The Public Collection is a new literacy and public art project that consists of free book-borrowing stations throughout downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Each Public Collection station was designed by an artist or design team and installed in a community space in the Fall of 2015. The project was developed by Rachel Simon and it is funded by the Herbert Simon Family Foundation. Books are provided by the Indianapolis Public Library. Art Strategies assisted the project partners in crafting a vision and mission statement, schedule, and budget. Art Strategies managed artist selection, project proposals, the execution of commission agreements and site owner agreements, fabrication, and installation.
Photo of the public dedication ceremony by Charlie Nye for the Indianapolis Star.
Click here to visit the full project website.
Watch a video of the public dedication ceremony here.
Examples of TPC in the News:
New book-sharing stations launch in Indianapolis, by the Associated Press on Friday, August 28, 2015
The Public Collection featured in IndyStar on August 28th, 2015.
The Public Collection featured in Architect’s Newspaper on September 9th, 2015.
Nine Artist-Designed Miniature Book Sharing Libraries Appear in Indianapolis, by Christopher Jobson on October 19, 2015.
The Public Collection featured on Inhabitat on November 6th, 2015.
Table of Contents, 2015 by Stuart Hyatt and S+Ca
Reclaimed wood, electronics
11 x 15 x 8 feet
Location: Horizon House, a daytime homeless shelter
Read more about "Table of Contents" here.
Check out more work by Stuart Hyatt and S+Ca.
Learn about the amazing work done at Horizon House.
Topiary, 2015 by Eric Nordgulen
Painted steel, acrylic plastic, 45 feet long
Location: Indianapolis Cultural Trail
Learn more about Eric's project here.
Nautilus, 2015 by Katie Hudnall
Plywood, reclaimed wood, wood, fasteners & hardware, plexiglass, paint, ink, dye, lacquer, wax with two ink on paper drawings framed in wood by the artist
Console: 64 x 120 x 24 inches, Drawings: 26 x 36 inches each
Location: Eskenazi Health
Learn more about Katie's project by clicking here.
See more of Katie's amazing work on her website.
Table of Contents provides our most vulnerable neighbors with comfortable and inviting pavilions for reading and listening to audio books. The project was conceived and designed in direct collaboration with the “neighbors” of Horizon House who are experiencing homelessness. The structures were fabricated off site but were assembled and finished on site with the help of the Horizon House community, providing temporary employment to a group of neighbors.
Photo by Charlie Nye for the Indianapolis Star.
Artist Stuart Hyatt and architects Josh Coggeshall and Janice Shimizu (S+Ca) sit with some of the "neighbors" that were hired to build their project.
Table of Contents is a two part installation. This image shows the installation in the kids and mothers room at Horizon House. Children and their mother's may access literature while seeking assistance with the challenges of homelessness.
Created by Stuart Hyatt and S+Ca.
Fissure, 2019, By Owens + Crawley
Aluminum, acrylic, LED components, and vinyl
7 x 10 x 8 feet
Location: Outside the Atheneum on New Jersey Street
Learn more about the project by clicking here.
The Mind Sails, 2019, by Atsu Kpotufe
Foam, fiberglass, and plexiglass
30 x 30 feet
Learn more about the installation here.
Play Station, 2015 by LaShawnda Crowe Storm
Mixed media
48 x 39 x 17 inches
Location: Indianapolis Museum of Art
Read more about "Play Station" by clicking here.
Visit the artist's website here.
Evolution of Reading, 2015, by Kimberly McNeelan (MFA candidate at the Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI)
Western Red Cedar, steel, polycarbonate
12 x 7.5 x 7.5 feet
Location: White River State Park
Read more about the "Evolution of Reading" book share station here.
Click here to visit Kimberly's website.
The answer is in the question, 2015 by Phil O'Malley
Painted wood
78 x 36 x 42 inches
Location: Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center
Learn more about the project here.
See more of Phil's artwork by visiting his website here.
Cool Books, Food For Thought, 2015 by Tom Torluemke
Fabricated in collaboration with master woodworker, Michael Harrigan of Architectural Accents, Munster, IN
Wood
78 x 36 x 28 inches
Location: Indianapolis Museum of Art
Click here to read more about this project.
Explore Tom's artistic practice by visiting his website here.