Passages Artist Reception

     The Harrison Center for the Arts, IUPUI University Library and the Herron Art Library are pleased to present Passages, Friday, August 1 from 6 to 9pm. Gallery No. 2 will feature a selection of broadsides and artists books from the Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition collection. At 6pm that evening, there will also be a poetry reading to complement the exhibition and raise awareness to the lasting power the visual and literary arts play in their role to impact social change. "The Herron Art Library is one of only three libraries worldwide to be a permanent home to the collection, and the only library in the U.S. as we become one of the many voices globally to support the Coalition as it stands in a determined expression of solidarity from scholars, poets, writers, and artists with the Arab cultural Communities in the Middle East and North Africa in their continuing struggle for the free exchange of ideas through the sharing of academic, literary, and visual creativity.
On March 5th, 2007, a suicide bomber tragically destroyed this cultural center where scholars, artists, poets, and writers had gathered for centuries. This renowned street, Al-Mutanabbi Street, named for the famous 10th century classical Arab poet, Al-Mutanabbi, had stood as the major literary and cultural center of Baghdad for hundreds of years. In response to this destructive act against humanity, Beau Beausoleil, poet and bookseller from California, was moved to act in solidarity with the people of Iraq and against such acts. Now, 7 years later, the Coalition is as strong as ever as it touches poets, artists, writers, and scholars worldwide."

The Harrison Gallery features Sacred Silence, work by mixed media artist and Herron School of Art professor, Anila Agha. Agha works in a cross disciplinary fashion with mixed media; creating artwork that explores global politics, cultural multiplicity, mass media, and social and gender roles in our current cultural and global scenario. As a result her artwork is conceptually challenging, producing complicated weaves of thought, artistic action and social experience. Hank & Dolly’s Gallery will feature India: Raise the Roof with large scale photographs by HCA studio artist and international photographer Katie Basbagill and Abbey Bullerdick. After a recent stint in southern India covering stories of the impact that something as simple as a roof can have on a widow, Katie and Abbey have teamed up to create a larger than life photographic installation of their time in India while simultaneously raising funds to "Raise the Roof" for a widow named Mrs Sambooranam.  Work from a 3 year research project by Herron School of Art professor Linda Adele Goodine in partnership with the Latino Youth Collective is on exhibit in the Underground. The Gallery Annex will feature work by HCA artist, Artur Silva, Emily Andrews and Adeleine Sinsabaugh.  In the gym: Screening of "16th Street," a short documentary about Herron High School by HCA intern, Tucker Krajewski. Re:MIX – Spinning Culture, Community and Place, the third in the latest 5×5 Indy ideas competition will take place in the Harrison Center’s historic sanctuary. Five finalists will compete for the $10,000 prize to implement the winning idea. With support from: ArtPlace America, the Arts Council of Indianapolis, the Indiana Arts Commission, INHP, Christel DeHaan Family Foundation, Allen Whitehill Clowes Foundation, the Indianapolis Foundation, Sun King Brewery and Amy McAdams Design. 5×5 sponsors: Central Indiana Community Foundation, Christel DeHaan Family Foundation and the Efroymson Family Fund. Member, IDADA (Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association), www.idada.org