Big Car is teaming with Circle City Property Management & Development, Halstead Architects, and Fall Creek Place Home Owners Association to commission two Indianapolis-based artists for a mural on the Citizens Park Apartments parking garage. The building is proposed to contain 38 residential units with 33 affordable units for those who make 60% or less of the area’s median income.
In the summer of 2022, we worked with a committee of residents of Fall Creek Place on the review and selection of the artists. Our goals for this project are to convey the locale’s sense of place while working openly with the community on decisions of representation and the design of the public artwork.
Selected artists Dr. Jarrod Dortch and Tiffany Black will design the large-scale installation coming soon to College Avenue in 2023. For several weeks, Dortch and Black will host community events to gather input and participation in the design process as they create community-specific artwork that reflects the history and dynamic energy of the Fall Creek Place neighborhood. Visit https://www.tblack.co/fall-creek-place to learn more, participate, and stay up to date on the project.
Dr. Jarrod Nicholas Dortch is a community artist. The work Dortch creates is what one could do themselves, and this is the art of it. Guiding others and motivating them to create is what makes Dortch’s art so personal and so public. His medium is what the world provides, and from it, he provides prompts for discourse. Dortch is a small part of a movement of Black artists and curators who are hosting exhibits and creating work that shines a light on Black culture with an emphasis on placemaking and community. His most recent project “Snuggy Bear Presents…” was created as another pathway to further disrupt the status quo of contemporary and fine art. With roots in art, community, and education, Dortch is leveraging these disciplines to help promote personal and communal growth.
Tiffany Black’s approach to art-making revolves around creating spaces. She creates murals and other large-scale works with strong consideration of the physical impact on the viewer, and surrounding community. Black’s approach considers the history of a place, how the space is used, and those who inhabit or pass through it. Through her public artworks, she incorporates concepts of inner transformation, natural cycles, and connectivity. As a Community Artist, she moves through her studio the same way she moves through life: with the belief that we are all connected, and we are here for each other.
If you are a Fall Creek Place resident or community member interested in getting involved, here’s your chance! Join selected artists for the following events:
Meet The Artists Tuesday, Nov. 22 from 6-8pm
Virtual Walking Tour with former resident, Bashiri Asad Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 6-8pm
Let’s Make Art! Thursday, Dec. 15 from 6-8pm
* All events will be held from 6-8pm at Grace Apostolic Church, 649 22nd St, Indianapolis, IN 46202.
