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

Axis is a really interesting piece of public art in Bloomington. The sculpture's bold design and…read moregeometric shapes make it stand out and give the area a unique artistic feel. I enjoyed taking time to look at the details and appreciate the creativity behind the piece. What makes public art like Axis special is that it brings art into everyday spaces and gives people a chance to experience something unexpected while exploring the city. It's a great stop for anyone who enjoys modern art, unique sculptures, and discovering Bloomington's creative side.

This sculpture is located in Miller-Showers Park, along the water. The limestone sculpture was made…read moreby local artist Dale Enochs in 1985. It was constructed to celebrate Bloomington being honored as an "All-American City" by the National Civic League and is intended to be a conceptual representation of the gathering of diverse ideas from each of the four ordinal directions; North, South, East and West. It is a nice sculpture, especially considering its age and is placed in a very picturesque area of the park. It is 4 towering limestone slabs that all intersect in the center forming a quad that has the four panels pointing in the North, South, East and West direction. The slabs have some symmetrical line designs on them, but otherwise are pretty plain. There is a small parking lot at the front of Miller-Showers Park that offers 3-hour parking. It is on the opposite end of the park from the sculpture, but not a long walk. As with most public art that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops or making this part of a larger itinerary, to maximize your time and trip. You could start your itinerary with a visit to, Miller-Showers Park, the park the sculpture is located.

This mural may be a bit hard to find. It is tucked in between Storage Express storage units and a…read morehouse. It is a long mural and was painted by Lily Hollinden in 2018. I like the mural's detail and color. The mural depicts a line of bees, get it bee-line, on a honeycomb background heading to a dark area, which I awesome is the hive, where there is a swarm of bees formed. There is then a single line of bees exiting the swarm against honeycomb background just how the came in. I really like this mural, it is as unique and creative as it is pleasing to eyes. The bees really pop out of the mural. Anyway, as with most murals 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 murals and attractions and making this part of a larger itinerary.

Located on the south face of the north property wall for Storage Express is a colorful and…read morewhimsical mural that plays off the name of the "B-line" Trail. The mural consists of a honeycomb background with lines of bees going to the hive in the center. The art was added in 2018 by local artist Lily Hollinden who also attended Indiana University. Review #3345

Something about Bloomington and "Big Red" objects seem to go hand in hand. Throughout the city,…read moreyou will find large painted metal sculptures, many of them bright red in color. At 6th and Madison, there is an installation by artist Jerald Jacquard that was constructed in 1978. The massive piece features irregular shaped pieces that are supported by triangular wedges on one side, and cart wheels on the other. To enhance sense of size, the supports rest upon raised concrete blocks. The piece itself is 88" x 140" x 102". Jacquard has made many similar pieces around the country. He also has a large blue installation called "February" on the IU campus at 10th and Indiana Ave. Review #1273

Red, Blonde, Black, and Olive is a fascinating piece of public art in Bloomington. The limestone…read moresculpture is unique, with detailed faces representing different cultures and backgrounds. It's a powerful reminder of connection, diversity, and the importance of understanding one another. I enjoyed stopping by this piece because it's not just something to look at, it has a message behind it. The design makes you slow down and think about the meaning of the artwork and the community it represents. Located in Miller-Showers Park, it's a great quick stop for anyone exploring Bloomington's public art scene. A beautiful and thought-provoking landmark that shows Bloomington's appreciation for creativity and inclusion.

This sculpture is located on the Bloomington Art Trail at the end of Miller-Showers Park. It was…read morecreated by Jean-Paul Darreau in 1980. It sits in a small plaza area with a few benches for people to sit and it over looks the water. It consist of 2 limestone statues that are facing each other. The two statues each have two faces for a total of 4. Each face features a different major world ethnicity which is meant to represent Bloomington's diverse population. Depending on how you are viewing it, you will see the faces of an Asiatic woman facing an African woman, or Indian man facing a Nordic man. The artist intended the piece stimulate communication across racial lines. There is a placard near the sculpture with information about it, but it is very weathered and cannot be read. There is a small parking lot at the front of Miller-Showers Park that offers 3-hour parking. It is on the opposite end of the park from the sculpture, but not a long walk. This is a nice sculpture and credited as the genesis of Bloomington's public art displays. It has a powerful and positive meaning and has withstood the test of time. It is over 30 years old and is in great shape. I highly recommend checking this place out. As with most public art that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops or making this part of a larger itinerary, to maximize your time and trip. You could start your itinerary with a visit to, Miller-Showers Park, the park the sculpture is located.

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

One of the oldest and most recognizable art installations in Bloomington is the "Birth of Venus"…read morewhich is located in the Showalter Fountain on the west side of the IU Auditorium. The piece was cast in 1958 and installed/dedicated in 1961 as a gift from Grace Showalter. Former IU President Herman B Wells saw the piece and traveled to Italy while the piece was cast. The artist was Robert Laurent who created this large sculpture that is surrounded by five fish that spray water during the warmer seasons. The piece has had its share of controversy as well as vandalism, but has always been restored. The giant female figure stretches across the fountain while balanced on an over sized half shell. Review #2184

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