Public Art | IndyArtsGuide.org

Home
Public Art

Anonymous Memorial

Category: Roadside Memorial

Roadside memorials are a way for the family and friends of those killed in traffic accidents to express their grief and anger over the death of their loved one, and even keep them alive in the memories of others who may not have known them. By recognizing these memorials as art, and giving them status on par with more formal or commissioned memorials sanctioned by a civic authority, we can keep the victims’ memories alive and acknowledge the grief and anger of their loved ones. This installation, current as of 11/2/2022, commemorates the death of an unidentified person.

Anonymous Memorial

Category: Roadside Memorial

Roadside memorials are a way for the family and friends of those killed in traffic accidents to express their grief and anger over the death of their loved one, and even keep them alive in the memories of others who may not have known them. By recognizing these memorials as art, and giving them status on par with more formal or commissioned memorials sanctioned by a civic authority, we can keep the victims’ memories alive and acknowledge the grief and anger of their loved ones. This installation, current as of summer 2021, commemorates the death of an unidentified person.

Anonymous Memorial

Category: Roadside Memorial

Roadside memorials are a way for the family and friends of those killed in traffic accidents to express their grief and anger over the death of their loved one, and even keep them alive in the memories of others who may not have known them. By recognizing these memorials as art, and giving them status on par with more formal or commissioned memorials sanctioned by a civic authority, we can keep the victims’ memories alive and acknowledge the grief and anger of their loved ones. This installation, current as of summer 2021, commemorates the death of an unidentified person, possibly Robert Underwood, 38, in 2019.

Anonymous Memorial

Category: Roadside Memorial

Roadside memorials are a way for the family and friends of those killed in traffic accidents to express their grief and anger over the death of their loved one, and even keep them alive in the memories of others who may not have known them. By recognizing these memorials as art, and giving them status on par with more formal or commissioned memorials sanctioned by a civic authority, we can keep the victims’ memories alive and acknowledge the grief and anger of their loved ones. This installation, current as of summer 2021, commemorates the death of an unidentified person.

Blue Face Traffic Signal Box

Category: Mural ; Traffic Signal Box Art

This painted traffic signal box features a partial blue face with a large eye and a tan geometric background. Although this piece was not produced through the program, Indianapolis’ traffic signal box art program enabled neighborhoods to express their identity, beautify their streets, and discourage “tagging” vandalism of the neighborhood’s traffic signal control boxes (TSBs). The process is neighborhood-driven, with the Arts Council of Indianapolis assisting neighborhoods or other citizen groups by setting a common process, technical standards and aesthetic guidelines; working with the Department of Public Works to reserve, permit and track the boxes used; and providing advice and support for finding and working with artists and then maintaining the TSBs once they are done.

Community Mural

Category: Mural

This community mural was done by the class of 2016 from nearby St. Anthony Catholic School. It portrays an ideal community and shows several structures from the neighborhood and downtown Indianapolis. The River West Art Alley is an outdoor community art gallery located on the West Michigan Street corridor in the neighborhood of Haughville. It is made possible by a grant from LISC Indianapolis as part of the River West Great Places 2020 placemaking initiatives.

Geometric Traffic Signal Box

Category: Traffic Signal Box Art

Bold black and white lines and shapes cover a pastel geometric background on this painted traffic signal box. Indianapolis’ traffic signal box art program enabled neighborhoods to express their identity, beautify their streets, and discourage “tagging” vandalism of the neighborhood’s traffic signal control boxes (TSBs). The process was neighborhood-driven, with the Arts Council of Indianapolis assisting neighborhoods or other citizen groups by setting a common process, technical standards, and aesthetic guidelines; working with the Department of Public Works to reserve, permit and track the boxes used; and providing advice and support for finding and working with artists and then maintaining the TSBs once they are done.

Gods Swindo

Category: Architectural Detailing ; Mosaic/Wall Relief

Hidden in this wood panel swindo are many symbolic references to god including Bereshit, Jahweh, Elohim, Jesus, Tian, and the Golden Ratio. A swindo is a tool used to increase concentration during prayer as the viewer looks for specific religious and spiritual symbols. Richard (Rik) Fuller is an artist and the owner of Earth-World International Backpackers Hostel, the structure upon which this artwork is mounted.

Happiness

Category: Electronic/Technology ; Outdoor Sculpture

ESL-Spectrum, a lighting design company, commissioned Indianapolis artist Jamie Pawlus, known for her quirky takes on signage in the everyday environment, to create an artwork for their building. The result, Happiness, simply states a directive of the word — reinforced by an arrow pointing to the sky — to motorists and pedestrians passing below it. Using neon and running lights, Pawlus chose an aesthetic reminiscent of the 1950s. The result is a piece that offers a myriad of interpretations to viewers. The vintage feel of the sign suggests an era that people often nostalgically recall as a golden age of American prosperity and optimism. The moving lights and arrow, in signage code, also point westward, another nod to the 19th century popular notion that the future of America relies on expanding in that direction. In the specific context of Indianapolis, to the west is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, an economic engine for the city and the source of its worldwide fame. And of course, there is the more personal suggestion, that happiness is a singular path for each individual. With these various interpretations and so many more, Pawlus is making a complex conceptual statement about how we as a culture have defined and searched for happiness, perhaps only to find it in our own backyard. Jamie Pawlus is an Indianapolis-based artist.

Indy Humane Mural

Category: Commercial ; Mural

Artist Bezol One often paints colorful and styled renditions of animals and robots, and this mural featuring joyful dogs and cats is no exception. The mural was part of the Great Places 2020 initiative led by LISC-Indianapolis and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Inc. (KIBI). Indy Humane was awarded a LISC Indianapolis Facade and Property Improvement Program grant in 2019 to aid in the rebranding of the organization, complete with an exterior building overhaul including the repair and repainting of the building, additional signage, and landscaping. The Facade and Property Improvement Program is a partnership with LISC Indianapolis, State Farm, The Lilly Endowment, and Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership. Bezol One is an Indianapolis-based muralist and graphic designer inspired by futuristic technologies and exotic creatures.

KEMPR

Category: Mural

Kempr, kemp, or kempe is a common artistic graffiti tag that can be found around Indianapolis in a variety of styles and colors. This large tag with red block letters set against a black shadow and a teal and orange background has a retro style.

Love For The Children

Category: Mural

Love For The Children is a colorful rendering of the word LOVE, dedicated to the students of Christel House Academy West. This mural was the beginning of the artist, Blice Edwards’, project Love is Primary, which has now grown to include painting murals and donating picnic tables to schools and community gardens around the world. The goal of the project is to spread love and acts of kindness in communities. Blice Edwards Inc. is a decorative painting partnership between artists Christopher Blice and Jon Edwards and is based in Indianapolis.

LOVE House

Category: Mural

American Sign Language letter symbols spell out “L-O-V-E” using images of hands on boarded-up windows and a door. The siding of the house is also painted in colorful vertical stripes. L.O.V.E. is also an acronym for livability, opportunity, vitality, and education, the goals of a task force for Near West for Great Places 2020 Initiative. One vitality goal for the initiative is to create a beautiful, welcoming neighborhood by reducing blight and abandonment.

Love, Peace, Beauty, Hope

Category: Mural

This mural was completed by the Department of Public Words in summer 2016, with the help of youth from the TeenWorks program. The design was by Megan Jefferson, Holly Combs and Dave Combs in collaboration with TeenWorks youth. It is located at the corner of Pershing St. and W. Michigan St. The mural was made possible by the Central Indiana Community Foundation and the Nina Pulliam Charitable Trust.

Mandalas

Category: Mural

This mural by Megan Kelly incorporates her signature mandala circles made up of smaller colorful circles that create playful and mesmerizing compositions. The mandalas create contrast with the unpainted red brick. A mandala is a geometric configuration of circles, typically used as an aid to meditation or other spiritual practice. Different faith traditions utilize mandalas for varying purposes, often to focus attention, visualize a spiritual path, or conceptualize paradise, the realm of deities, or a celestial order. Megan Kelly is an artist based in Asheville, North Carolina. Megan’s current work focuses on systematic, ornate, and repetitive circular shapes that emphasize color and combine varying patterns. These basic elements become intricate and important for her when reproduced. They are intended to be universally beautiful and easy on the viewer’s eyes.

Near West Utility Box

Category: Mural ; Traffic Signal Box Art

In 2015, a triangular lot at the intersection of W. Michigan and N. Holmes on Indianapolis’ Near Westside was transformed into a gateway park as part of a partnership between neighborhood leaders, the Humane Society of Indianapolis, Westside CDC, and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Inc. (KIBI). The effort was part of the Great Places 2020 initiative led by LISC-Indianapolis and KIBI, who were asked to lead early action wins in the neighborhood. This brightly painted utility box with the Near West Collaborative logo was part of that project. Following an engagement process, the triangle lot was quickly identified by neighbors as a critical space within the Great Place boundary that needed renovation. The transformation included a significant cleanup to remove tall brush and unwanted weeds, adding native plants and trees, creating a fence weaving, and installing a 10’ tall interactive locomotive-themed artwork. Much of the work was and is led by neighbors, aided by volunteers during the 2015 Lilly Global Day of Service, and is stewarded by the nearby Humane Society and other volunteers.

River Fish

Category: Outdoor Sculpture

The White River has been undergoing revitalization, and it is now known for its beauty and the wildlife that inhabits the river. River Fish pays homage to that wildlife, in particular to four species of fish that are native to the White River: bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish. The sculpture also celebrates the fishing culture that has been part of the Westside community for decades, as evidenced by the Westside Bait and Tackle Shop, located adjacent to the sculpture and in business for 67 years (as of 2019). The 12 kinetic elements are placed along the banks of the river in such a way that the water is seen behind them–as if they were part of the habitat–and when the wind blows just right, the fish move as if they were swimming. River Fish was a collaborative project between the University of Indianapolis and the adjacent Riverview Apartments (developed by Strategic Capital Partners and Goodwill), and facilitated by the City of Indianapolis’ Public Art for Neighborhoods program. The project artists, James Viewegh and Nathan Foley, were members of the Art & Design faculty at the University of Indianapolis. Additional assistance was provided by the university’s engineering program and Maya Johnson ’20, a student in the university’s sculpture B.F.A. program.

Super Tortas Plaza

Category: Mural

Artists Lee Rainboth and Samuel “SAMII” Penaloza, among others, worked on behalf of Indy Convergence to create this mural. Indy Convergence is an arts and community-based nonprofit that serves the Near West neighborhoods of Indianapolis and maintains programs internationally in Jacmel, Haiti and London, Ontario. Cultivating the talent that already exists on a local level, and facilitating residency programs to bring in new perspectives, Indy Convergence works to both stimulate and amplify community voices. Samuel Penaloza is a local, self-taught artist who creates studio work as well as murals and public art installations. He is based in the Haughville neighborhood where most of his public work can be seen. Lee Rainboth is a portrait artist currently based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He served as the Executive Director of the Jacmel Arts Center and is currently on the board of Directors for Indy Convergence.

The Train

Category: Outdoor Sculpture

In 2015 a triangular lot at the intersection of W. Michigan and N. Holmes on Indianapolis’ Near Westside was transformed into a gateway park as part of a partnership between neighborhood leaders, the Humane Society of Indianapolis, Westside CDC, and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB). The effort was part of the Great Places 2020 initiative led by LISC-Indianapolis, and KIB, who was asked to lead early action wins in the neighborhood. Following an engagement process, the triangle lot was quickly identified by neighbors as a critical space within the Great Place boundary that needed renovation. The transformation included a significant cleanup along the CSX corridor to remove tall brush and unwanted weeds, adding native plants and trees, creating a fence weaving, and installing a 10’ tall interactive locomotive-themed artwork. Much of the work was and is led by neighbors, aided by volunteers during the 2015 Lilly Global Day of Service, and will be stewarded in the future by the nearby Humane Society and other volunteers. Designed by w/Purpose owner and designer Wil Marquez, and fabricated by local eastside artist group Cutting Edge Craftsmen, the train is a subtle metaphor symbolizing the crossroads of several neighborhoods, cultures and classes working together to make a Great Place where people can live, work and play. The piece is monumental and impressive, and allows people to get up into it for a different point of view and to envision the future of one of Indianapolis’ new great neighborhoods from a locomotive window.

Tree and Houses Utility Box

Category: Mural

In 2015 a triangular lot at the intersection of W. Michigan and N. Holmes on Indianapolis’ Near Westside was transformed into a gateway park as part of a partnership between neighborhood leaders, the Humane Society of Indianapolis, Westside CDC, and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB). The effort was part of the Great Places 2020 initiative led by LISC-Indianapolis, and KIB, who was asked to lead early action wins in the neighborhood. This painted utility box featuring a blossoming tree and colorful houses was part of that project. Following an engagement process, the triangle lot was quickly identified by neighbors as a critical space within the Great Place boundary that needed renovation. The transformation included a significant cleanup along the CSX corridor to remove tall brush and unwanted weeds, adding native plants and trees, creating a fence weaving, and installing a 10’ tall interactive locomotive-themed artwork. Much of the work was and is led by neighbors, aided by volunteers during the 2015 Lilly Global Day of Service, and will be stewarded in the future by the nearby Humane Society and other volunteers.

Two Portraits

Category: Mural

This mural consists of two portraits in tonal cool colors. The River West Art Alley is an outdoor community art gallery located on the West Michigan Street corridor in the neighborhood of Haughville. It is made possible by a grant from LISC Indianapolis as part of the River West Great Places 2020 placemaking initiatives.

Untitled (Haughville)

Category: Mural

This geometric mural spans the length of the building. Basic shapes in pastel colors overlap and are accented by a few handprints.

Urban Fields

Category: Mural

The site of this mural is located near Eli Lilly & Company, an international pharmaceutical company headquarted in Indianapolis. Lilly was the first company to mass-produce penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic, in the 1940’s, thus marking the beginning of a sustained effort to fight infectious diseases. This mural features repeated images of penicillin as seen under magnification. The design flows organically around the columns, simulating a field of plant life. Urban Fields combines art and science to visually enhance this otherwise densely urban/industrial environment. Amanda Cory is an Indianapolis-based artist. Funding for Vibrant Corridors, a city-wide effort to create murals in key underpasses and gateways around downtown Indianapolis, is provided in part by the Lilly Foundation and the Glick Fund, a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, the Arts Council of Indianapolis, and Downtown Indy. This mural was completed during the 2013 and 2014 Lilly Global Days of Service with the help of more than 200 Lilly Employees.

Find Public Art

Search by Keyword

Search by alpha name:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z