INDIANAPOLIS — Through a partnership with Williams Creek Management and funded by the Kresge Foundation, Reconnecting to Our Waterways worked with local artists and community members to create three rest stops — places that give people a chance to pause and see the power of art and the beauty of Pogue’s Run on the east side.
Pogue’s Run waterway starts in the eastside of Indianapolis and winds its way to the heart of the city, where it is beneath some of the most recognizable places in Indianapolis, such as Lucas Oil Stadium and Banker’s Life Fieldhouse. The story of Pogue’s Run, in particular the waterway’s namesake George Pogue, has always been one of mystery, starting with the disappearance of Pogue in the early 1800s and the later disappearance of the waterway through downtown as a result of flooding and city development. In more recent years, residents and organizations alike have taken steps to enhance, develop and uncover the waterways that run through Indianapolis, including the forgotten Pogue’s Run waterway.
Williams Creek serves as co-project manager for the Pogue’s Run waterway as part of the Reconnecting to Our Waterways (ROW) initiative in Indianapolis. The efforts of ROW, community members, organizations, technical leaders, and businesses look to enhance the quality and connectivity of our waterways through art, nature and beauty.
The new sites are a result of a grant project called “Pogue’s Run Rest Stops: A Reason to Pause.” Funded by the Kresge Foundation, these rest stops — one in the Cottage Home neighborhood, one in Spades Park, and one at Paramount School of Excellence — focus on the development of the waterway and community through sculptural, programmatic and educational art.
In order to have art, one needs an artist, or in this case, multiple artists. Enter Eric Nordgulen, Cottage Home resident, local professional artist and instructor at Herron School of Art and Design. To develop the artwork for each location, Nordgulen, who has done multiple public projects in the city, was determined to not only showcase local professional artists, but also involve the students at Herron and give them an opportunity to see the process of creating and developing public art. In order to choose the artists that would be represented, Nordgulen and fellow Herron instructors Greg Hull and Emily Stergar held a competition where students needed to create models that related to the themes of ROW, such as environmental issues, community development and history. Each student visited the three designated areas, designed their pieces and then presented to various local organizations to receive feedback on their ideas. From those initial 14, six students were chosen to develop their art for installation along the banks of Pogue’s Run.
Bridges, installed at the Cottage Home Rest Stop, was created by Herron student Martin Beach and symbolizes connection, whether that is with each other, with communities, or with our surroundings.
Located in Spades Park, A History of Magic in the Midwest: Pogue’s Run by Herron student Bobby Gilbreath highlights the mystery and stories surrounding Pogue’s Run in Indianapolis.
Set on the hill of the Paramount School of Excellence Rest Stop sits Blocks, created by Herron professor Emily Stergar. Each piece was built was earth dredged from the White River and reflects the consistent course of Pogue’s Run over time.
Located in the Cottage Home Rest Stop, Herron student Ryan Johnston designed Ebb and Flow to express the waterway’s movement, in particular Pogue’s Run changes in volume at this location.
Floral Excerpts, present at the Paramount School of Excellence Rest Stop, was designed by Herron student Alyx Kopie and uses a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, “The earth laughs in flowers.”
Grid Currents, created by Herron student Kevin Bielicki, is located in Spades Park and is inspired by the aerial view of Pogue’s Run and its intersection with people and the park.
Herron student R.A. Buys’ sculpture Indy Curves is suspended from the trees at the Paramount School of Excellence Rest Stop to encourage visitors to look up and reflect on their surroundings.
Stone Lantern, featured here in Spades Park, is present at each rest stop. Created by Herron School of Art and Design professor Greg Gull, the sculpture examines the connection between the visitor and the waterway.
The final phase of art installations will include work from local students from Arsenal Tech. Nordgulen reached out to two contacts at the eastside high school to share the idea of getting the art students involved with the neighborhood and rest stops project. Come October, the goal is to have a piece at both the Cottage Home and Spades Park locations.
For more information on ROW and their work in the community, please visit ourwaterways.org.
