The galleries that display the IMA’s collection of American art will debut in April 2023. This update is one of Newfields’ first steps in sharing new stories about the IMA’s permanent collections. Sharing new stories means changing whose voices we include in the museum. We worked with five Indianapolis-area residents who named themselves the “Looking Glass Alliance,” to look at American art in new ways, revealing stories that have always been there but weren’t always seen.
What Is the Looking Glass Alliance?
The Looking Glass Alliance is composed of five individual Indianapolis-area residents who created content for this gallery refresh. The installation and collaboration are some of Newfields’ first steps in changing how the organization works, expanding whose voices are highlighted in the museum, and sharing new stories about the IMA’s permanent collections.
Why Looking Glass Alliance?
The Looking Glass Alliance participants are using the idea of a looking glass to turn upside down the White, heteronormative interpretations of art and the American mythos that have traditionally been communicated in museums. They invite Newfields and the public to join them as they reflect on these practices, disrupt damaging narratives, and make marginalized voices, places, and people visible.
