FoodCon VI

July 1 from 5 to 9pm in the Harrison Center courtyard, it’s the return of our unconventional convention, FoodCon, celebrating the art and culture of food in Indiana. FoodCon VI, presented by Basic Needs, Simple Solutions will convene a wide and exciting variety of local food enthusiasts. Attendees will learn about raising rabbits, composting, sheep as lawnmowers, urban gardening, porch parties, the slow food movement and more. Local food trucks including Duos Indy, S’moremobile, Scratch Truck, Serendipity, Big Ron’s Bistro will be on site to provide a variety of tasty food options.

In the Harrison Gallery, the Harrison Center is proud to present “Renaissances,” new work by Brian Prugh. “Classical culture, while it never really dies, is constantly being “reborn.” Occasionally we mark these re-births in history as a “Renaissance.” Teaching just across 16thstreet at Herron High School – a classical liberal arts high school – has given me occasion to reflect on whether we are at the beginning of a new “Renaissance.” If we are, I believe it is urgent to ask two questions: To what are we returning? How shall we make it our own?

Renaissances is a provocation to consider these questions and a manifestation of my own (provisional) answers to these questions. The installation is loosely based on Michelangelo’s design for the Laurentian Library foyer and reading room in Florence, a design which in turn influenced Mark Rothko’s Seagram murals and his later chapel paintings, which have been influential in my own thinking about painting. A functional reading room itself, the installation provides an occasion for considering these questions, a location to examine more closely reading related to questions of classical culture and renaissance.”

The City Gallery features “Porch Party,” a group show celebrating the art of outdoor entertaining. The Harrison Center has been promoting porch parties in urban Indy neighborhoods for the past two years in an effort to activate our streets and promote a movement of neighborliness, encouraging Indy residents to open their porches and welcome friends and neighbors. We kicked off the porching season in May with the 100th Running of the Indy 500 celebration, but we are encouraging people to continue hosting porch parties throughout the summer.  “Official” Porch Party Day is Sunday, July 10.

Nathan Foxton curates the Summer Landscapes group show in the Speck Gallery. Participating artists include Ben Lowrey, Caleb Stoltzfus, Carla Knopp, Eve Mansdorf, Jessie Jennings, Josh Rush, Julio Suarez, Justin Vining, Kelsey Blacklock, Kyle Ragsdale, Kaitlin Dodds, Su A. Chae, Tim Kennedy, Nathan, Foxton, Quentin Crockett, and Quincy Owens who have created plein air work for the show.

The Gallery Annex features I Made These for the Pope, new work by Ian Kime.

The work hangs through July 29.