Indianapolis Cultural Trail Unveils New Installation

Indy Chamber News Archives

The Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee and the Arts Council of Indianapolis collaborate to bring African American work of art to the city

INDIANAPOLIS –The Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee andthe Arts Council of Indianapolis will unveil the newest addition to the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick. The installation, aptly entitled Talking Wall, was concepted and designed by Indiana artist Bernard Williams and invites an open-ended conversation about the African-American history of Indianapolis.  

Who:  Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee and Arts Council of Indianapolis

What:  Talking Wall is the result of a two-year process which began in January 2013 when The Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC) formed a special Cultural Arts Committee, in  partnership with the Arts Council of Indianapolis, to revive the community’s efforts to install an original African American art piece on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick.

When:  Friday, December 18, 2015

            11 am

Where:  IUPUI–Corner of Blackford and Michigan Streets

Why:  The project creates a unique opportunity for the City of Indianapolis to use public art to reflect the proud history of the African American community in central Indiana. The installation serves as an iconic symbol integral to the identity of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, the neighborhood in which it resides, and downtown Indianapolis.

"Like some of the finest works of art, Bernard Williams’ Talking Wall represents much more than what we see on the surface. It literally and figuratively casts complicated shadows that speak to the power of African American history in the city of Indianapolis and across the country,” said IUPUI Chancellor Nasser H. Paydar. “And in doing so, it helps the IUPUI campus honor and remember the African American neighborhood that once stood where our campus has grown." 

Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Arts Council of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Cultural Trail, and IUPUI representatives will be available for interviews.

Additional information on the artwork is available: 

http://www.indyculturaltrail.org

http://www.indyartsguide.org/public_art/detail/445