I was a bit mesmerized by this sculpture that stands in front of the Eskenazi Museum of Art at…read moreIndiana University. It's easy to miss but this almost-a-circle is actual a single shape. It's a triangle that has been stretched and twisted. I'm not sure if it's actually crimson in color, which is one of the official colors of Indiana University. The Arc was created by Charles Perry (1929 -) from Helena Montana in 1995. The nearby caption reads, "Commissioned in honor of President Emeritus Tom Ehrlich and First Lady Ellen Ehrlich with gratitude for their outstanding service to and leadership of Indiana University." [Review 20569 overall - 106 in Indiana - 1550 of 2023.]

Located outside the Eskanazi Museum of Art is a large art installation called "Indiana Arc". The…read moresculpture was created by artist Charles Perry in 1995. The bright red aluminum construct measures 21' in height. What makes the sculpture interesting is that it is a twisted length of triangle that roughly forms a open ended circle. The two end rest several feet apart from each other underneath the sculpture. Due to the shape of the structure, it is said that people can whisper facing one end and another person can hear them on the other. The sculpture underwent renovation in 2007-8 to restore its condition. Review #1269

Basic Action is a unique piece of public art that is worth stopping to see while exploring…read moreBloomington. I enjoyed the creativity and the way it adds something different to the area. It's a great example of how public art can turn an everyday location into something more interesting and thought-provoking. Bloomington does a great job of incorporating art throughout the community, and this is a cool piece to check out if you enjoy sculptures and local landmarks.

Information Technology was the inspiration for this Don Gummer stainless steel sculpture. The…read morepiece was created to honor Myles Brand who was one of the first university presidents to recognize the future of IT to academia. The sculpture is located on the back side (north east) of the Cyber Infrastructure Building where "Big Red II" was installed (at the time, it was the fastest computer in the world!) The piece was created and dedicated in 2011 with Gummer and his wife, Meryl Streep in attendance. The piece is 10'1" x 7'6" x 5'8" in size. Gummer read several of Brand's books to have a better understanding of the man before creating the piece. Review #2183

Along the B-line trail in the northwest part of Bloomington's downtown is a massive sculpture by…read morelocal artist Dale Enochs. The piece is called "Bloomington Banquet" and appears to be a giant dinner table and chairs with a bowl of steaming fish soup. The piece is made of primarily limestone along with anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and powder coated steel. The piece measures 24' x 28' x 12'. According to the artist's website, there is a great deal of symbolism and homage to the location. The dinner table represents the coming together of the community as a family does around the dinner table. The site also was formerly the location of a furniture store, so the table and chairs ties to the history. On top of the table is an ornate bowl surrounded by silverware that stands on end. From the bowl can be seen rising "steam" that supports a detailed fish, suggesting the contents of the dish. The fish was playfully added to reference the image of a fish that sits above the Monroe County Courthouse. Dale Enochs has numerous pieces in the Bloomington and Indianapolis areas. For more information about those pieces, go to his website at https://www.daleenochs.com/artists/ Review #1203

I do not know if this is a mural or sculpture. I will just refer to this piece of art as a piece…read more Fittingly this piece is located right above a bike rack at the transit center. The piece depicts 4 colorful rings, 3 overlapping and one red stand alone. It has blue wind like line and circles that represent wind or movement. The blue circles are shadowing the 4 colorful ones. It is 6 feet high and 22 feet tall. The piece was constructed by local artist Dale Enochs, who intended it to signify movement on trains, bikes, buses, skateboards.... This piece is 3D and jumps right out of the wall. It adds color to the other bland transit center. It is simple, but still provocative. I must admit, I like it. It is definitely worth a look. There is nearby metered street parking available to park, get out and get a closer look. You could also get a decent look from the comfort of your vehicle, doing a strategic slow rolling drive by. I ended up parking in one of the private parking lots across the street, jumped out, looked and got back in my vehicle before the tow trucks came. Well, as with most public art pieces that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes and I was out. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful Bloomington attractions and making this part of a larger itinerary.

I love finding art that fits the space. Think about it: Located on the wall of the Transit…read moreCenter; mounted above a bike rack; in the town featured in a movie called "Breaking Away" about the annual Bloomington bike race "The Little 500"; it all ties together to place a 3D mural type sculpture that celebrates speed and motion. Have the artist be a local resident and it seems the piece was destined to be good! Back in 2014, sculptor Dale Enochs created this colorful addition to the Bloomington art scene. Like wheels of racing bikes, the shapes have been streamlined by the speed of the wind (done in a light blue) rushing passed the shapes. The shades of the wheels go from a deep red (out front) through oranges and finally, a bright yellow at the tail end. Though Enochs has done a majority of his work using limestone, it's great to see him express his ideas in colorful metals as well. For more of Enochs' work in the Bloomington area, check out the following: "Axis" (1985) at Showers Park "Bent Crescent" (2014) at 17th & Arlington "Phoenix" (2001) mounted on the west wall of a fire station at SR45 & 3rd "JOG" (2016) near the parking lot at Clear Creek Trail at Tapp & Weimer "Bloomington Banquet" (2009) at 399 W 8th (see separate review) "Public Seating Area" (2015) on the south side of the Courthouse Review #1270

On my most recent trip to Bloomington, I headed out to the west side to find a large wind driven…read moresculpture behind the Bed Bath and Beyond store. Partially hidden by large evergreen trees on the west side of the green space is a sculpture that is nearly 70 feet in height made of coated steel that on sunny days, reflects deep colors off its surface. The piece is officially listed as "Untitled 2001" by artist Stephen Powell (2001) but is also referred to as "Fngers". The piece has two end pillars that support a crossbar. The cross bar has five tapered tubes that use their thicker and heavier bases to counter balance the long and narrow portion that reach skyward. As wind catches the long surfaces, the tubes pivot towards horizontal depending upon the wind velocity. On my visit, the wind was light, so the tubes were generally pointing skyward with litle movement. However, I have seen photos of the tubes frozen in winter parallel to the ground! At the time of my visit, there were no benches in the vicinity for visitors to sit and watch the movement though I can imagine that it may be peacefl to watch the tubes sway. I believe I've read the tubes make noise on windy days as well, but were silent on my trip. If you are in the area and the wind is cooperating, take a moment to swing by to check it out. There is plenty of parking to pull up and view the piece in motion. Review #1370

Although much of the appeal of art is for the viewer to interpret, I really appreciate when there…read moreis a plaque nearby that helps understand the point of view of the artist. Such is the case for "Cindy's Song", a work commissioned by Bill Simon for his new bride Cindy Stewart Simon back in 2015. Hoosier artist Don Gummer (born west of Indy) was commissioned to build this stainless steel and stained glass piece located near the Jacobs School of Music at IU. The structure is 16 feet in height and is built with a solid foundation, then three levels with the corresponding number of braces to tie the piece to a Haiki poem with 5-7-5 syllables (or in this case braces). The top brace is lined with alternating clear, then blue, panes. The poem that inspired the piece was by Maeve Kinkead: "From our hidden source waves stir, rise to crested blue, and begin again" The attached plaque mentions the sculpture has a musical composition which I personally didn't understand, but that composition is why the piece is titled "Cindy's Song". Review #1271

The IU campus of Bloomington and the surrounding neighborhoods are filled with art. Some are…read moremurals, some abstract sculptures, and in particular on the campus, a number of lifelike bronze statues of people. On my recent visit to the campus, I found five outdoor installations that can be seen from the sidewalks. (Note that there are some other sculptures within the Eskanazi Art Museum when open and the Memorial Union.) On the west side of Campus in front of Franklin Hall is a bronze of Ernie Pyle by sculptor Harold Langland (2014). Pyle was a famous war correspondent who reported from the front lines to get the news for the readers of his articles. He is depicted seated at a small table typing one of his stories. To the east across the sidewalk from Owen Hall is a plaza that has former IU President Herman B Wells seated on a park bench. This was another sculpture by the Harold Langland (2000). A little way to the south on the edge of Dunn Woods by Lindley Hall is a pair of bronze statues representing Adam and Eve. "The Space Between" by Jean-Paul McAuley was sculpted in 1968 and is the oldest of the lifelike sculptures I found. Instead of being connected like many sculptures, the two figures (maybe a little smaller than life sized) face each other across a small raised platform. To the northwest on the north side of the IU Auditorium by the cinema is a full sized Hoagy Carmichel statue, complete with grand piano! The piece was created by Michael McAuley (2007). You can even see the titles of his music on the sheet music found on the piano. On the north side of the campus is the Cox Arboretum. Near the small pond in this park is a pair of unidentified figures that I assume are another representation of Adam and Eve. I've tried contacting the school, but was unable to gather any information about the origin or creator of the pieces. Review #1399

If you visit the Monroe County Public Library, you will see the three bears on the plaza outside…read morethe entrance. These limestone sculptures are the creation of local artist (Martinsville) Karl Schiefer. Like his father (C R Schiefer), Karl took up sculpting in limestone as a career. In 1997, Karl created two figures for the library. The first was a walking bear considered to be the father of the group. He was named "Sunny" in a local naming contest and weighs about 2 tons. A second sculpture of a seated bear with a cub was also created. The mother was named "Luna" and the cub named "Snowdrop". The combined image of mother and cub weighs about 2 1/2 tons. It is assumed that the bears are polar bears due to the light coloring of the limestone. Schiefer also has another work in Bloomington located at the Bloomington Animal Shelter (3410 S Walnut St). That sculpture is called "Dog and Cat" (2005). Schiefer's father created a piece at the same location called "Animal Totem" for the shelter. Both pieces are carved from limestone. Review #1274

incredible thing to walk by when you're drunk coming home from bars. they always make my friends…read moreand i giggle. it's fun to ride sunny like a horse. 10/10 would recommend