By Mark Ambrogi
The Indiana Association of United Ways is hoping its Bison-Tennial Public Art Project approaches a stampede down the stretch.
The legacy project is designed to celebrate Indiana’s 200th birthdate by decorating a 5-foot fiberglass bison. The goal is to have at least one completed in each of the 92 counties by the end of May.
Each bison will be on display along the Bicentennial Torch Relay, running from Sept. 9 through Oct. 15, leading up to Bicentennial Statehood Day Dec. 11.
“We are excited that we currently have bison being planned in over 50 of our 92 Indiana counties,” said Heather Davis, Bicentennial Projects Coordinator for IAUW. “As more and more Hoosier hear about the project, the excitement about this first-ever statewide public art project grows exponentially.”
Davis said there has not been a group or individual to commit to designing a bison for Hamilton or Boone Co. There are two set for Marion Co.
“We have attempted to identify project leads in each county to facilitate the coordination of local sponsors and artists,” Davis said. “We couldn’t be more thrilled that all of the artists in our current participating counties are local to that county.”
The response has been impressive, Davis said.
“We are seeing a fantastic array of artists being involved in this project: from young amateur artists getting their name out there, to local school art classes and even a nationally acclaimed artist who has been featured at the Smithsonian,” she said. “This is exceeding our dreams of highlighting not just each county’s history and contributions to our great state of Indiana, but also the amazing artistic talent we possess statewide.”
Davis said the bison are expected to be completed by the goal of Memorial Day.
“We expect there may be a few stragglers based on each county’s individual plans for the bison,” she said.
Davis said her organization is coordinating production of the bison with a U.S. vendor and facilitating all deliveries upon their completion.
For more, visit indianabisonart.org.
