On May 1st from 6-9pm, join the Harrison Center and Indianapolis Motor Speedway for First Friday and our annual Porch Party Kick-Off!
Also featured: Open Studio Night, food trucks, and a variety of dance and aerial performances. Pick up your free porch party decor and yard signs while they last.
In the Harrison Gallery, Urushi Odyssey by Nhat Tran. This collection of urushi artworks showcases a centuries-old art form on diverse supports like wood, ceramic, and plexiglass, creating an immersive experience that both delights and educates visitors about its rich history. The “Odyssey” is tied to both the epic journey Tran has undertaken over years of artistic risk-taking and exploration, and to the viewers' own inner odysseys as they contemplate and interact with these unique pieces.
In the Gallery Annex, If Only… by Dan Thompson. Thompson creates mixed-media paintings and drawings that delve into various themes, such as robots, photography, text, and abstract concepts. Despite the diversity of subject matter, a common thread runs through his work: a playful exploration of creativity. This overarching theme suggests a wishful notion of "if only every idea were good enough to be made."
In the Speck Gallery, Fast and Curious: Driven by Imagination by Tashema Davis & Emily Phillippe. Created by two artists with distinct yet complementary voices, this exhibition reimagines the culture of racing through a surreal and humorous lens. Tire tracks twist into patterns, mascots and machines blur together, and the familiar symbols of the Indy 500 take on new, peculiar lives.
In the City Gallery, No Turn on Red by Mary Mindiola. This unique collection of works employs magazine paper to depict various street intersections in Indianapolis. The title serves as a metaphor for the conflict between safety-focused regulations and efficiency, and the desire for personal freedom. Representing a forced pause at the corner, one side sees this as a necessary safety measure, while the other perceives it as stifling bureaucratic overreach.
In the Underground Gallery, Who is my Neighbor? presented by Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts (RSA), a program of IU Indianapolis' Arts and Humanities Institute. This year’s exhibit invites participants to explore themes of identity and otherness, inclusion and exclusion, and the challenges of ethical conviction in a complex world. Through dialogue and creative expression, the artists examine what it means to respond to others with care, courage, and empathy.
