User:Kchattin/The Herron Arch 1

The Herron Arch 1
The Herron Arch 1, a public sculpture by American artist James Wille Faust, is located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus, which is near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The sculpture is located at the corner of New York and Blackford Streets, the north-east corner of the Herron School of Art and Design. Faust, an alumnus of Herron, created the twenty-foot tall, vividly colored aluminum sculpture for Herron's eighteen month long Public Sculpture Invitational. Installed on May 2, 2005, "The Herron Arch 1" as well as fourteen additional sculptures included in the invitational, was part of the public grand opening of the Herron School of Art and Design's new home on IUPUI's campus.

Sculpture Description
Over thirty geometricly shaped pieces of painted steel make up The Herron Arch 1. This twenty foot tall sculpture is vividly painted using an air brush technique. From the proper front and proper back of the sculpture, the viewer sees a mostly black and white structure. However, from the proper left and proper right of the sculpture, the view sees a wide variety of vivid color. The sculpture is painted in a geometric pattern on all sides. There is a signature and a date on the proper left side of the sculpture.

Sculpture Information
The Herron Arch 1 was one of fifteen sculptures placed on the grounds of the new Herron School of Art and Design during the first ever Public Sculpture Invitational. The invitational lasted eighteen months, and initially, this piece was the only permanent sculpture of the group. Since the removal of the invitational works, two others have become permanent fixtures on the Herron grounds: Anatomy Vessels by Eric Nordgulen and Torso Fragment by Casey Eckridge.

Artist
James Wille Faust, an Indianapolis resident, was born in 1949 in Lapel, Indiana. He earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts in sculpture from the Herron School of Art and Design in 1971 and a Masters of Fine Arts in painting from the University of Illinois in 1974.

Faust's vivid paintings have earned him praise throughout his carreer. His use of the airbrush is both unique and captivating.

"I love the graduations of color that you can get with an airbrush" - James Wille Faust, Indianapolis Star, April 29,2007.

In 1992, Faust received national recognition when his work was included in the Absolute Art Collection sponsored by Absolut Vodka. For the award winning "Absolut Statehood" campaign, Faust created "Absolut Indiana" in an effort to capture the spirit of the state. Faust also served on the N.A.S.A. Art Team for the "Mission to Planet Earth" project from 1992-1993.

"In the end I'm making stuff. That's what I do." - James Wille Faust, Indianapolis Star, Feb. 21,2003.

Location History
The Herron Arch 1 was commissioned by the Herron School of Art and Design to stand on the north-east corner of the school's property. This is the south west corner of the New York Street and Blackford Street intersection. Since it's initial installation, the sculpture has not been moved. The sculpture is visible on Google Street View.

Condition
Overall, The Herron Arch 1 is in very good condition.

Minor Condition Issues:


 * Debris has gathered in the joints of the work.
 * Paint has chipped along the exterior edges of the steel.

Major Condition Issues:


 * The plaque, located at the East corner of the base, is in a serious state of disrepair. It seems an adhesive paper was used to adhere the sculpture information to the base and this paper is damaged to the point that the information is nearly indecipherable.