Water Whispers, Truman Lowe, Now at Eiteljorg Museum
In cities across the country, public art takes a variety of forms. Historically, art that is accessible to the public has been in the form of freestanding pieces of work or objects that occupy a public space, such as sculptures or memorials, or architectural embellishments such as carved facades.
Truman Lowe has established himself as an innovator in Native American sculpture. He has been able to successfully translate the elegance of traditional wood use by his Winnebago ancestors into his contemporary sculptures. For nearly a decade, Lowe has been experimenting with metal as a medium for his work. He began by creating small (averaging three feet in height) bronze pieces directly from his wooden pieces. He has also been pushing the limits of his monumental pieces by fabricating them directly from his designs using aluminum, instead of wood.
A recent piece by Lowe entitled Water Wispers, can be found at the Eiteljorg Museum, in the Christel DeHaan Family Terrace. The sculpture was completed in July of 2005 and is made of stainless steel and formed glass. Water Whispers is a sensory piece that includes water, sound and light. Those walking along the Central Canal can step through the Eiteljorg's gates and be pulled in by the Water Whispers.
The project is funded by a $30,000 grant from the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission, which was established by Mayor Bart Peterson in 2001. The commission created the Cultural District Program, managed by Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. (IDI), to advance the cultural development of distinct locations in the city that offer a unique mix of arts, entertainment and hospitality activities. The other cultural districts include Broad Ripple Village, Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Mass Ave Arts and Theater district and the Wholesale District.
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