Viewfinders is a set of three illuminated sculptures in downtown Indianapolis created by artist…read moreJason Myers and unveiled in 2026 as part of the Indiana Convention Center expansion's major public-art initiative. There isn't a formal artist statement specifically for Viewfinders, Myers is known for using transparent, skeletal forms to explore human connection, conversation, and shared presence. These themes align with these three figures standing together as if mid-discussion. Catching them in the early evening between rail was ideal. The LEDs were already active, giving the trio a quiet glow while there was still enough daylight to appreciate the fine detail in their metal work. They really do read as three people paused in conversation, and the lighting adds a subtle sense of motion, almost like you've walked up on a moment already in progress. [Review 1023 of 2026 - 229 in Indiana - 26202 overall]

This three piece sculpture set is the work of Eric Nordgulen, who created the piece in 1996. It is…read moreconstructed of aluminum and glass and welcomes you to the Mass Ave area. The sculptures have a combination of glass and fensnel lens, which are the type of lenses used for page magnification and theater lighting. It is located on a very busy pedestrian crossing island where New York Street, Delaware Street and Mass Ave meet. It has heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Rumor had it that the lenses produce an inverted image of yourself when you are close to the sculptures, making the viewer part of it. So, I had to give it a shot. And yes, I can say that it is true. It is kind of like a kaleidoscope effect. This is an eye catching piece that is a nice gateway to the area. It, along with Ann Dancing, is a staple of Mass Ave and one of the area's signature pieces This piece was MIA for a while. Sadly, the piece was hit by a car during the winter of 2020 and was severely damaged. Fortunately, Nordgulen was able to restore the sculpture back to its original glory and it was placed back in its location in the summer of 2021. So I guess Ken N's 2018 review of the piece was some type of omen or something. There is tons of metered street parking and commercial parking lots available within a reasonable walking distance of this sculpture for you to park and get out. I guess you can get a peek of it from the windshield of your vehicle doing a safe and strategic, slow rolling drive by. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, as interesting and interactive as this one is, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. With that being said, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There are tons of murals and sculptures concentrated in this area including, Ann Dancing, Mari Evans mural, and the Boom Baby (Reggie Miller) mural.

It was a nice day in January so, I decided to take advantage of it and go for a stroll. There was…read moreno better place to do it than the Cultural Trail, That is when I stumbled across this gem. This is part of the 12-part series Glick Peace Walk. It was made possible by the generosity of Gene and Marilyn Glick and was installed in 2010. With the exception of two, the walk runs along a section of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail on Walnut Street, between Meridian Street and Capitol Avenue. There is metered street parking of the streets that run perpendicular to the walk and you may be able to find some areas to pull into, if you are not going to be long. The walk celebrates the lives of individuals who made peaceful contributions to humanity. It honors luminaries that made peaceful contributions to humanity. This luminary garden, as it is referred, is dedicated to Samuel Langhorne Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, a writer, humorist, and entrepreneur, best known for the books Tom Sawyer and Huckelberry Fin. The garden was designed by Rundell Ernstberger Associates, RLR Associates and Circle Design Group. The garden also has an informational placard, a small bench to sit on and a curved surfboard shaped piece, made of glass, aluminum, with Anthony's face on it that illuminates at night. It is eye catching, especially with it lined up with the other 10. I really like these luminaries and what they stand for. They are eye catching, ascetically pleasing, and educational. Definitely worth a peek. It looks great for being almost 15 years old and the area is adequately maintained. This is definitely a spot to check out. I would not make a special trip for it, but if you are in the area, traveling on the cultural trail or at the Main library branch, it is definitely worth a peak. It not only gives you the opportunity to stretch your legs and get some fresh air, but you can also learn a little too.

The Glick Peace Walk (Cultural Trail) has a collection of ten islands that are located on Walnut…read moreStreet between Meridian Street and Capitol Avenue including a luminary & information kiosk about Mark Twain. The installation was added in 2010 as one of twelve (total) to celebrate the achievement through peaceful means by contributors to our country. The installation uses glass, aluminum, and lighting along with an informational kiosk about Twain and a timeline embedded in the concrete beneath.  Instead of writing about all the great things Twain has done, I will simply direct you to the kiosk. Review #1800

Brickhead 3 sits in the center of Bill Gray Plaza, a small pocket of space directly across from Ann…read moreDancing and it fills it with an unmistakable blocky geometry. The Brickhead series is all about the human head as a recurring theme, pulling from imagery tied to past cultures and ancient civilizations. This one adds a 21st-century twist with a sound component meant to echo a "calculating mind," mixing permanent thought patterns with fleeting ones. I missed hearing that in the street noise but I did get here in the very last light of the evening and it made the bricks pop with a warm contrast that really brought the form to life. It's easy to overlook this plaza when Ann Dancing is pulling the crowd, but Brickhead 3 rewards the detour. The scale, the texture, and the way the piece blends the form with modern sound makes it a surprisingly engaging stop on an Indianapolis art walk. [Review 1035 of 2026 - 239 in Indiana - 26214 overall]

These cool brick head sculptures are showing up around Indiana, so am finally getting the scoop…read more The giant head sculptures are the work of American artist, James Tyler. According to the plaque, Tyler is an Indianapolis native, who now works in New York. The sculptures are made of terra cotta and treated with metals to give unique a patina on the surface. The head on Mass Ave (outside Bru Burger) is entitled "Brickhead 3". According to a nearby plaque, the sculpture is supposed to have an audio feature that is activated by nearby movement. Unfortunately, I did not notice an audio feature during my walk around the sculpture. Perhaps, the feature is turned off during the winter? Brickhead 3 was made in 2004 and placed permanently on Mass Ave. I love that an Indy artist is featured locally. The head is whimsical and seems blend in with nature. The surrounding green space could use a cleanup. There is metered street parking nearby (if you are lucky). Worth a visit if you like art.

This is a very long mural that is the work of The Department of Public Words, a group that spreads…read morepositivity and encouragement through art. The mural runs along the Monon Trail and was completed in 2014 after 8 months of work. The mural had collaboration from the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association, SmallBox, Terra Pro, LLC, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, the Girl Scouts, CFI, the Indianapolis Art Center's Teen Art Council, and Sherwin-Williams chipped in with paint and supplies. The mural was painted to replace aging and deteriorating ones that were becoming more of an eye sore than anything. The mural is nice. I like the detail put into each train car. Each car has a positive word or phrase like "Smile", "I Heart You", "You are beautiful", "Do great things", and "Eye believe you can". Each car was made from numerous four feet tall by eight feet wide stencils to cover the 5,000 square foot surface. It is very colorful and detailed. I almost mistook it as a real train from a far. Dave Combs of DPWords said that "the purpose of The Love Train is to bring positive messages to people in a beautiful way". I think it definitely accomplishes that. I really like this mural and the work or the Department of Public Words. We can never have too much positivity, especially in the times that we are in now. This is one of the few murals that you could make a special trip to see. If you are not going for the trail, but just going to see the mural. The easiest place to park to see it is the parking lot of the Half Littler House. It is a very short walk from there. Even though I spent more time here than most other murals that I have visited, this is still probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 15 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

If you wanna check out some cool art then this the place. This spot is like 2 miles from the famous…read moreBroad Ripple Village. The Monon Trail Love Train is a long wall with lot of art in different colors and captions but of the same format that looks like coaches. Walk all across the wall and you'll find amazing Angel Wings( see my profile pic)and Pink Cranes. There are 2 different angel wings which are Instagramable. Check out my Insta profile:: Mr.harven

Since I sat at the Slippery Noodle watching the artists install this mural, I think I should give…read moremy 2 cents worth. Long overdue. I am one of those folks who know nothing about art and so I judge it by how it makes me feel. Generally I have three options, like, dislike and meh... This one falls into the like category mainly due to the colors used. I really enjoy this color scheme. It feels upbeat and reminds me of spring even so there are no flowers involved. It does brighten the underpass for sure. And every time i drive it makes me smile.

This mural is located in the underpass leading to downtown's Warehouse District, just one block…read moreaway from the Rolls-Royce corporate office and aircraft engine museum; It is beginning to show signs of wear and tear, but is still decent. The mural gets its name from the 100 Rolls Royce employees that created it. It was painted in 2018 with the aid of local mural group, Big Car Collaborative as part of their day of volunteering. The mural depicts a repetitive, yet colorful Rolls-Royce jet engine. The mural is not painted directly on the wall. It is actually, painted on 24 - 8' x 4' foot wooden panels making the 60 ' x 24' mural. They were installed on the walls in 2019. It is a very colorful mural. The colors surrounding the center axis of each engine randomly shift. Those shifts in color are suppose to evoke a sense of the circular motion of the engine. Unfortunately, I did not feel it. There is metered parking near the mural or if you wont be long, there are spots reserved for IMPD, that are right in front of the mural, that you could probably pull over and get out and take a quick look. Unfortunately, for this mural, I have seen a ton of public art and compared to the bulk of what I have seen, this one is ok, middle of the road for me. Anyway, as with most murals I have reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 3 minutes. You should consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals and attractions in the area, such as the Major Taylor Mural or John Wooden statue, to maximize your time and trip.

I was in stop-and-go traffic along I-70 this afternoon and spotted this very unusual artwork…read more Unfortunately, this was not a good place to park or visit as the sculpture is located inside the onramp from Madison Avenue onto the Interstate. I was able to find the description by searching https://www.indyartsguide.org/public-art/life-evolving/ and here we are. This is a 40-foot metal sculpture of a ribonucleic acid (RNA) nucleotide molecule. The location (mostly) is good because it is just south of the Eli Lilly and Company campus. The artwork was installed here in 2012. Life Evolving is the creation of Chilean-American artist and scientist Biagio Azzarelli, who lives in Indianapolis. There is a good writeup on https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/forty-foot-sculpture-symbolizes-lillys-indianapolis-commitment. [Review 17199 overall - 39 in Indiana - 716 of 2022.]

This sculpture is not in the best place to SAFELY get a good look. It is located just off of the…read moreI-70 on ramp from magazine street. The 40 foot tall sculpture was designed by Biagio Azzarelli and is made in the likeness of a ribonucleic acid (RNA) nucleotide molecule. In speaking of his sculpture, Azzarelli said "I am thrilled with the installation of Life Evolving. Its prominent location along I-70 will welcome people to downtown and, I hope, stimulate public conversation and scientific curiosity." I must be honest, I have seen it a few times and thought it was a radio tower, antenna, or a replica satellite. It is made of hollow steel spheres, beams and rings. It is a site to see, but you will better appreciate it with a explanation before your visit. The sculpture was the final installation of Indys' Green Welcome, where members of the community worked together to produce a new identity for their community. It is a collaborative effort by the Eli Lilly, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). It was made as part of Eli Lilly's 2010 Global Day of Service. The land that the sculpture is on was donated by INDOT. I do not recommend trying to stop at this sculpture. It is a drive by type attraction and the speed of which you do so is dictated by who is behind you. For some reason, I really like this sculpture. It is unique and I am sucker for road side attractions. So, anyway if you do pass this sculpture now at least you know what it is and not have to worry about getting zapped by radio waves.

Theses murals are the work of world renowned graffiti artist Jules Muck aka MuckRock in 2019. There…read moreis a little parking lot nearby that you can park in and get out and take a closer look at the murals. It is not a time consuming spot, nor is it one of my favorite murals. There is a mural of a dog with lasers coming from its eyes know as "Terminator Canine". They incorporated on of the building's drain in this mural. The artist makes it look like the dog is melting the drain with his lasers There is also a cyclops dog laying down known as "Anubis-Cyclops", and a worm or french fry (I could not figure that one out) with a beer in his hand and smoking a cigarette. I really did not get that one. In my opinion, this is not MuckRock's best work. I am a fan of a lot of her other stuff though. Anyway, I This is a brief stop, I would say 5 minutes or so. So, it is best to plan out stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area.

In the Old Southside neighborhood, international artist/muralist Jules Muck added murals to three…read moresides of a building right along Meridian. The Mural on the south wall features "Terminator Canine" where the eyes of the giant dog shoot lasers to melt the drain pipe. On the east wall, is a cool character that is either some type of caterpillar or maybe a tuber wearing sunglasses and smoking a cigarette. On the north wall is a different type of dog. This one "Anubis-Cyclops" is resting peacefully, but has a single over-sized yellow eye that Muck has used on multiple murals around the country. Review #2894 One last thing: If you read any reviews by Tati (Las Vegas), she is writing fake reviews. Don't like them. These murals were created in August 2019 so there is no way this fake reviewer could have been here in 2018. I've filed multiple claims for false reviews against her, but Yelp hasn't done much about it. She is stalking my account and it's really sad that blocking someone doesn't work when they become a follower before blocking.

Cool and brightly colored public art mural that sits on a exterior garage near and alley of popular…read morebroad ripple community in Indianapolis Indiana My family and I noticed this space themed and futuristic milking mural whole discovering the broad ripple area for all of its wonderful public art. We were in town from louisville for my daughters cheer comp and just had dinner at a nearby by broad ripple establishment and decided to go exploring. Overall, like an h of broad ripples public service Thai was bright, colorful and fun to check one. Good piece in a great area for public art fans.

This mural takes up all 4 sides of the small building that it is painted on. The mural is on a shed…read morelike structure off of an alley way behind a little strip mall. This mural is actually a collection of four murals by Joy Hernandez. Hernandez uses an astronaut named Bean in many of her murals. This one is no exception. The mural in the front, titled Cosmic Dance, has bean the astronaut break dancing agains a pink background with yellow polka dots. On the side, to the left (with you facing the mural) is Hernandez's Voyager mural which depicts a satellite against a black background with blue polka dots. On the side, to the right (with you facing the mural) is the piece titled Pale Blue Dot. Spoiler alert, the blue dot is Earth. That mural depicts some colorful dots among an image that appears to be the sun and some planets like Saturn and Jupiter off in the distance. You will also see fading blue polka dots against the black background, which is a theme among these murals. The final mural, which is on the back is titled Sounds of Small Creatures and depicts Bean the astronaut spinning the 1s and 2s, against a pink, red and orange background with, yep you guessed it, yellow polka dots. The murals are not artistic marvels by far, but are Hernandez's classic style. They are very color and gives off a pop art type of vibe. All the murals on the structure go very well together and are seamless. You can find many of Hernandez's work across the city. If it is a mural and has an astronaut in it, then it is more than likely her. There is metered street parking within a short walk of this mural or you can just pull into the alley that the mural overlooks and park there to get a closer look. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There are tons of murals in the alley and adjacent alleys to look at.