Jammin' on the Avenue
Jammin' on the Avenue is an outdoor sculpture by American artist John Spaulding. It is located on the border of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus, which is near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana and is on the corner intersection of Indiana Avenue, North Street, and Blackford Street. The historic Lockefield Gardens Apartments flank the sculpture on its back sides, and Madame Walker Theatre Center is located across the street.[1] This sculpture is documented in the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! database, which is the inspiration for this project.[2]
Description
The sculpture is a collage of brass wind instruments welded together and arranged in a square column.[3] Instruments consist of saxophones, sousaphones, trombones, trumpets, and tubas. The sculpture sits in a fountain basin, which has non-chlorinated running water and illumination for the sculpture. The fountain basin is a large trapezoidal shape and the sculpture is set in its most central point. The basin is made of cement and tile. The dimensions of the sculpture are 9'6" × 4' × 4'. The dimensions of the fountain basin are approximately 26 in. × 35½ ft. × 70 ft.[4]
Information
Jammin' on the Avenue was fabricated in 1989 and was commissioned by the Sexton Companies. The sculpture stands at the Southern entrance of the new section of Lockefield Gardens Apartments.[5] It is a tribute to the rich Jazz and musical heritage that was a part of the Indiana Avenue district.[6]
Artist
Location history
The location of Jammin' on the Avenue reflects the spirit of this sculpture. It faces out over Indiana Avenue and also Madame Walker Theatre Center, and reminds all those who pass the of the rich cultural heritage that was and is part of this area of the IUPUI Campus.The sculpture also stands in front of the Historic Lockefield Gardens Apartments. This is significant due to the fact the artist himself was born here. Lockefield Gardens was a low income housing project built in Indianapolis that mainly housed African American families. Today Lockefield Gardens has been renovated and is home to IUPUI students, staff, faculty, and anyone wishing to live in this tapestry of culture.The sculpture can be found at the southern entrance to the complex.[7]
Documentation
A Museum Studies course at IUPUI in collections care and management recently undertook the project of researching and reporting on the condition of 40 outdoor sculptures on the university campus. This documentation was influenced by the successful Save Outdoor Sculpture! 1989 campaign organized by Heritage Preservation: The National Institute of Conservation partnered with the Smithsonian Institution, specifically the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Throughout the 1990s, over 7,000 volunteers nationwide have cataloged and assessed the condition of over 30,000 publicly accessible statues, monuments, and sculptures installed as outdoor public art across the United States.[8]
References
External links