IMA Magazine | Winter 2016

A Land Enchanted Marie Webster Quilts Color Me Orchid Family Fun

JAN–APR 2016

Contents

A Land Enchanted Richard Wentworth A Joy Forever: Marie Webster Quilts

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Susie McKenna Managing Editor Dylan Remes Jensen Editor Matthew Kelm Designer

This spring, celebrate the legacy of Marie Daugherty Webster (1859–1956), one of the leading designers in the history of early 20th-century quiltmaking.

Tascha Mae Horowitz Eric Lubrick Photo Editors Anne M. Young Rights & Reproductions Laurie Gilbert Wood Project Manager Mallory Duncan Tricia Y. Paik Leslie Anne Anderson-Perkins Chad Franer Niloo Paydar Anne M. Young Contributors Tascha Mae Horowitz Eric Lubrick Drew Endicott Jordyn Cox Nathaniel Edmunds Photography Photographers

Making Art Accessible for Families Staff Profile: Gary Stoppelman ARTx: The Year Ahead Rights & Reproductions: The Handbook Color Me Orchid Spring Returns to the IMA Campus IMA Membership at All-Time High Donor Profile: Ed Fehnel Distinguished Service Awards 40 Years of Asian Arts Society Upcoming Donor and Affiliate Events Recent Events

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Cover: Installation view of Richard Wentworth: False Ceiling—Indianapolis, opened September 25, 2015 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Photo by Eric Lubrick.

Left: Marie Webster (American, 1859–1956), Poinsettia (quilt) (detail), 1917, linen, cotton, 94 x 64 in.

Webster Collection, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Gerrish Thurber, 79.99 © Marie Daugherty Webster.

The IMA Magazine is published by the IMA, 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, Indiana 462083326. Questions or comments may be directed to the staff at 317-923-1331. All reproduction rights are reserved by the IMA, and permission to sell or use commercially any photographs, slides, or videotapes must be obtained in writing from the Rights & Reproductions office. © 2016 Indianapolis Museum of Art. Green IMA: The IMA Magazine is printed on paper containing FSC® certified paper, is processed chlorine free, and is manufactured using biogas energy. (The FSC® trademark identifies products which contain fiber from well-managed forests certified to Forest Stewardship Council® in accordance with the rules of Chain of Custody.)

General support of the IMA is provided by the Arts Council and the City of Indianapolis; by the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; Lilly Endowment Inc.; and The Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr., Memorial Foundation.

From the Director

2016 marks a yearlong celebration of our state’s bicentennial and a historic time for the IMA. Because of enthusiastic supporters like you, we begin the year at an all-time high. Museum membership now exceeds 15,000 households. Your support makes the dynamic range of programs throughout the bicentennial year possible. Thank you.

This February, experience our orchid exhibition, Color Me Orchid. I look forward to welcoming you to a living gallery space that will highlight spectacular orchids from around the world and provide a warm, bright respite from winter. You will also have the opportunity to purchase these beautiful plants in our Orchid pop-up shop.

The arrival of spring is always a special time on our campus. This spring, the gardens will be transformed into a stunning floral display when 23,000 new tulip bulbs, planted last fall, open for the first time. While you explore the gardens, take note of the impressive redbud tree collection that is featured in this issue. In addition, I am pleased to share with you that motorized scooters, wheelchairs, and strollers for outdoor use are now available for rent at the Guest Services desk.

To help with your own garden, make plans to come for Perennial Premiere, our annual salute to spring in April where you can purchase must-have additions for your garden. This year, it moves to a new location at Newfield to provide convenient parking and plant pickup for all guests. It’s the perfect event for gardeners, families, and nature enthusiasts alike.

As the bicentennial year continues, we will celebrate with new exhibitions that honor our statehood by featuring Hoosier artists. In March A Joy Forever: Marie Webster Quilts opens, which pays homage to one of the leading designers in the history of early 20th-century quilt making. In May, 19 Stars of Indiana Art: A Bicentennial Celebration will feature 19 artists who lived or worked in Indiana, including Bill Blass, Robert Indiana, and William Merritt Chase. In addition to learning more about these Hoosier heroes, you might discover some artists that you didn’t even know had Indiana ties! Special programming linked to our state’s history runs throughout the year, including a Winter Nights Film Series screening of Hoosiers in January and an artist-designed minigolf course debuting in May. Here’s to another exciting year together—looking forward to seeing you soon!

DR. CHARLES L. VENABLE THE MELVIN & BREN SIMON DIRECTOR AND CEO

A Land Enchanted: The Golden Age of Indiana Art, 1877–1902 NOW–EARLY 2017 STEVEN CONANT GALLERIES IN MEMORY OF MRS. H. L. CONANT, FLOOR 2

A cultural flourishing took place in Indiana during the late 19th and early 20th century, an era often remembered for the numerous contributions of Indiana’s poets and novelists. However, Hoosier men and women also made an equally indelible mark on the visual arts. This cultural proliferation is the subject of the current exhibition A Land Enchanted: The Golden Age of Indiana Art, 1877–1902.

ber 1879. Meanwhile, encouraged by the experiences of artists before them, and primed with practical information to facilitate their journey, J. Ottis Adams, Samuel Richards, and T. C. Steele boarded the S. S. Belgenland to Europe. William Forsyth joined them in Munich in 1882, and in 1885 Otto Stark made his way to the Académie Julian in Paris. The Munich Academy provided a solid foundation in drawing, followed by instruction in painting.

Access to formal instruction and increased exhibition opportunities gave a primary impetus to this “Golden Age” of Indiana art. On October 15, 1877, James F. Gookins and John Washington Love, who had studied in Munich and Paris respectively, established the (first) Indiana School of Art. Situated in downtown Indianapolis at the southwest corner of Washington and Pennsylvania streets, the Indiana School of Art was modeled after European academies. Students received instruction in copying two-dimensional works by established masters, sketching three-dimensional plaster casts, and drawing from live models. Sensitive to the challenges faced by members of their profession locally, the faculty encouraged pupils to develop practical skills. Coeducational academic instruction was not yet commonplace; however, this inclusive, progressive Indiana institution admitted both sexes. Seventeen women belonged to an inaugural class of 26. One student, Julia Graydon Sharpe, even received encouragement from Love to persist in her studies after she left the school.

Her hobby became a profession, with further education at various art programs both in New York and Indiana.

Due to financial instability, and perhaps weakened by an ideological disagreement among the two founders, the short-lived Indiana School of Art ultimately shuttered its doors in Novem-

Above: Richard Buckner Gruelle (American, 1851–1914), The Canal–Morning Effect, 1894, oil on canvas, 32 x 38 in.

Indianapolis Museum of Art, John Herron Fund, 94.1.

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TEXT BY

LESLIE ANNE ANDERSON-PERKINS

GUEST CURATOR

Below: William Merritt Chase (American, 1849–1916), Long Island Landscape After a Shower of Rain, 1889, oil on canvas, 15-1/2 x 23-1/5 in. Indianapolis Museum of Art, John Herron Fund, 89.2.

The primary subject matter was the human figure, and studies in landscape painting were undertaken privately to complement this training. Interestingly, extracurricular sketching excursions with American artist J. Frank Currier in the Bavarian countryside equipped the artists with the types of skills used most often upon their return. Synthesizing his formal and informal coursework, J. Ottis Adams executed Wash Day, Bavaria. The laundress in the picture recalls the peasant types who modeled for the Academy’s life classes, while the verdant outdoor setting reveals the artist’s self-directed outdoor studies.

While in Munich, Adams, Forsyth, and Steele derived inspiration from Dutch, Norwegian, and Swedish pictures displayed in the 1883 international exhibition at Munich’s Glaspalast. The Northern European artists who created these works had trained in foreign countries and returned to their homelands to depict motifs of national relevance. Indiana painters would follow in their footsteps, likewise articulating a regional identity through their work upon their return. The fertile ground of native subject matter was also tilled by self-taught artists, such as Richard Gruelle (shown left) of the Hoosier Group, and those of the Richmond Group—plein air painters active in Wayne County. Nowhere is the celebration of Indiana’s natural beauty more apparent than in John Elwood Bundy’s Monarch Beech, a visual ode to the American beech tree that thrived in the wooded landscape near his home in Richmond.

Hoping to ensure the longevity of regional art, members of the Hoosier Group founded the second Indiana School of Art as well as the Muncie Art School. In addition, they joined the staff of the John Herron Art Institute (now the Herron School of Art and Design), which opened in January 1902.

Steele, Forsyth, and Adams also established an organization titled the Society of Western Artists, which held an annual traveling exhibition to promote the work of artists active in the region. Additional exhibition venues included those of the Art Association of Indianapolis, the Richmond Art Association, and commercial galleries. An increasingly sophisticated art establishment contributed to the success of the state’s painters.

Still Life (Brass Bowl), and Dorothy, which likely inspired his Hoosier colleagues. A cohort of Indiana artists, many of whom were women, sought instruction from Chase throughout his long, celebrated teaching career in New York at the Art Students League, the Chase School (which today is the Parsons School of Design) and the Shinnecock Summer School of Art, the latter two he founded. Winifred Brady Adams, wife of J. Ottis Adams and one of the finest still-life painters in Indiana, benefitted greatly from Chase’s training. In Still Life with Figurine, ordinary objects—a hammered copper dish and porcelain figurine of the Virgin Mary arranged as a devotional altar—appear otherworldly due to the luminosity of the dish and the harmony of color. Clear is her absorption of Chase’s lessons, especially the maxim: “Paint the commonplace so that it will be distinguished.”

Despite his distance, the New York-based artist William Merritt Chase exhibited several pictures in his home state. The Art Association of Indianapolis acquired Long Island Landscape After a Shower of Rain (above),

A Land Enchanted: The Golden Age of Indiana Art, 1877–1902 is an endorsed exhibition of the 2016 Indiana Bicentennial Commission.

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Richard Wentworth: False Ceiling—Indianapolis NOW–MID 2016 EFROYMSON FAMILY ENTRANCE PAVILION

British sculptor Richard Wentworth has been described as an alchemist of everyday things, transforming familiar matter into visual poetry. For the IMA, the artist has turned ordinary, donated books into a dramatic installation in the Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion. Wentworth’s work, False Ceiling—Indianapolis, does just what its title implies, creating the appearance of a “false ceiling” that spreads across the light-filled space. He successfully marries the exceptional visual presence of the installation with its unique surrounding architecture, highlighting the distinct spatial dynamics of the oval-shaped pavilion on two levels.

Suspended more than eight feet above the ground, the hundreds of books are presented in such a way that the viewer can read the book titles and find connections, as well as contrasts, among the broad assortment of texts.

As Wentworth has said, the installation offers a “cross-cultural conversation” and “collision between…meaning and content, muddled up across time with types of graphics and binding.”

Over the years, Wentworth has manipulated the book in both small and large sculptures. Such works play on the nature of the book as a common, accessible object, yet one that also functions—in both today’s society and throughout history—as a powerful symbol of knowledge and culture. In his large-scale book installations, like the one at the IMA, Wentworth alters the appearance and meaning of his chosen site with beauty, invention, and humor.

The wide variety of books used in False Ceiling—Indianapolis were collected during a two-month-long public book drive hosted in collaboration with Indy Reads Books on Massachusetts Avenue. From the donations, Wentworth and his studio team selected each volume, considering its title and content, design, color, and size before placing it as part of the installation. This was the first time that Wentworth collected his books in this manner and there was another meaningful first with this project. False Ceiling—Indianapolis is the first Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion installation created through community involvement. In addition to the book drive, sculpture students from Herron School of Art and Design assisted the artist and his team in assembling the work.

During the run of the exhibition, guests are invited to engage with False Ceiling—Indianapolis in multiple ways.

Guests can guess how many books were used in the work for a chance to win a monthly prize. In addition, guests can vote for their favorite book genre and learn about IMA staff’s favorite book genres. Posting on social media of a favorite book in the installation and reasons why is also encouraged—tag #IMAWentworth.

ABOUT RICHARD WENTWORTH Born in 1947 in Samoa, Wentworth was a key figure of the New British Sculpture movement during the late 1970s and is considered one of the foremost art educators in England. After teaching for many years at Goldsmith’s College, University of London, and a brief tenure at Oxford University, Wentworth became Professor and Head of the Royal College of Art’s Sculpture Department, London, in 2009. In 2011, Wentworth was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He lives in London, England, and is represented by Peter Freeman, Inc., New York and Paris, and Lisson Gallery, London.

Made possible by the Efroymson Contemporary Art Fund, an endowed fund at the IMA. The Efroymson Contemporary Art Fund is an endowed fund that was established in 2006 by the Efroymson Family Fund to support work by emerging and established local, national, and international contemporary visual artists through a rotating installation program in the Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion. Past artists and collectives whose work has been supported by the Fund include Allora & Calzadilla, Ball-Nogues Studio, Tony Feher, Spencer Finch, Friends with You, Orly Genger, William Lamson, Judith G. Levy, Mary Miss, Julian Opie, Heather Rowe, Alyson Shotz, Julianne Swartz, Sopheap Pich, and Erwin Wurm.

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Right: Installation view of Richard Wentworth: False Ceiling— Indianapolis, opened September 25, 2015 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

TEXT BY

TRICIA Y. PAIK

CURATOR OF CONTEMPORARY ART PHOTO BY

ERIC LUBRICK

A Joy Forever: Marie Webster Quilts

TEXT BY

NILOO PAYDAR

CURATOR OF TEXTILE & FASHION ARTS

MARCH 4–EARLY 2017 GERALD AND DORIT PAUL GALLERIES, FLOOR 3

In January 1911, Edward Bok, editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal, decided to feature quilts in full color for the first time. He chose four quilts by an unknown, amateur quilt maker from Marion, Indiana. The appearance of these quilts in Ladies’ Home Journal—a magazine with a circulation of over one and a half million, and among the largest in the country at that time—made Marie Daugherty Webster a household name. This March, we celebrate her legacy with a stunning exhibition of her quilts. Many of the quilts were given to the IMA through the generosity of Webster’s daughter-in-law, Mrs. Gerrish Thurber and her granddaughters Katherine Webster Dwight and Rosalind Webster Perry.

Webster was 50 years old when she made her first appliquéd quilt in 1909.

She was the oldest of six children, born on July 19, 1859, to the Daughertys, a prominent and prosperous banking family in Wabash, Indiana.

After graduating from high school she, like many other women of her time, was discouraged from entering college, but she continued her education in literature, history, Greek, and Latin on her own and with the assistance of a local priest. In 1884, she married George Webster Jr., a banker like her father and settled into a quiet life in Marion, Indiana. The Websters traveled widely throughout the United States and toured Europe in 1899—a time when the Arts and Crafts movement was at its height both in England and throughout the continent.

Marie Webster was extremely influenced by the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement, which was devoted to the virtues of simplicity of pattern, quality of craftsmanship, attention to detail, and integration of art into everyday life. Artists of the Arts and Crafts movement used nature as a primary source, and their designs were closely related to the function for which their works were intended. Among the pioneers of the Arts and Crafts movement in England was William Morris. His naturalistic style captured the growth and the primary characteristics of flowers and plants, and his own love of gardening was evident in his imaginative representations of nature and gardens at their best—budding and blooming in spring and summer.

During the 1890s many societies and groups were founded throughout the United States to promote the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement through exhibitions, newsletters, periodicals, and classes. In Indiana,

from 1883 to 1897, groups were formed in cities such as Fort Wayne, Muncie, South Bend, Lafayette, Richmond, and Indianapolis.

Brown County served as one of the major rural art colonies in the Midwest, and the artists of the Hoosier Group represented modernity in the heart of the country.

The setting was just right for a talented and visionary woman who wanted to make quilts.

Like many other artifacts of the late nineteenth century, quilts, with their intense shades of red, green, and yellow, had cluttered, overlydecorated surfaces. Disenchanted with the quilt designs of the previous decades, Marie Webster decided to create her own patterns. A keen gardener, she turned to nature and her own flower garden for sources of inspiration.

Marie Webster’s quilts were made in soft, pastel shades.

Their clean, crisp linear qualities, and their innovative arrangements of flowers, stems, and leaves are evidence of Webster’s knowledge and mastery of effectiveness in design. For Webster, quilting was an integral part of the design of the

WEBSTER’S FRESH, ARTISTIC IDEAS WERE EXPRESSED THROUGH THE INTRICATE STITCHERY IN THE CENTER QUILTING. SPIDER WEBS, LEAVES, AND FLOWERS ARE INCORPORATED IN THE QUILTING, WHICH ADD CHARM TO THE EXTRAORDINARY SUNFLOWER QUILT. 6

quilt. She utilized the process, not for mere technical or decorative purposes, but as an important component of the design itself. The attention to detail, her excellent craftsmanship, and her use of the quilting process as an important element in design are a strong testimony to the influence of the Arts and Crafts philosophy.

In January 1912, four more quilts of Marie Webster were featured in Ladies’ Home Journal. Among them, Poppy (1911, right) is one of the most striking. The poppy flowers are arranged along the border pointing towards the center of the quilt, thus drawing attention to the medallion. The four long-stemmed, swirling and beautifully executed poppies in the center provide the viewer with a sense of beauty that was achieved from precise proportion. Additional poppy flowers were appliquéd using the same fabric as the background. The intricacy of this design is astonishing, and the skillful mastery of appliqué and quilting is evident throughout the quilt.

Another masterpiece is the Sunflower quilt (below), which displays very realistic, bold sunflowers in vivid colors, and is well-balanced in its use of space. Webster’s fresh, artistic ideas were expressed through the intricate stitchery in the center quilting. Spider webs, leaves, and flowers are incorporated in the quilting, adding charm to the extraordinary sunflower quilt.

The last full-color feature in Ladies’ Home Journal appeared in the August 1912 issue under the title of “Baby’s Patchwork Quilt.” Marie Webster was among the first designers to produce quilts specifically for the use of children.

In October 1915, the first book entirely devoted to study of quilts was published by Webster. Quilts: Their Story and How to Make Them examines the history of patchwork and quilt making. The book investigates the traditions of appliqué and patchwork throughout Africa, Central Asia, Europe, and America from antiquity to Webster’s own time. Her research of numerous quilt collections, both private and public, resulted in the compilation of an extensive list of quilt designs that were reproduced alphabetically for the first time in her book.

Above: Marie Webster (American, 1859–1956), Poppy (quilt) (detail), 1909, linen, cotton 91-1/2 x 82-1/2 in. Indianapolis Museum of Art, Webster Collection, Gift of Rosalind Webster Perry, 2014.108 © Marie Daugherty Webster.

Right: Marie Webster (American, 1859–1956), Sunflower (quilt) (detail), 1917, linen, cotton, 88-1/2 x 81 in. Webster Collection, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Gerrish Thurber, 79.101 © Marie Daugherty Webster.

Left: Marie Webster in the early 1900s, Marie Webster Study Collection (M008), IMA Archives.

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The book received rave reviews in many newspapers, including the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Boston Herald Transcript, Chicago Tribune, and the Indianapolis News. The endorsements and its enormously successful sales resulted in a second printing of the book the following year.

The publication of the book brought much-deserved recognition both nationally and internationally to Webster.

Below: Pages from Marie Webster quilting scrapbook, 1910–1940. A digital version that guests can flip through and interact with will be presented alongside the original. Marie Webster Study Collection (M008), IMA Archives.

As her fame grew, so did the demand for her patterns. In the early 1920s, with the collaboration of two friends, Webster set up the Practical Patchwork Company in her home in Marion, Indiana, to meet this demand. More than 25 different quilt patterns—complete with photographs, directions, fabric swatches, blueprints, and tissue paper cutouts of each design—were available for sale. The patterns sold for fifty cents, stamped tops were ranged from $9 to $12, and basted tops ranged from $30 to $37.50. Some of the finished quilts sold for as much as $85.

The pioneering Practical Patchwork Company became a very successful mail order business and was in operation for more than 15 years. Meanwhile, Webster continued designing new quilts through the 1920s, bringing the total of her original quilt patterns to 33. What started out as a mere hobby became a well-organized and profitable business in the 1920s and 1930s.

The reproduction of her quilt designs in the influential Ladies’ Home Journal, her successful business, lectures, and quilt exhibitions had a major impact on the quilt revival of the early 1900s. Webster’s landmark book, Quilts: Their Story and How to Make Them, is still cited today as a reference in many quilt books and scholarly articles.

Marie Webster’s search for a new and simplified design resulted in a sophisticated individual style that revolutionized early twentieth-century quilt making. By updating and modernizing traditional motifs and using soft pastel colors, she influenced generations of quilt makers. Her patterns, with their simple lines and iconography derived from nature, appear very modern even a century later.

Webster’s quilts, like many objects of the Arts and Crafts movement, are treasures that were intended to be a part of life and art. Her designs are a delight in color and a celebration of nature in its truest sense.

The exhibition, A Joy Forever: Marie Webster Quilts, celebrates her legacy by featuring her innovative designs and fine workmanship, and by bringing a renewed recognition to the consummate contributions of this truly remarkable Renaissance woman.

A Joy Forever: Marie Webster Quilts is an endorsed exhibition of the 2016 Indiana Bicentennial Commission.

Opposite, Left: Marie Webster (American, 1859–1956), Pink Dogwood (quilt) (detail), 1925, cotton, 83 x 83 in. On Loan from the collection of Katherine Webster Dwight © Marie Daugherty Webster.

Opposite, Right: Marie Webster (American, 1859–1956), Grapes and Vines (quilt) (detail), 1914, linen, cotton, 76 x 75-1/2 in. Webster Collection, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Gerrish Thurber, 79.96 © Marie Daugherty Webster.

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Making Art Accessible for Families “Children don’t understand art.”

“Art is for adults.”

“A museum is not a place for kids.”

These misperceptions are all too common, but the IMA strives daily to change them. All across campus, there are places and spaces for children to learn and engage with art, helping families to interact and create lasting memories. In addition, the IMA has activities intended for specific age groups and families year-round.

“Art is for everyone, no matter what age,” said Jen Mayhill, manager for play-based learning. “And when you make a bold claim like that, the IMA has to make [art] accessible to everyone.”

MARK YOUR CALENDAR The first Saturday of every month marks Family Day at the IMA. Family Day themes change monthly, and all Family Days have activities unique to the day, including make-and-take art projects that encourage children to experience art in new and different ways. Upcoming themes include dance, modern music, urban farming, and animation.

Community Days are another way to take advantage of all the family activities at the IMA, as they are full of family-friendly programming both inside and outside. Community days are offered free of charge and occur throughout the year, including on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Spring Equinox.

Our younger guests, ages 2–5, can enjoy wee Wednesdays along with their favorite grown-up. This weekly program features sing-alongs, gallery art hunts, and hands-on art activities that have been curated especially for this younger audience. This popular program fills up fast, so early registration is recommended.

All school year long, the IMA offers a preschool for children ages 3–5, through a partnership with St. Mary’s Child Center. Anchored in Reggio Emilia inspired teaching, every day the children use the entire campus as their classroom, both indoors and out, and work on projects inspired by their environment.

Artwork Above: Alyson Shotz (American, b. 1975), Wave Equation (detail), 2010, stainless steel, silvered glass beads, aluminum, 120 x 144 x 117 in. (installed). Indianapolis Museum of Art, Anonymous IV Art Fund, 2013.262 © Alyson Shotz.

Each summer the entire Museum campus comes alive with kids for six weeks in June and July. Week-long camps are offered for children ages 4–13. Each camp has a different theme, so kids can come for more than one and have a completely new experience each time.

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ACTIVITY SPACES ABOUND Family activity spaces can be found throughout the entire Museum. Each space is thoughtfully designed to get children and families involved with the art.

“We’ve only nearly scratched the surface,” Mayhill said. “We want to provide more hands-on learning experiences to help guests use their senses to create. People do that with electronics every day, but I don’t want the process of actually making things to be lost.”

Two of these key spaces are the Damon C. and Kay D. Davis Lab and the Indianapolis Star Family Studio, both located on Floor 2. These highly interactive spaces are designed to get kids to create their own art based on exhibits in the Museum.

The Davis Lab has been transformed into a Car Design Studio through June of this year. The entire car design process can be experienced through a custom iPad app, which is also available for download through the iTunes App Store so it can be enjoyed beyond the Museum walls. In addition, the space also features a vibrant magnet wall where you can construct your own car.

Star Studio is the perfect place to make new discoveries. It has

iPads for creating along with a dry erase wall that is lined with frames that are representative of actual frames that hang in the galleries. Artists of all ages can create new masterpieces inside them. On two activity tables, materials such as colored masking tape, feathers, and straws are always available for guests to create whatever their imagination can dream. Completed artworks can be hung from metal clothesline and displayed in the space or taken home. Books and blocks also dot the space for a quieter activity.

Star Studio is refreshed semi-annually, so there is regularly something new to discover. On Saturdays and Sundays, an adjacent classroom is transformed into a Make & Take Studio where guests of all ages can work side-by-side with an IMA teaching artist using traditional and unique materials to create a mini-masterpiece inspired by the IMA collection.

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In the Museum’s art galleries, activity spaces that relate to particular aspects of the collection can be found. For example, in the African gallery there is a table that allows children (and adults!) to create their own beaded necklace or bracelet. Through the installed iPads, they can also use an app to “wear” one of the African masks on display.

Another activity space featuring textiles is right next door to the one for African art. This space allows children to feel different textile fibers in their raw form. There is also a “dresses through the ages” display that shows how women’s dresses have changed over time.

Family-friendly interactive elements are not limited to the permanent collection galleries. Nearly every exhibition space now has activities encouraging participation. Currently in On the Flip Side: Secrets on the Backs of Paintings, there is an activity called Operation Decode, which lets guests play detective to determine the materials used to create a work of art as well as the identity of its previous owners. In Tradition Reborn: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, there is a “touch table” featuring tools, ceramic forms, and different types of clay and glazes. The touch table allows guests to appreciate the tactile nature of the objects on display.

Participatory experiences are also not limited to inside the main Museum building. Outside, in the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park: 100 Acres, there are specific “play patches” that have been constructed in addition to existing artwork that children can climb and play on, like contemporary artist Jeppe Hein’s Bench Around the Lake (below left). The patches are found in the Park and use forest materials that children can explore and play with. Kids can create art in the middle of the forest and leave it until the next family comes along to play.

“Grown-ups help pave the way for their children’s experience at the Museum,” Mayhill said. “Sometimes, though, the kids are the ones dictating what the experience is. You don’t get that in a lot of venues. It’s educational for both parties; here they can have conversations about art and nature.”

Artwork, Left: Jeppe Hein (Danish, b. 1974), Bench Around the Lake (detail), 2010, galvanized steel, yellow paint, dimensions variable. Commissioned by the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Supported by Friends of Bret Waller, Jane Weldon Myers Acquisition Fund, Mrs. Pierre F. Goodrich Endowed Art Fund, Roger G. Wolcott Fund, E. Hardey Adriance Fine Arts Acquisition Fund in memory of Marguerite Hardey Adriance, Alice and Kirk McKinney Fund, Louisa K. Valentine Memorial Miscellaneous Contemporary Art Fund, Contemporary Art Discretionary Fund, 2010.103A-O © Jeppe Hein, Courtesy of Johann König, Berlin, and 303 Gallery, New York.

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Staff Profile: Gary Stoppelman DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR MARKETING AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Over his 19-year career Stoppelman has led marketing efforts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago, among others. He will use this experience to drive attendance and engage with members by connecting the energy of Indianapolis with the dynamism of the growing programs at the IMA. “The IMA’s expansive collection and serene gardens enhance our lives in unbelievable ways. For instance, what does Free Basket mean to a Pacers fan? Or an Asante bracelet to a fashionista? Or the gardens to someone who loves O’Keeffe’s work? Or the James Turrell to a kid? There are so many ways for the IMA to become a greater part of the dialogue of daily life in Indianapolis,” Stoppelman explains.

At the IMA Stoppelman oversees the marketing, public relations, retail, food service, event and guest services departments. Serving as part of the senior leadership team, he is responsible for enhancing customer service, identifying new markets, increasing attendance, and optimizing earned income. Alongside his team, he is building cohesive and targeted communication strategies that embody the IMA’s vision to provide exceptional guest experiences, creating a sustainable business model, and growing the IMA. Stoppelman believes there are numerous ways for our local community to connect with the Museum, and making those connections are at the top of his agenda. “My favorite thing about working at a great encyclopedic museum is no matter what your interest is, or what is going on in your daily life, art can add context,” he explains. “Visiting a museum is inherently social, right? What’s the first thing most people say during their visit? They turn to their friend, date, grandfather, child, whomever, and ask, ‘What did you think?’ That’s amazing!”

Outside of work, Stoppelman is eager to experience Indy’s growing local restaurant scene. “During the interview process, when I’d tell a coworker where my wife and I ate the night before, unfailingly, someone would say, ‘Did you know, that didn’t exist three months ago?’ To be part of this team, at this museum, at this time in the city’s history—that’s cool.”

Photo by Eric Lubrick.

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: A Programming Preview

Experience monsters, musicals, minigolf, and more this year through the innovative programming series at the IMA known as ARTx. ARTx programming is built around five key objectives: art education, connecting to the community, family programming, unique experiences, and supporting local artists. Each program is tailored to one or more of these goals. The ARTx series is made possible by a generous gift from The Efroymson Family Fund, a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF).

Left: Performing Artist in Residence, Know No Stranger.

“MUSEUMS ARE AT A CROSSROADS. FORWARD-THINKING INSTITUTIONS MUST CHANGE HOW THEY ATTRACT, ENGAGE, AND INTERACT WITH AUDIENCES, AND THE ARTX SERIES DOES JUST THAT.”

“Museums are at a crossroads.

Forward-thinking institutions must change how they attract, engage, and interact with audiences, and the ARTx series does just that,” explains Scott Stulen, curator of audience experiences and performance.

This is the second year of ARTx programming with Stulen at the helm, and several new programs that have been in development are ready to launch in 2016. This May, the outdoor Alliance Sculpture Court will be transformed into an artist-designed

IMA’s ARTx Series is made possible by a gift from The Efroymson Family Fund.

minigolf course. The course will celebrate the history and culture of Indiana to coincide with the state bicentennial, and feature 19 holes designed by local and regional artists, architects, and designers.

different theme. B-Movie Bingo, which makes an interactive game out of some of the most awesome movie clichés ever committed to celluloid, occurs several times this year. Avant Brunch and ARTxFIT dot the calendar as well.

In addition, the newest programming platform, ARTx Mobile (left), will debut in the second half of the year. ARTx Mobile is a custom-wrapped van that will allow the IMA to expand its reach by appearing at community events, openings, fairs, and neighborhood festivals.

The familiar faces of Know No Stranger, IMA’s current Performing Artist in Residence, will also be back after the success of Optical Popsicle last fall. Their first full-length musical is set to take The Toby stage this summer.

Popular favorites such as the Pop-Up Park, which provides an oasis during the cold winter months, will return. Family Days continue on the first Saturday of the month, each with a new and

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Stulen explains, “These smart, fun, and highly participatory programs activate not only our entire campus but the community at large as well. We cannot wait to see where it leads next.” For a full list of ARTx events, visit imamuseum.org

IMA Writes the Book on Rights & Reproductions

TEXT BY

ANNE M. YOUNG

MANAGER OF RIGHTS & REPRODUCTIONS

NEW HANDBOOK GARNERS NATIONAL ACCOLADES FOR IMA

Last fall, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the American Alliance of Museums announced the release of the much-anticipated publication Rights & Reproductions: The Handbook for Cultural Institutions.

Supported by a National Leadership Grant that the IMA received two-years prior, the new Handbook has been touted as an industrywide standard of emerging best practices and guidelines in the rights and reproductions field.

With intellectual property laws and rights and reproductions methodologies ever-changing with the development of new technologies, this digital publication is a living document that can be constantly updated to stay current with trends and best practices.

The following example illustrates the case studies used in the Handbook. It dealt with the issue of fair use and appropriation art (art that, as its basis, “appropriates” or uses work created by someone else) in a case that eventually went to court and proceeded to make headlines in the news.

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Cariou v. Prince, 784 F.Supp.2d at 337 (SDNY 2011).

“Richard Prince was sued by Patrick Cariou for his use of Cariou’s photographs in a series of 30 works entitled Canal Zone. In many of the individual works, Cariou’s photographs were reproduced largely intact, with some additional painted or drawn-on elements by Prince.

Others involved greater manipulation. Although the District Court initially held that all of the works were infringing,1 the Second Circuit Court reversed this on appeal, finding 25 of the works were transformative fair use and remanding the remaining five works for reconsideration. […]

Cariou v. Prince raised an issue of great importance for museums: the liability of those who display or distribute copies of appropriation art. Cariou sued both the gallery hosting Prince’s works and the publisher of the exhibition catalogue. The District Court ordered that the paintings and the exhibition catalogues be impounded and destroyed, and held that the

Artwork depicted: Edward Hopper (American, 1882–1967), Hotel Lobby (detail), 1943, oil on canvas, 32-1/4 x 40-3/4 in. Indianapolis Museum of Art, William Ray Adams Memorial Collection, 47.4 © Edward Hopper.

The cover image is Edward Hopper’s Hotel Lobby, one of the most frequently requested works for reproduction from the IMA. The use of a Hopper as the cover made an interesting rights study, as Hopper’s works are still under copyright, but the IMA retains the rights to his works in its collection.

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Left: Image from Yes Rasta by Patrick Cariou.

Published by powerHouse Books.

Right: Richard Prince, Graduation, 2008, collage, inkjet and acrylic on canvas, 72-3/4 x 52-1/2 in. © Richard Prince. Courtesy Gagosian Gallery, New York.

gallery was liable as a vicarious and contributory infringer (meaning the gallery was as responsible as the artist for the purported infringement and even “contributed” to the artist’s action).2 The Second Circuit Court, in reversing the lower court’s decision on appeal, determined that neither the gallery nor the publisher could be liable for most of the works. […]”

The Handbook places the IMA at the fore as a model for other cultural institutions, both nationally and internationally, for the handling of intellectual property assets. However, the Handbook is not just for cultural institutions. Any artist, author, or other creator of content can benefit from the information it contains.

Rights & Reproductions: The Handbook for Cultural Institutions was edited by Anne M. Young, with contributions by Megan P. Bryant, Cherie C. Chen, Kenneth D. Crews, John ffrench, Walter G. Lehmann, Naomi Leibowitz, Melissa Levine, Sofía Galarza Liu, Michelle Gallagher Roberts, Nacy Sims, Deborah Wythe and Anne M. Young.

Rights & Reproductions: The Handbook for Cultural Institutions is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. The project utilizes the OSCI Toolkit, which is supported by the Getty Foundation as a part of its Online Scholarly Catalogue Initiative.

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Cariou v. Prince, 784 F. Supp. 2d at 354 (SDNY 2011).

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Copublished by the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the Handbook is available for purchase through the AAM website (www.aam-us.org) for $1.99 for AAM members and $4.99 for nonmembers.

Greenhouse to Become A Living Gallery of Orchids FEBRUARY 19–MARCH 13

PHOTOS BY

ERIC LUBRICK AND DREW ENDICOTT

Since 1972, orchids have been a constant, striking staple in the Madeline F. Elder Greenhouse, and this spring we are going to celebrate them! In one of the first initiatives to reinvent the greenhouse, a dazzling exhibition featuring orchids—Color Me Orchid—will enchant guests this winter.

This colorful display will pay homage to the brilliant colors, shapes, and pattern of orchids, while also highlighting their history and connection to the IMA. Madeline F. Elder was instrumental in saving the greenhouse from being razed in 1972. She and a group of volunteers helped maintain the structure and began selling flowers and plants to the public. From the beginning of her involvement, the greenhouse held orchids because they were Elder’s favorite flower. Since then they have never left, and her legacy still flourishes today.

Opposite: Phalaenopsis hybrid.

Left: Phalaenopsis hybrid.

Above: Paphiopedilum maudiae ‘Magnificum.’

“PEOPLE REALLY ENJOY SEEING THIS EXOTIC AND DIVERSE GROUP OF PLANTS. THEY HAVE THE MOST COMPLICATED BLOOM IN THE FLOWERING WORLD.” 19

“ORCHIDS HAVE A GREAT HISTORY OF CAPTIVATING PEOPLE.” “Orchids have a great history of captivating people,” said Sue Nord Peiffer, Greenhouse Manager. “People really enjoy seeing this exotic and diverse group of plants. They have the most complicated bloom in the flowering world.”

Beginning February 19, the greenhouse will proudly show off these blooms. Orchids are one of the largest flowering plant families on Earth, and orchids of all shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns will be on display.

Throughout the show, orchids of all types will be for sale in a special pop-up shop inside the main Museum building on Floor 1 inside the Bret Waller gallery. IMA horticulture experts will be on hand to give advice on how to best care for these complex plants.

“In February, you’re chomping at the bit to get some light, oxygen, and sunshine,” Nord Peiffer said. “This show will bring a little taste of spring and summer before the calendar says it’s so.”

The greenhouse is shifting from its former role of being a retail shop. It is evolving to make the best use of the facility for the public. Year-round, this living gallery space will now be used for classes and workshops, with occasional larger plant displays.

“We really want to make the living gallery space sing,” Nord Peiffer said.

“We want it to be a hub for year-round color and activity.” See for yourself this winter.

Right, Top: Cattleya hybrid.

Right, Middle: Wilsonara Kool Kat ‘Hot Tin Roof.’

Right, Bottom: Phalaenopsis Jiuhbao Fairy.

Opposite: Phalaenopsis hybrid.

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Spring Returns to the IMA Campus Strolling through the gardens in mid-April, you can’t help but feel refreshed. The ground is still cold, but the sun is bright and peeks through the newly emerging lime-green leaves. Finally, spring is in the air! Intensifying the serene surroundings are the beautiful lavender flowers of the IMA’s native redbud trees (Cercis canadensis).

are favorites can be found on the Horticultural Society Overlook mixed in along the woodlands.

The first of these trees, C. ‘Pauline Lily,’ has a subtle, soft-pink flower that provides a pop of color against the foliage. Elsewhere discover the C.‘Oklahoma,’ which has a deep purple flower with thick glossy foliage that is best suited for the sun.

The IMA has been collecting redbud cultivars over the past decade to showcase the range of flower and foliage colors available.

Most of the flowers tend to be brighter in color when they are in bud and then soften as they open.

The redbud is a small understory tree with a rounded habit that grows well in both shade and sun.

The native range of this tree covers most of the eastern United States and goes as far south as Texas, but it thrives in our Midwest conditions.

These trees’ heart-shaped, colored leaves allow you a chance to extend interest far beyond the flowers of April, with vivid foliage options like burgundy, chartreuse, and apricot, as well as pink and white variegation. Weeping redbuds, also found in the gardens, are a way to maximize smaller spaces. Make sure to visit a new weeping form of C. ‘Ruby Falls’ in the Garden for Everyone, located at the east end of the Sutphin Mall.

This tree comes in many forms and colors that give it the flexibility to be a specimen tree featured in a courtyard or to look equally as nice mixed into a natural woodland setting. One of the favorite redbuds on campus is located at the main entrance. Cercis ‘Appalachian Red’ (top right) has bright red buds that open to a pretty pink color, creating a dramatic effect. Two others that

If the thought of seeing all these beautiful trees is not enough to inspire a garden walk this spring, perhaps you will enjoy the additional 23,000 tulip bulbs that are set to bloom just in time to chase away those winter blues.

These bulbs join more than 50,000 daffodil bulbs that return each year. We hope you discover your own spring experience as you walk throughout our glorious campus.

TEXT BY

CHAD FRANER

DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE PHOTOS BY

MYRTA PULLIAM

Top: Cercis ‘Appalachian Red’ Bottom: Cercis ‘Tennessee Pink’

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IMA Membership Reaches All-Time High 2015 was a record-breaking year for membership at the IMA—in September, the number of member households surpassed 15,000 for the first time in the IMA’s 132-year history. A robust membership program is an important gauge of a museum’s community and audience engagement, and IMA leadership has made significant growth in membership one of its top institution-wide priorities.

Our members are essential to the IMA for many reasons. Membership dues support all the work that we do—from bringing world-class exhibitions to Indianapolis, to delivering innovative and unique programming, to keeping out beautiful gardens and park in top form. It’s important to note that less than one percent of the IMA’s annual expenses are covered by public funding.

More than just financial supporters, IMA members are also part of our IMA family. They are our biggest fans and our greatest advocates.

Members provide essential feedback and information about how we can best serve our

community and better the Museum as a whole. Many members become deeply involved over time by volunteering, serving as docents, or making a planned gift. In many ways, members represent the future of the IMA.

MORE THAN JUST FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS, IMA MEMBERS ARE ALSO PART OF OUR IMA FAMILY. “My IMA membership means freedom. The freedom to visit the IMA whenever I choose. Simply put, it provides me with the freedom to enjoy an amazing cultural institution without having to worry about the costs associated with such a wonderful place that is critical to [our] community’s health and wellbeing.”

—Bryan R., member since 2012

Alongside efforts to increase the number of members, the IMA has worked to enhance the member experience, streamlining processes and adding new programs just for members. A new e-commerce system, launched in mid-2015, aims to improve members’ online ticket-buying experience.

Members can also expect to see new benefits and events in 2016, including Member Appreciation Week and a new series of members-only curator talks held on the second Sunday of each month.

“The IMA has opened doors to our family for decades. Doors to ancient civilizations.

Doors to history in visual form. Doors to understanding of world cultures. Doors to light and color. Doors to the magic of design. All we have to do is walk through and we learn.”

—Fred N., member since 1999

We’d like to express our deep gratitude to our long time members. And to those who have joined recently—welcome! To all our members, thank you for your support.

“When I stroll the beautiful grounds outside or the inside halls filled with amazing, inspiring images, I feel calm, grounded, and more like myself than anywhere else I’ve ever been in this world. There is always something new to discover at the IMA and I love that, but what my soul needs is to frequently visit some very special old friends that hang on your walls. And they do feel like friends. They fill my heart.

It feels like home.”

—Laura K., member since 2012 23

Ed Fehnel: Donor Profile Long-time residents of the Indianapolis community, Ed Fehnel and his wife Dottie have been IMA members for as far back as they can remember.

Neither has had formal art training, but they are aficionados of art museums, both here and around the world.

The Fehnels also have a strong interest in gardening, which has made the IMA a perfect fit for their interests. Over the years, the Fehnels have lived in 10 states—cities everywhere from Boston to Sacramento—and have had a garden everywhere they have lived. Throughout their travels, the Fehnels have enjoyed picking up tips and tricks (like growing raspberries on a trellis instead of in a jumble) that they can bring home to their own garden and share with others.

No one can debate Ed Fehnel’s hardworking nature, which stems from his time growing up on a farm in Pennsylvania. His career at Eli Lilly and Company started in the agriculture division and progressed to a vice president position in international marketing before his retirement in 1992.

including the inception of The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres (below). Ed’s involvement did not start on the board, but rather as a garden volunteer working alongside the IMA’s greenhouse manager, Sue Nord Peiffer, planting bulbs. His love of gardening and knack for storytelling made him a natural to become a garden guide leading tours for guests throughout campus.

There are more than a few standout experiences during their longtime involvement with the IMA. One of these highlights was a 1999 trip to France. Ed recalls, “During our travels we visited the Pont-Aven School of Art in Brittany, France. We were so impressed with the school and its teachings that it later inspired us to start our own scholarship at Herron!”

To this day the Fehnels have a strong connection to Herron School of Art and Design, including being instrumental in a Master’s degree program offered in art therapy that aids those suffering from mental illness. The Fehnels truly believe in the healing power of both art and nature.

Another highlight was being part of the team that worked on the development of the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. Ed shared that the task force envisioned the Park as a place for young people to become acquainted with art and interact with nature.

“It is extremely gratifying to see young families in the Park nowadays,” shared Ed.

Ed served on the IMA Board of Governors from 1995–2001 and participated in many key projects that continue to benefit the IMA today,

Above: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres

As for the Museum’s art collection, the Fehnels are hard pressed to narrow their favorites down to a single work.

In the 1970s, the Fehnels had the pleasure of hosting a French exchange student named Claire. Claire’s goal when she grew up was to be an art curator in France. During her stay with the Fehnels, she shared her knowledge, and together they even visited a few museums, including ones in St. Louis; Washington, D.C.; New York; and (of course) Indianapolis. From that point on, the Fehnels have had an affinity for impressionist paintings, especially ones by Claude Monet. As Ed explained, Monet both created and painted his own garden at his home in Giverny, France, which is one of the reasons they are drawn to his works.

We are so grateful to the Fehnel’s for their involvement, and their vast contributions to both the Museum and Gardens.

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Distinguished Service Award Winners Honored During the most recent Founders Day celebration, the inaugural Distinguished Service Awards were presented to four outstanding recipients. This award honors volunteer leaders for their lifetime achievement and contributions to the IMA through exemplary leadership, support, and service.

“I am proud to honor the outstanding individuals whose dedication and support has made the IMA the place that it is today,” said Dr. Charles L. Venable, The Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO of the IMA. “These individuals have served as Museum leaders and volunteers, helped to grow the collection through important acquisitions, and contributed to the creation of new galleries, event spaces, and gardens that our guests enjoy every day.”

Randolph H. Deer, Mark M. Holeman, Anna S. White and Richard D. Wood were the first recipients of this lifetime achievement award.

Left to right: Richard D. Wood, Anna S. White, Mark M. Holeman, Randolph H. Deer

RANDOLPH H. DEER

MARK M. HOLEMAN

ANNA S. WHITE

RICHARD D. WOOD

Randy Deer, a businessman, author, and artist, has been involved with the Museum since 1987. Deer served as vice chair, chair, and immediate past chair during his tenure on the IMA Board of Governors from 1998 to 2006.

Mark Holeman, a well-known landscape architect, has been involved with the IMA since 1970.

Holeman served as vice chair and chair during his tenure on the Board of Governors from 1987 to 1995. For more than 20 years, he served on the Museum’s Environmental and Historic Resources Committee, guiding the work of the IMA’s gardens and historic properties. Holeman and his wife, Carmen, have contributed numerous textiles, artwork, and horticultural specimens to the IMA, which has helped shape the Museum’s unique encyclopedic collection.

Anna White, a philanthropist and civic leader, has been involved with the IMA since 1967. She served on on the Board of Governors from 1983 to 1994.

During her tenure on the board, she was both secretary and board chair. She was president of The Alliance from 1977 to 1979, president of the Contemporary Art Society from 2002 to 2003, and served on the planning committee for its 50th Anniversary in 2012. With her husband, James, the Whites have also given important works of art to the IMA.

Dick Wood is an avid gardener, art collector, and former president and chief executive of Eli Lilly and Company. He has been involved with the Museum since 1967, including serving as vice chair, president and chair of the Board of Governors. His generous support and creation of the Richard D. Wood Art Endowment funds the IMA’s acquisition of 17th-, 18th- and 19th-century European art.

Deer’s generous donation led to the construction of the Deer Zink Special Events Pavilion in 2005.

In the past decade, the Pavilion has been a popular venue for countless receptions, dinners, and celebrations. Deer also established an endowment in honor of his mother, Elizabeth Kelsey Deer, which provides the beautiful permanent floral display that changes weekly inside the IMA’s Welcome Center.

In 1988, the Holemans funded a contemporary gallery, now known as the Carmen and Mark Holeman Gallery. He is currently a member of several IMA affiliate groups, including the Contemporary Art Society and the Horticultural Society.

She currently serves on the IMA’s Collections and Development Committee and is also a member of the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation’s Board of Directors.

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The Richard D. Wood Formal Garden, part of the historic Oldfields–Lilly House & Gardens, was rehabilitated and endowed in his honor by friends and colleagues upon his retirement from Eli Lilly and Company in 1993. He contributed to the acquisition of the 19th-century bronze fountain that can be seen in the restored pool of the garden. He and his late wife also funded the creation of the Museum’s Billie Lou and Richard D. Wood Pavilion.

Celebrating 40 Years of the Asian Art Society The IMA is proud to have amassed one of the largest and most significant Asian art collections in the United States, which includes Ming and Qing dynasty paintings, rare hanging scrolls from Japan’s Edo period, and exquisite jade pieces. Since its founding in 1975, the Asian Art Society (AAS) has been key in helping to build this collection.

“For the past 40 years the AAS has helped cultivate interest in, and deepen knowledge about, Asian

“...we feel that there is nothing quite like hearing the passion first hand in the voice of a collector or curator or gallery owner, or even better, viewing a superb piece of art...” cultures through hosting a wide variety of speakers on both specialized academic subjects and topics aimed at more general audiences. Moreover, through gifts and the funding of acquisitions, the AAS and its members have played a vital role in making the Asian art collection of the IMA one of the best in the USA, as well as being recognized internationally. The importance of a society like the AAS in America’s heartland is perhaps much more meaningful and significant than that of its counterparts on the Pacific or Atlantic coasts,” explained John Teramoto, the IMA’s curator of Asian art.

In addition to supporting the collection by assisting in the selection and acquisition of new Asian works, AAS also actively hosts events—such as dinners and

lectures—with prominent art collectors, historians, and dealers.

These events feed the desires of AAS members who want to learn more, while helping develop relationships with others who share a common fascination with Asian art.

On May 7, AAS will hold a spectacular gala celebration dinner in the Asian galleries to mark their 40th anniversary. “We look at this special event as an opportunity to welcome new members and to build the acquisition fund, as well as honor those who have given so much to the AAS over the years,” says Nancy Inui, AAS president.

“The unique location, menu by a local chef, entertainment and program are a statement that we look to the future as much as we revere the past.”

Left: Chinese, ewer with chicken-head spout, Eastern Jin dynasty (317–420), stoneware with glaze, 7-1/2 x 7 in.

Indianapolis Museum of Art, Gift of the Asian Art Society of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1991.128.

Right: Kawase Hasui (Japanese, 1883–1957), Rain at Tajima (Kinosaki, Tajima), 1924, ink, paper, 9-1/2 x 14-1/4 in. (image), 10-1/4 x 15-1/8 in. (sheet). Indianapolis Museum of Art, Gift of the Asian Art Society of the Indianapolis Museum of Art in memory of Dr. Thomas Kuebler, 2013.337 © Kawase Hasui.

Throughout the years the activities may have changed, but certain threads have remained constant. One of those threads is helping to acquire new pieces of art. AAS has played a vital role in the purchase of numerous artworks like the ones pictured above, which has helped increase the depth and breadth of the IMA’s Asian art collection. AAS members have also enjoyed countless programs featuring experts on a variety of topics: Japanese prints, kimonos, ceramics, and swords; Chinese snuff bottles, paintings, and pottery; and Indian and Tibetan culture—including cooking! Members have also enjoyed occasional trips to New York, Chicago, and Bloomington, as well as international travel (twice to both Japan and China).

These have helped increase the connection among members.

Another highlight has been the annual celebration of the Lunar New Year.

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“Nowadays, there is huge competition for time and attention. But we feel that there is nothing quite like hearing the passion firsthand of a collector or curator or gallery owner, or even better, viewing a superb piece of art, especially under the tutelage of our curator,” recalls Inui.

These are the connections and opportunities that will continue and grow the Asian Art Society for the next 40 years.

Above: Nancy Inui, Kwan Hui, Marcia Krieg and Scott Keller

Upcoming Affiliate Group Events Art and Nature Interest Groups Affiliate groups offer members unique opportunities to become more involved with the IMA by exploring their own interests. Affiliate group members can participate in exclusive programs, tours, and special events related to the mission of each group.

PATRON CIRCLE & SECOND CENTURY SOCIETY Patron Circle and Second Century Society members are at the forefront of annual giving at the IMA. Each year, this important group of donors advances the Museum’s mission through their generous philanthropic leadership.

For more information on 2016 Patron Circle and Second Century Society events, please contact Andra Walters, Director of Major Gifts, at 317-9202669 or awalters@imamuseum.org.

THE ALLIANCE The IMA’s longest established affiliate group develops and supports activities and projects that stimulate public interest in the Museum, its educational programs, and its collection.

Artist Studio Tours February 24, 2016 / 1 pm / $10 Alliance Members; $15 Guests Enjoy a private tour of the trendy Art Bank, located at 811 Massachusetts Ave.

Alliance Program and Luncheon: Living Artfully: Mark Zelonis on Art in the Garden March 17 / 11 am / St. Luke’s Church / $20 Mark Zelonis will delight attendees with an illustrated talk on the use of art in the garden.

The IMA Alliance Book Discussion Group January 21 / 1:30–3 pm / Free Join us for a discussion of The Autobiography of Gustave Baumann by curator Martin Krause. The discussion will be from 1:30–3 pm at the IMA. For more information contact Ann McKenzie, IMA Alliance member, at anntm@me.com.

March 17 / 1–3 pm / Free Join us for discussion led by IMA Librarian, Alba Fernandez-Keys, on the topic of should museums return artifacts to their country of origin.

Refreshments will be served at 1 pm followed by the discussion from 1:30–3 pm. For more information contact Ann McKenzie, IMA Alliance member, at anntm@me.com.

ASIAN ART SOCIETY (AAS)

FASHION ARTS SOCIETY (FAS)

AAS offers our members the opportunity to learn more about Asian art, history, and cultural traditions and to socialize with others that share a deep appreciation of Asian art.

FAS seeks to promote awareness and appreciation of textile and fashion arts through the study of haute couture and cloth. Members also help facilitate the expansion and enrichment of the IMA’s fashion and textile arts collection.

AAS 40th Anniversary Celebration May 7 / 6 pm / Maya Lin balcony & Asian Art galleries (Floor 3) / $75 AAS Members, $100 Public, $125 Patron The AAS will celebrate 40 years with live music and a five-course catered dinner by a locally recognized chef.

CONTEMPORARY ART SOCIETY (CAS) CAS is a dynamic group that promotes the understanding of and appreciation for contemporary art through educational programs, social events, and community collaborations.

CAS support has improved the quality and scope of the IMA’s contemporary art collection.

Public Conversation with artist Jacco Olivier and curator Tricia Y. Paik February 11 / 6 pm / The Toby / Free CAS reception to follow.

DESIGN ARTS SOCIETY (DAS) DAS works to promote a greater awareness of the central role design plays in our daily lives and also to support the IMA as an important center for design arts in the US. Why Design Matters February 18 / 7 pm / DeBoest Lecture Hall / Free Design isn’t just about making the world beautiful; it’s about making it better. Join DAS for our fourth annual talk about the intersection of design and social change. Open to the public.

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HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (HORT SOC) The Horticultural Society celebrates the art of gardening at the IMA by helping to develop, enhance, and maintain the gardens and greenhouse through volunteer and financial support. The Society also maintains an extensive horticultural library within the Stout Reference Library.

IMA Marguerite Smith Memorial Lecture & Annual Meeting March 6 / 2 pm / The Toby, with reception to follow in Garden Terrace / Free Join us for the annual business meeting of the Horticultural Society and lecture, Success with Orchids in Your Home. Finding the right orchid for your environment may sound difficult, but local orchid collector, Doug Allen, will show the best choices for a home setting, while explaining the culture of the world’s most exotic blooms.

To learn more about these events or how you can join one of these interest groups, contact Christa Thacker at cthacker@imamuseum.org or 317-923-1331.

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Autumn Equinox Celebration Photos by Nathaniel Edmunds Photography

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Baumann Exhibition Opening Photos by Tyler Hromadka of Lumatic Imagery

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Back to the Future Screening Photos by Nathaniel Edmunds Photography

9–12 Project IMA Fashion Show Photos by Nathaniel Edmunds Photography Photo 12: Stephen Taylor and Elizabeth Kraft Meek Taylor

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13–15 MuseumNext Conference Photos by Eric Lubrick and Nathaniel Edmunds Photography 16–18 Founders Day Celebration Photos by Tyler Hromadka of Lumatic Imagery Photo 16: Mark Holeman and Charles L. Venable Photo 17: Betsy Dustman and Carmen Holeman

To see more images of programs at the IMA, visit flickr.com/imaitsmyart

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Perennial Premiere Saturday & Sunday, April 23–24 / Newfield

Shake off the winter weather at Perennial Premiere, the IMA’s annual salute to spring. Bring the kids to participate in a gardening activity, hear from experts on topics ranging from urban gardening to installing a bat house and grab some grub and coffee at onsite food trucks. Regional vendors will also be on hand, selling nature and gardening-related merchandise. A large variety of plants, shrubs, and trees will be available for purchase at Newfield adjacent to the IMA’s surface parking lot. IMA horticulturists will be on hand to answer any questions, and visitors are invited to take a guided garden walk, or view a Bonsai exhibition.

Saturday, April 23 Members-Only Preview Shopping / 9 am–1 pm Not a member? No problem! You can join before shopping and immediately become eligible for the 20% member discount on all IMA plants and merchandise.

Public Shopping Hours / 1 pm–5 pm Soon-to-be members can purchase plants, including perennials, natives, shrubs, annuals, herbs and orchids.

Sunday, April 24 Public Shopping Hours / noon–4 pm

INDIANAPOLIS, IN PERMIT #2200