Indianapolis Contemporary will unveil new work by Nina Elder in a show titled The Score | Indianapolis opening Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 1002 E. Washington St.
The exhibit in the building which was part of the former Angie’s List campus fits the current mission of the arts organization to curate mix of exhibitions in site-specific and non-traditional spaces.
Running through Dec. 11, The Score embraces Indiana’s history of limestone quarrying while also challenging why we build monuments meant to last forever. The exhibition features Nina Elder’s multi-part response to the legacy of monuments in Indianapolis, and the city’s relationship to change, ranging from climate change to cultural shifts, gentrification, disinvestment, community organizing, and cultural empowerment.
The Score began with a series of community listening sessions, in which
artist Nina Elder asked, “What are you doing for the future of Indianapolis?”
The Albuquerque-based artist focuses on changing cultures and ecologies. Her extensive travel and research result in meticulous drawings and interdisciplinary creative projects that promote curiosity, exploration, and relationships between institutions, artists, scientists, and diverse communities.
The Score is composed of a stone monument (“to be displayed for one million years”), and 20 sets of quarrying tools to be handed to community
members, activists, and advocates who are shaping the future of Indianapolis. Also on display will be two large drawings and a bronze plaque inscribed with the answers from the community listening sessions.
The Score is presented in partnership with the IUPUI Arts & Humanities Institute. The exhibition will be accompanied by an opening ceremony and artist talk from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4, and a book club with Nina Elder from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, at the nearby Indiana City Brewing Co. Visit indcontemporary.org for more information and registration.
