story by GLENDA WINDERS
Terre Haute has you covered if it’s public art you’re looking for. But keep your eye on the time. So many murals, art walks, and outdoor statues are yours to take in, and the day might disappear before you can do anything else. You’ll find many of them in the 41/40 Arts and Cultural District, recognized by the Indiana Arts Commission in 2018, so that might be a good place to start.
Located in the historic downtown area and close to the Wabash River, the district got its name because it is literally at the crossroads of America where U.S. Highways 40 and 41 — Seventh Street and Wabash Avenue — intersect. It includes downtown, the brewery section, and the Indiana State University campus.
A visit to the Swope Art Gallery, which houses pieces by such artists as Andy Warhol, Thomas Hart Benton, Edward Hopper, and Grant Wood in the permanent collection, is a must. But if your stay doesn’t allow for an afternoon’s browse or the museum happens to be closed when you’re there, you can still enjoy the mural painted on the building’s north outside wall. This depiction by James Shepherd of the paintings and sculpture inside will have you almost thinking you’ve been there.
Thirty-plus murals like this one cover subjects that range from sporty to serious, humorous to historic, and are painted with topics like politics, music, pop culture, and famous people. Look for the 1979 Sports Illustrated cover by Terre Haute-based artist Becky Hochhalter, for example, that celebrates hometown basketball legend Larry Bird. “Team of Mercy,” also by Hochhalter, points out the importance of providing compassion and support to anyone with mental health issues. The IN Indiana mural by Shayla Fish spotlights places in Terre Haute such as Federal Coffee, the courthouse, and the casino, leaving some of the pictures unpainted so that viewers can fill them in by imagining their own adventures.
Other pieces look back at history, such as the signing of the Magna Carta by Frederick Webb Ross. This one is inside the Scott College of Business on the Indiana State campus, so you’ll need to pop in to have a look. Even if you don’t go inside, the Art Deco building itself is worth your consideration. It was originally built in 1934 as a public works project to serve as a post office and federal courthouse.
Two murals honor U.S. armed services members. “U.S. Military from WWI to Present” by James Shepherd is positioned alongside another by Hochhalter, “Never Forget: Honoring Fallen Soldiers.” The tree representing Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College reminds passersby to treasure our natural surroundings, and the CASY mural by Jerome Goff is a tribute to Juneteenth and African American history and culture. “Eva’s Garden,” dedicated to Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor, another of Hochhalter’s gems, is outside at the CANDLES Holocaust Museum.
When you’re ready to move on, the Sculpture Trail is your next stop. Curated by the Wabash Valley Art Spaces, this trail will take you all through the city and beyond. Start with “Flame of the Millennium” on the campus of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. This is an uplifting piece by Leonardo Nieman from Mexico City, whose education in physics, mathematics, and the
psychology of color has informed his artistic style. The figure’s stainless-steel surfaces reflect the wading pool beneath it to create colorful entertainment for passersby.
On the Indiana State campus is “ISU Sphere” by Brandon Zebold. Perched on an embedded granite boulder, the giant ball made of Corten (weathering) steel represents both continuity and change. The symbols on the piece depict life on the campus and in the surrounding city.
Brand-new this summer is “A View From the Porch” at Deming Park, created by Puerto Rican artist Reinaldo Correa Diaz. The monument honors the Lost Creek Settlement, which was made up of free African Americans who made their homes there in the early 19th century. Not to miss for book-lovers is “Dreiser: Shadows of Meaning,” by Jeanine Centuori and Russell Rock, which celebrates the author of “Sister Carrie” and “An American Tragedy” who was born here. Watch as the shifting sun and your position relative to the sculpture produce quotes from his books as shadows on the ground.
At the southern entrance to the arts trail is Sally Rogers’ “Gatekeeper,” a delightful merger of stainless steel and Dakota mahogany granite that welcomes visitors to the city.
If all this walking has made you a bit weary, why not settle in for a concert at The Mill, an outdoor amphitheater set amid natural surroundings? This summer you can catch popular entertainers and groups such as the Marshall Tucker Band, Alabama and ZZ Top.
Or maybe you’re famished but still not ready to go inside. In that case, wrap up your day back at the arts district, where several happening restaurants offer patio dining. Among your many options are The Tree House, M. Mogger’s Brewery Restaurant and Pub, Charlie’s Pub and Grub, the Afterburner Brewing Co., the Copper Bar, and Sonka Irish Pub.
