours a day at imamuseum.org/shop

IMA lIbRARIEs

Eleanor Evans stout and Erwin Cory stout Reference library A non-circulating research library that consists of thousands of resources on the visual arts. 317-920-2647

Tue, Wed, Fri » 2–5 pmThur » 2–8 pm and by appointment

Horticultural society libraryNon-circulating collection of books and videos on gardening and related topics, open to the public. Located at Newfield. 317-923-1331, ext. 429

Tue, Wed, Sat » noon–3 pm

FACIlITy REnTAl

The IMA offers a variety of spaces to rent—perfect for any occasion from cocktail parties to weddings to business conferences.

For more information: imamuseum.org/special-events or 317-923-1331, ext. 419

MEMbERsHIP

Membership helps support free general admission at the IMA.

For questions concerning membership, call 317-920-2651 or visit imamuseum.org/membership

AFFIlIATEs For more information about IMA art interest groups and clubs, contactaffiliates@imamuseum.org or see page N16.

VOlUnTEER For more information about how you can get involved contact volunteer@imamuseum.org or 317-923-1331, ext. 263

COnTACT THE IMA

317-923-1331 (Main)317-920-2660 (24-Hour Info Line)imamuseum.org

4000 Michigan Road Indianapolis, IN 46208317-923-1331imamuseum.org

13

Every Thursday throughout the winter and spring, 45 students from IPS School #43 and Shortridge Middle and High School for Law and Public Policy fill museum classrooms with smiles and active conversation. Programming includes weekly activities with Audience Engagement staff, teaching artists and classroom instructors from their host schools. During Perspectives, discussing art is just the beginning for students. Whether writing poetry, reciting short stories or discussing the meanings of works of art found in the galleries or out in 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, each child is encouraged to develop critical thinking and language skills while they attend Perspectives classes.

“All students need opportunities to develop their critical thinking and interpretive skills,” says Assistant Director of Audience Engagement Carol White, “and the Perspectives program offers a wonderful opportunity to share their ideas and creativity in an environment rich with visual stories and messages.”

Students participate in behind-the-scenes tours of art storage, garden tours and explorations of departments around the museum that illustrate what makes the IMA campus and grounds such a special place to visit. Every year, the last week of the Perspectives series includes a family celebration that showcases the activities students have completed, including writing samples and a video, allowing parents and guardians the opportunity to see the IMA’s dynamic, ever-changing environment. Free family memberships are also distributed to all families in the program so that they can enjoy programs, events and exhibitions throughout the year.

coMMunitY

Perspectives: Exploring Art, Design and Nature at the IMAToday, with parents working beyond school dismissal times, many children spend after-school hours at home alone. In an effort to provide a safe environment, where youth are able to engage in informal learning experiences, the IMA offers a program for students from two neighborhood Indianapolis Public Schools. Now in its second year, the Perspectives after-school program is planned and operated by IMA staff and designed to provide quality learning experiences related to art, design and nature.

Every year the iMA makes an impact on tens of thousands of students from indianapolis and Central indiana. Perspectives is just one of many ways that the Museum engages audiences of all ages. Over the course of the next year, stay tuned to the “Community Section” for stories about how the iMA fulfills its mission through community and student-focused activities and programs.

14

This spring, twenty-one loans from the renowned collection of George R. Kravis II will be displayed in the Lawrence A. and Ann O‘Connor Jr. Gallery on the Museum’s second floor. These outstanding examples of Art Deco and Mod-erne industrial design will enhance the early twentieth-century works currently on view. We’ve asked lender George Kravis to answer a few questions about his interest in design and the items he chose to loan to the IMA.

PersPectiVes on coLLectinG DesiGn

1515

Left » Norman Bel Geddes, American (1893–1958), Patriot Radio, 1940, Catalin, 7 3/4 x 10 3/4 x 6 in., George R. Kravis II.

How did you become interested in twentieth-century industrial design? I grew up with industrial design, such as radios, record players, televisions and automobiles. I particularly remember an RCA Victor 45 record player that I owned when it was new. I kept it, and it is now part of my collection. I recently acquired an advertisement for this wonderful design. I remember seeing The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition American Modern: 1925–1940, Design for a New Age, around 2000. I was excited to see that a number of objects I owned were part of the exhibition and in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum. I also recall visits to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, which always had examples of twentieth-century design on view. That was something I looked forward to. I acquired poster designs for my office, so when I began to focus on collecting design, there was a history behind it. I am very at home with the new technology and the many exciting industrial designs being produced today. Of the objects that you have loaned to the IMA, which is your favorite and why? My favorite is the Patriot radio designed by Norman Bel Geddes. It’s a handsome, straightforward design. It was introduced in 1940, and it was available in three different combinations of red, white, and blue, which explains its name. The radio originally cost only about $15.00, but today it is a collector’s item, especially if it can be found in pristine condi-tion like this example. Certainly one of the reasons this is my favorite is that I was in the radio broadcasting business, so I’m interested in radios in general. The industry grew in the 1930s, and its heyday was around 1940 just before television began to replace it in popular demand. Such vintage radios still work! Why do you think industrial design belongs in an art museum? Industrial design has been collected by museums since the nine-teenth century. For example, the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum were initiated at the time of the great 1851 Crystal Palace exposition in London. The public marveled at the industrial advancement and products of the day. Museums in the twentieth century began to collect “good design,” and industrial products were exhibited as art at the Museum of Modern Art and other institutions whose focus was on contem-porary art. Some museums were reluctant to admit industrial design into their sacred spaces; the fact that designs were mass produced rather than unique creations was a concern in consid-ering them pieces of art. But I believe that good design is art and deserves a prominent place in an art museum. More than ever before, curators and the general public share that belief.

16

Right » Onabanjo of Itu Meko, Yoruba people, Nigeria, Magbo helmet mask for Oro association (detail), 1880-1920, wood, pigment, iron, 28 3/4 x 13 3/4 x 18 1/2 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Eiteljorg, 1989.754

A NEW VIEWPOINT The Reinstallation of the Eiteljorg Suite of African and Oceanic Art

African art at the iMA will soon get a new home. When the Eiteljorg Suite of African and Oceanic Art opens in early May, visitors will find a reorganized collection housed in an attractively redesigned space prominently located on the third floor. the updated installation will reinvigorate interest in what is one of the nation’s top African collections.

in tHe GaLLeries

by ElIZAbETH MORTOn ADJUnCt CURAtOR Of AfRiCAn ARt

17

18

The works of art on display in the gallery will be arranged from a completely new viewpoint to underscore both their aesthetic appeal and cultural meaning. The previous African gallery was laid out with a geographical focus on regions of the continent. In the new gallery, objects will be grouped around themes such as power and life transitions. The themes have been carefully selected not only to connect the hundreds of language and culture groups of Africa, but to relate to people all over the globe. A section on body adornment, for example, will display some of the incredible African jewelry and textiles that have been collected over the past several decades. One of the beautiful works in this section will be an intricately beaded Ndebele bridal train from South Africa. Another highlight in this thematic approach will be an area that reveals the impor-tant story of how Hoosier industrialist Harrison Eiteljorg created this great collection with the guidance of Indiana University’s Roy Sieber, America’s first and most influential African art historian.

The new gallery’s design coordinates with the visual transfor-mation of the Museum in recent years; it will be open and bright, thanks to a large window overlooking Sutphin Fountain, and feature a new color scheme and striking graphics. Works of great significance in the collection will be highlighted using special visual methods, including prominent placement within sections, lighting that is more direct and designed to accentuate details, and variations in wall, case and platform colors. One such work that will be showcased is the spectacular Yoruba Magbe Society Oro mask by Onabanjo of Itu Meko, Nigeria. Lesser-known but equally important works, such as the relief-carved elephant tusk from the palace of Benin in Nigeria and the fine Bete mask from Côte d’Ivoire, will also be featured. Another change is that objects will be displayed in cases rather than in open air, which will transform the visitor experience by allowing patrons to get a more intimate look at works without worrying about setting off proximity alarms.

Overall, a more welcoming space at the top of the third floor escalators will invite viewers to appreciate the visual and cultural value of the African collection and alllow them see it from a fresh point of view.

Above» Bete people, Côte d'Ivoire, face mask, 1900–1930, wood, pigment, leather, hair, iron, 10 9/16 x 6 1/2 x 5 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Eiteljorg, 1989.354. Left » Edo people, Nigeria, tusk for royal altar, 1820-1840, ivory, 62 1/2 x 16 x 5 1/4 in., Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Eiteljorg, 1989.844

this project is supported by a grant from the Eli Lilly and Company foundation.

19

In anticipation of the reinstallation of the African galleries, a team of object and textile conservators is working to prepare the pieces for display in their new home at the IMA. The team consists of conser-vators Amanda Holden, Kathleen Kiefer, Laura Kubick and Richard McCoy. This past fall, they were joined by New York University graduate fellow in conserva-tion Kristen Adsit, who came to the IMA specifically to work on this project. With experience working with ethnographic objects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, Adsit was excited to come to Indianapolis and be a part of this ambi-tious conservation effort. “Preparing the collection is a huge project with many moving parts, but I enjoy the challenge,” said Adsit.

Conservators began the process by testing a selection of works for the presence of any inorganic pesticides that may have

been applied to the pieces before they became part of the IMA’s collection. These substances often included heavy metals that are not only toxic to pests, but are also potentially harmful to the IMA staff handling the objects. Using X-ray fluorescence testing equipment from the Conservation Science Depart-ment, conservators analyzed the selected artworks to determine the presence of elements such as arsenic, lead, mercury and bromine. Thankfully, only minor amounts of these elements were detected and staff were able to easily mitigate potential harm by wearing gloves and dust masks while handling the artwork.

Now that the collection has been tested, conservators will prepare objects that have been in storage for display and document the condition of pieces that have been on view for many years. Some pieces, including a large, multi-layered

Egungun masquerade garment, will need conservation treatment prior to display. This complicated ceremonial garment was clearly suffering from the forces of gravity after years of exhibition; therefore, the existing mount will be augmented to provide additional support.

The conservators will have many opportu-nities to address issues such as this before artworks are added to the new installation. Adsit observes, “This project is a unique opportunity to work intimately with one of the premier collections of African art in the U.S. I’m learning a lot as a part of the conservation team and by seeing the important roles that other staff members play in the process.”

COllABORATIVE CONSERVATION Of THE AfRICAN COllECTION

by RICHARd MCCOy COnSERvAtOR Of tEXtiLES AnD vARiAbLE ARt

You are a board member of the IMA’s Contemporary Art Society (CAS)—why did you join CAS, and what has been the most fulfilling aspect of your involvement? I joined CAS because, as an artist, the only way to stay alive and inspired is to frequent other artist’s talks. I noticed the IMA often hosts these talks, and I wanted to help support that. I realized that CAS is the only group in Indianapolis that has its primary focus on collecting contemporary art. And CAS is unique in that members play a direct role in helping decide which artists the museum collects. Recently, I helped organize our last selection committee facilitating an acquisition that will one day be seen in the IMA’s galleries. For me, the most fulfilling part is that when these works are exhibited it will be known that the CAS community helped research and shape the collection. The CAS board is currently evaluating how to continue to obtain similar acquisi-tions and increase member involvement. This opportunity has been great in creating a very intimate museum experience. What is your favorite work of art in the IMA’s collection? Around 2006, the contemporary art galleries had a drypoint etching of the surface of water by Vija Celmins called Ocean Surface (Second State). Every time I would visit the museum, I started by looking at that piece. A reinstallation of the contempo-rary galleries took place this past January though, so I am excited to discover a new favorite piece in the collection. The exhibitions that have impacted me have been video works by Canadian artist Mark Lewis, Eve Sussman’s film Rape of the Sabine Women (which was part of the Adaptation exhibition) and of course, Jeppe Hein’s Bench Around the Lake in 100 Acres. I am always amazed at how the benches are simultaneously critical and playful. What would you tell a young person interested in supporting the IMA? That’s easy…to see any of the artists that I just mentioned, one would have to travel to NYC, Toronto or Berlin. An IMA membership supports Indianapolis in its on-going pursuit of progress and transformation, in which I believe this museum has played a critical role.

lauren Zoll is an emerging Indianapolis-based artist who received an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2006. She recently became Vice President of the IMA’s Contemporary Art Society (CAS). We asked her a few questions about her relationship with the IMA and her role in CAS.

Meet our aFFiLiates

Right » Lauren Zoll in her studio.

11

2021

Since the home was completed in 1957, every spring has brought budding bulbs and lush green vistas to Dan Kiley’s masterpiece in landscape architecture. This year, for the first time in its history, the public is invited to explore the garden as it blooms. To schedule a tour of Miller House & Garden, visit imamuseum.org/millerhouse

Miller House & Garden is owned and cared for by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Tours at Miller House & Garden are made possible through the Columbus Area Visitors Center.

in PHotos

Miller House & Garden

22

inaugural year of Miller house & garden is sponsored by

Miller house & garden is made possible thorugh the generosity of members of the Miller family, irwin-Sweeny- Miller foundation and the Cummins foundation.

23

Beginning April 1, take in some fresh air and join expert guides every Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm for FREE walking tours of the gardens and grounds.

Explore the history of Oldfields Estate. See how the IMA’s horticulturalists keep the gardens full of color, texture and contrasting forms year-round. Learn about the Museum’s greening efforts. Or just find inspira-tion for your own garden. Also this spring, tour 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park every Saturday and Sunday at Noon. All tours are free and are led by trained guides.

Garden walks

4000 Michigan Road Indianapolis, IN 46208317-923-1331imamuseum.org

NON-PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAId INDIANAPOLIS, IN

PERMIT #2200

finD US On: