Indianapolis Art Center Offers New Exhibit Centered On the Human Figure
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At the Indianapolis Art Center, a new exhibit focusing on the human body opened on February 21 and will continue until April 8. “Body Building: The Art of the Human Figure” is a national juried exhibition featuring over 50 artists across multiple states, and includes a variety of artistic mediums.
According to Jo Banister, exhibition programs manager for the Indianapolis Art Center, the exhibit focuses on new and innovative work related to the human figure. Figure drawings and portrait paintings have been a part of human history for ages, and Banister is excited to feature artwork that involves a fresh view of the human body.
“We’re trying to go beyond the literal depiction of the human body and really get into artwork that examines concepts surrounding the body – marginalization, femininity, things like that,” Banister says. “We’re trying to get beyond that traditional sense of figure drawing.”
The Indianapolis Art Center typically markets to artists over 18 years old all around the U.S., and encourages artists to submit their work for review. After the submission process, Kyle Herrington, director of exhibitions and events at the Indianapolis Art Center, reviews each submission and makes selections to create a diverse and cohesive show. Herrington serves as curator for the “Body Building” exhibit.
The exhibit staff began with over 600 submissions and had to whittle that number down to 54 featured artists. Banister feels the open-call process for submissions works better than actively seeking out artwork, as it brings in many artists that the staff might not have otherwise known about.
The exhibit includes a piece called “Body Felt” fashioned out of felt that the artist, Lauren Darpel, cut to her own height. The piece features text throughout to express various experiences the artist has had with her body, and various thoughts she has about different aspects of herself. Banister appreciates that the exhibit pieces highlight issues and experiences people have with their own bodies, and that people might relate to those experiences through viewing the artwork.
“I think people should visit this exhibit because it is something that is so relatable,” Banister says. “Everybody has a body. The exhibit allows you to see not only yourself reflected – the issues you’ve gone through, things that you’ve dealt with – but it allows you to see what other people are dealing with, and what other people think about.”
“Body Building: The Art of the Human Figure” is free and open to the public, and will be on display until April 8, 2020. For more information on the Indianapolis Art Center including exhibition details, classes, membership and more, visit indplsartcenter.org.
