Lady Sunday

This sculptural mural pays homage to the role of the former, and historic, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church that has been incorporated into the hotel currently located on the site. With a congregation established in 1836 and the existing (but vacated) building constructed in 1869, the church was actively used for worship and community events until the property was sold in 2016. The congregation was associated with abolitionist sentiments and Underground Railroad activity, and generations of Indianapolis’ Black residents called it their spiritual home. The church building is on the National Register of Historic Places and there is a state historic marker placed there.

The figural image is that of a dignified Black mother, who exudes regal strength and is shown leaning into her purpose. Her hat shades her eyes from the sun; the effect is that of a woman in control of her own destiny with her gaze fixed on her beloved church and congregation. The symbols below her torso are rooted in folklore: the story goes that there was a “quilt code” that conveyed messages.  The patterns on the quilts hung on clotheslines and in windows by people associated with the Underground Railroad helped escaping slaves find safe passage and a direction for their journey. The mural shows, from left to right, the Flying Geese pattern (follow the migrating geese north to freedom), the Crossroads pattern (seek the location of the next station), the North Star pattern (follow the North Star to freedom), and the Drunkard’s Path (a warning that slave hunters are near: double back to lose them). While these meanings are debated, the truth is that stories and symbols have always been a part of the African tradition.  Below the quilt patterns is a symbol of wavy lines conceptualized as “the womb”: it represents motherhood, creation, heritage, family, loyalty, and service. It also represents the baptisms that took place at Bethel. The designation “1836” indicates the year the congregation was founded.  The overall triangular shape represents the Trinity, with 3 being a highly spiritual number referring to a higher power.

The three Indianapolis-based artists who designed and supervised the mural are:

Walter Lobyn Hamilton: a self-taught artist who creates collages and large-scale public art using vinyl records, representing and exploring influential people, social movements, and icons of the Black community.

Tasha Beckwith: a graphic designer and fine artist who works primarily with digital techniques and who is interested in Afrofuturism and Black culture

Mason Archie: a painter who uses traditional, Old-Master techniques to explore the landscapes and stories of Black Indianapolis

The mural is part of the Public Art for Neighborhoods Program, which incentivizes private developers to include artwork in their projects as a community benefit in return for receiving taxpayer-derived assistance.