Installation views of Work in Progress: Conversations about American Art in the Indianapolis Museum of Art Galleries, opened May 27, 2023. Artworks © their respective creators. Photo courtesy of Newfields. 

Work in Progress: Conversations about American Art 
Now open / Museum hours  
Included with general admission and free for members 

Work in Progress: Conversations about American Art is a refreshed installation of art from the United States on Floor 2 of the IMA Galleries which will provide new context to how artists, critics, and the public approached American art for over 200 years. The displays explore the limitations of visual art as a means of understanding United States history and culture, while incorporating stories that weren’t always included in historical American art. 

The updated galleries will include several pieces from the museum’s beloved contemporary collection including works by Thornton Dial, Kara Walker, and Joan Mitchell, juxtaposed with historical objects. While the majority of this installation is currently comprised of work by artists with European heritage, this installation is a first step in telling more inclusive stories. 

Sharing new stories means changing how we work and whose voices we include in the museum. As part of the reimagining of these galleries, the Indianapolis Museum of Art decenters the traditional curatorial voice and includes voices of people with various lived experiences. In order to accomplish this, staff reached out to several individuals from the Indianapolis area to create content around the artworks on display. While the updated interpretation brings in historical stories, the group—collectively calling themselves Looking Glass Alliance participants—brings both historic and contemporary experiences not previously told at the IMA. 

Kevin James Wilson, Freedom, Prismacolor pencils on black matteboard, 19 × 24 in. Courtesy of the Artist. © Kevin James Wilson. 

The Truth of Freedom & The Language of Race 
June 1–July 16 
Waller Gallery 
Free for members and guests / Advance tickets are not required  
Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating the emancipation of all enslaved people on June 19, 1865, after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was enforced in Galveston, Texas, almost two years following its issue. 

One hundred and fifty-eight years later, with the truth of history challenged, and the contentious discussions of critical race theory, how can art contribute to the conversation of racial justice? How do we explore the hidden or lingering meanings of words, or confront the unspeakable? How can art empower truth in our language and expressions?  

There are many hidden truths to freedom. The Truth of Freedom & The Language of Race uses bold and colorful collages and paintings, striking portraits, poignant scenes, and powerful displays of text and graphics to explore how race is talked about and taught. How it is constructed, misconstructed, and reclaimed. The works of art in the exhibition are by 27 local Black artists and are a creative response to the language of race. They give a voice to the unspoken. 

Installation view of Artists Among Us, December 8, 2022–May 21, 2023. Artworks © their respective creators.    

Artists Among Us 
June 23, 2023–March 24, 2024 
DeBoest Lecture Hall Hallway 
Free for members and public / Advance tickets not required 

Newfields is proud to present Artists Among Us the ongoing exhibition of artwork by our incredibly talented team members. A wide range of media and styles are present in Artists Among Us, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures, as well as textile arts, found objects, and the written word. The diverse materials and approaches reflect the breadth and depth of the exceptional minds at Newfields.   

Artists Among Us is an opportunity for you to get to know us, who we are and what makes us tick, beyond our work bringing life to exhibitions, programs, and festivals at Newfields. 

April Bey (Bahamian, b. 1987), Atlantican Archives: A Group of Beyoncés Founded Earth Feminism, 2021, digitally printed and woven blanket with hand-sewn “African” Chinese knockoff wax fabric, 80 × 60 × 1/4 in. Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, In memory of David A. Garrett and Deloris Brink Garrett, 2022.30 © April Bey. 

The Message is the Medium: Contemporary Art 
July 21, 2023–2024 
Included with general admission and free for members  

The long-awaited contemporary exhibition The Message is the Medium: Contemporary Art opens this summer featuring contemporary pieces from the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s permanent collection. Several of the most beloved works from the collection will be on display including Robert Rauschenberg’s Sling Shots Lit #3, James Turrell’s Acton, and Nam June Paik’s recently conserved Who’s Your Tree. Exciting new acquisitions will join old favorites including a textile piece by April Bey titled Atlantican Archives: A Group of Beyoncés Founded Earth Feminism created using digital printing techniques. 

The Message is the Medium traces the evolution of contemporary art history from the early 20th century through today, with an emphasis on experimental works beyond painting and sculpture. Guests will see how contemporary artists innovate with new media, expanding the possibilities of art beyond historical categories.   

The exhibition embraces the boundary-pushing spirit of contemporary art and will delight guests from the casual viewer to fanatics of the contemporary collection at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The exhibition will be on view in the Allen Whitehill Clowes Special Exhibition Space through 2024.  

The Message is the Medium: Contemporary Art is curated by Michael Vetter, PhD, Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at Newfields. 

Rendering of THE LUME Indianapolis courtesy of Grande Experiences. 

THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Van Gogh 
Tickets on sale to members June 1 / June 6 to the public 
Member & Community Partner Day on June 30 / Opens to the public on July 1  
THE LUME Indianapolis 

You asked, we listened. THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Van Gogh is back by popular demand for a limited time only. 30,000 square feet of iconic post-Impressionist work will once again dance in vivid color on Floor 4 of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.  

New this Gogh round, experience the artists’ work on a deeper level than ever before. Get up close and personal with eight Japanese woodblock prints from the IMA’s permanent collection, a few of which Van Gogh’s owned himself, and all of which influenced his work. And the brand-new Sunflower Room will be the photo op of the season. You’ll glow surrounded by seemingly endless fields of sunny flowers.  

Expect a few of your old favorites, including the charming Café Lumière that will serve up thematic bites and festive French sips. The Gogh Play activity space will boast a life-sized diorama of Van Gogh’s picturesque Bedroom in Arles. Step inside and make yourself at home. Complete your trip with a visit to The Shoppe where you can find the perfect keepsake to take home.  

Tickets Gogh on sale to members Thursday, June 1 at 11 AM and to the public on Tuesday, June 6 at 11 AM. 

Anicka Yi (South Korean, b. 1971), The Postnatal Egg, 2023, kelp, acrylic, aquazol, glycerin, crepeline, LED, animatronic insect, dimensions variable. Commissioned by the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. © Anicka Yi.