Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis Public Art Collection


The IUPUI Public Art Collection, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, consists of more than 30 works of sculpture located outdoors on the campus of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. IUPUI is a public shared campus of Indiana University and Purdue University that was created in 1969. More than 30,000 students attend IUPUI today and view the sculptures as they walk, bicycle, and drive around the campus.
Especially notable sculptures in the collection include James Wille Faust's The Herron Arch 1, the Peirce Geodetic Monument, and Steve Wooldridge's Zephyr. Additional sculptures are located on private property adjacent to IUPUI, including the Indiana Avenue cultural district, Riley Hospital for Children, and the J. F. Miller Foundation. IUPUI also holds a collection of art works located indoors, including Dale Chihuly’s DNA Tower.

Campus

Public art is distributed throughout the IUPUI campus. Sculptures are clustered near the Herron School of Art and Design, the School of Liberal Arts, and the University Library. Several were previously displayed at the White River State Park or the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
The campus is next to the Indiana Avenue cultural district, just west of downtown Indianapolis near the Indianapolis Zoo, the Downtown Canal Walk, and White River State Park.
A large collection of archival photographs of the campus is in the IUPUI Image Collection. Ralph D. Gray's book IUPUI—the Making of an Urban University is a comprehensive account of the history of the campus.

Significant works

In 2009, the IUPUI Public Art Collection added four new sculptures lent by the Indianapolis Museum of Art: Sasson Soffer’s East Gate/West Gate, Will Horwitt’s Spaces with Iron, Shan Zou Zhou’s Portrait of History, and John Francis Torreano’s Mega-Gem.
Works by alumni, students and faculty are also included in the collection. For example, Don Gummer’s Reunion, Casey Eskridge’s Torso Fragment, Eric Nordgulen’s Antenna Man, and Anatomy Vessel (Saplings). Only two works by women artists are included in the permanent IUPUI Public Art Collection: Judith Shea’s Job and Jill Viney’s ''Barrow''

Administration

Public art on campus is managed by the Curator of Campus Art through the Office of Risk Management at IU Bloomington. Each IU campus has a Campus Art Committee whose members work with the curator. A system-wide “Public Art Policy” was adopted in 1999 to govern work by the Curator of Campus Art and IUPUI Campus Art Committee. The Indiana University Board of Trustees regularly reviews and approves proposals to site public art works on campus.

Documentation

The Curator of Campus Art maintains a computerized database of public art on campus, including acquisition and loan information and digital photographs. In addition, a Fall 2009 Museum Studies course at IUPUI undertook the project of researching and reporting on the condition of outdoor sculptures on campus. The IUPUI artworks were the first group to be documented through the WikiProject, Wikipedia Saves Public Art.
This effort was influenced by the successful Save Outdoor Sculpture! 1989 campaign organized by Heritage Preservation: The National Institute of Conservation partnered with the Smithsonian Institution, specifically the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Throughout the 1990s, over 7,000 volunteers nationwide cataloged and assessed the condition of over 30,000 publicly accessible statues, monuments, and sculptures installed as outdoor public art across the United States.

List of works

TitleArtistYearLocation/GPS CoordinatesMaterialDimensionsOwner
Anatomy Vessel (Saplings)Eric Nordgulen2005No longer on viewBronzeIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapoliss
Antenna ManEric Nordgulen2008Indiana University – Purdue University IndianapolisAluminum152 in.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Herron School of Art and Design
BarrowJill Viney2008Indiana University – Purdue University IndianapolisFiberglass and metal meshing8 ft., 8 ft. diameterIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Broken Walrus IGary Freeman1976No longer on viewMild steel2 ft. 6 in. x 8 ft. x 2 ft.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Casey Stengel (sculpture)Rhoda Sherbell1965No longer on viewBronze43 in.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
DNA TowerDale Chihuly2003Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Medical Science BuildingGlass, steel20.2 ft.; 4.7 ft. diameterIndiana University School of Medicine
East Gate/West GateSasson Soffer1973Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Stainless Steel24 ft × 30 ft × 40 ftIndianapolis Museum of Art
EntangledBrose Partington2004Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Steel9 ft × 2 ft × 8 ft 2 in.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Herron School of Art and Design
EveRobert William Davidson1932Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis BronzeH. 5 ft. x Diam. 18 in.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Give and TakeMichael Smith2005Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Herron School of Art and DesignIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
The Herron Arch 1James Wille Faust2005Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Aluminum20 ft × 7 ft × 7 ftIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Herron School of Art and Design
Indiana LimestoneAdolpho Doddoli1976Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Indiana limestone2 ft. x 3 ft. x 1 ft. 4 in.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
JobJudith Shea2005Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Bronze75 in × 38 inIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Herron School of Art and Design
LuminaryJeff Laramore2008Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Onyx, cement4 ft × 5 ft × 41 ftIU School of Medicine
Mega-GemJohn Torreano1989Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Aluminum86 in × 132 in × 86 inIndianapolis Museum of Art
Mother's HelperDerek ChalfantIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Stainless steel, steel, bronze16 ft.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Open EyesDon Gummer2011Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis,Steel, glass16 ft tallEugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute
Peirce Geodetic Monument1987Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Brass, black granite3 ft. tall, 1.5 ft. diameterIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Portrait of HistoryShan Zou Zhou, Zhou Brothers1997Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Bronze8.3 ft × 2.5 ft × 2 ftIndianapolis Museum of Art
Procession of AntsDavid Bowen1999Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Steel3.5 ft.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Punctuation SpireWilliam Crutchfield1981Indiana University – Purdue University IndianapolisWood, steel, aluminum28h x 4w feet, 6 feet diameter, 3000 lbs.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
ReunionDon Gummer1992No longer on viewCast bronze100 in.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
The South TowerDon Gummer1998Indiana University – Purdue University IndianapolisStainless steel10 ft × 2 ft × 3 ftDon Gummer
Spaces with IronWill Horwitt1972Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Cast iron, bronze4 ft 6 in × 7 ft × 5 ft 8.75 inIndianapolis Museum of Art
Spirit KeeperSteve Wooldridge2007Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Steel6.5 ft × 3.2 ft × 3.2 ftIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Temple VIAustin Collins1996Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Steel10.33 ft., 3.67 ft., 2.5 ft.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Torso FragmentCasey Eskridge2005Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Aluminum3.08 x 1.67 x 1.42 ft.Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Herron School of Art and Design
Untitled Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Untitled Cary Chapman2001Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Steel192 in × 36 in × 52 inIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Untitled (IUPUI Letters)Two Twelve2008Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Stainless steelIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Untitled (L's)David Von Schlegell1980Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Stainless Steel & Landscaping55 ft x 46 ft x 15 ftIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Weather TowerJerald Jacquard1985Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Steel20.5 ft × 6 ft × 7 ftIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
Wood FountainSingh Associates1995Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Stone100 ft × 100 ftIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
ZephyrSteve Wooldridge1998Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Stainless steel13 ft × 10 ft × 2 ftIndiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis