Two kinds of fun, found art in Fountain Square
On June 7, we are partnering with iMOCA and SmallBox with support from LUNA to bring the We Buy White Albums by Rutherford Chang and The Opposite of Lost by Nathaniel Russell exhibits at iMOCA. The opening reception runs from 6-11 p.m.and the show is up through July 20. Check out the event page here.
More details: New York-based Chang’s exhibit, We Buy White Albums, began by his interest in exhaustive cataloguing. Chang has collected over 761 first-pressings of the Beatles’ White Album. He considers the serialized first-press, an edition running in excess of 3 million, to be the ultimate collector’s item, and aims to amass as many copies as possible. Chang created an archive, listening library, and anti-store to house and grow his collection of the Beatles’ iconic record. Chang will bring to Indianapolis a record store that stocks only White Albums. But rather than selling the albums, he will buy more from anyone willing to part with an original pressing in any condition. Visitors will be invited to browse the collection and listen to the records. The exhibit made its debut recently at Recess in New York. Watch a video here.
Indianapolis artist Nathaniel Russell, who had two solo shows with us at Big Car Gallery over the years and is currently creating public art for Service Center, brings his ongoing fake fliers project to iMOCA. Something he has been working on for a few years, these are fliers that are sometimes posted in public (by Nat and others all over the world) and are funny, surprising and touching. A zine of the fliers and prints will be available for purchase. Nat was recently featured in Juxtapoz magazine. Check out the event here.
Join us for tons of fun & tunes in June
All month: Registration now open this year’s Indianapolis 48 Hour Film Project. Now you and your team can make a film in 48 hours and show it that week to a welcoming crowd! Production is Aug. 2-4 with screenings on Aug. 10 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
All month: We’re working on Fun Fleet, our new project in the neighborhoods of the 46235 zip code on the Far Eastside. Learn more here.
June 8: From noon to 5 p.m., one block of East Washington Street (near the intersection with Rural) will be completely transformed into a public space for people, and you’re invited to make it a vibrant block. The local Better Block project is organized by Englewood CDC with lots of partners, including Big Car. Experience the block as it’s transformed from its current configuration of five traffic lanes and vacant lots into a space for people, bikes, transit, local shops and artists. Learn more here.
June 10: Have a big idea? Want to share if for a shot at being a speaker at TEDxIndianapolis in October? This year’s theme is Mix it Up and we’re looking for big ideas worth sharing. Last chance to submit is June 10. Do so here.
June 12: ThingNY / Derek Johnson / Skything at Service Center at 7:30 p.m. Catch a combo of locally-made experimental grooves and a national mini political opera that’s stopping in Indy as well a s Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta. Composer and electric guitarist Derek Johnson plugs in solo on some of the hippest composers of the day. Skything (aka John Collins McCormick) takes your noises and light and turns them into improv sound. And, go on a madly sane political jag with the Election Tour for a Stranger America. The theatrical new music duo thingNY presents an absurdly titled work. Pay-what-you-can.
June 15: More than 60 people enjoyed our Southside Stroll Jane Jacobs Walk on her birthday in early May. Our friends are doing another in Woodruff Place at 10 a.m. on June 15. Find out details and sign up here.
June 15: at 4 p.m. at Service Center, join us for Tasting Success – stories from restaurant entrepreneurs in the Lafayette Square Area. This project showcases immigrant restaurant owners inthis diverse area of Indianapolis. Get the story from interviews and taste food from Abyssinia, Guatelinda, Saigon, India Palace, and more.
June 15: at 7 p.m. Big Car and NOPAL jump start the summer season with Summer Flavorz. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, we patiently awaited the Paletero Man on our porches and lawns, listening to the radio and and for his ringing bells. Summer Flavorz pays homage to the senses that made our summers memorable with our vintage-inspired lineup. There’s Mannish Boy who fuses his childhood inspirations of psychedelic rock and hip-hop into a genre that is purely his own. Then there’s Fastidio one of few Indy based Latino punk bands whose music transcends language barriers. The Icks and their tantalizing drum machine will have you moving with their unique fusion of punk and dance. Sorry Joint rounds out the group with their vintage garage inspired sounds reminiscent of the radio fuzz from our early years. Summer Flavorz is the soundtrack to the long summer ahead of us. Kick it off with four cool bands on one hot night!
Drop by and see us soon Service Center!
Big Car Service Center Garden from Craftedspoon on Vimeo.
Service Center for Culture and Community is always open Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for hanging out and getting creative, feeding the chickens, perusing the library, using the computer lab with free wi-fi, and participating in creative projects. Service Center is located at 3819 Lafayette Rd. on the west side — in front of Shopper’s World and across Lafayette Road from Arby’s. Watch the bigcar.org schedule, e-blasts, Facebook and Twitter for the news of other special events at Service Center.
Check out this excellent national coverage in The Atlantic Cities here and Idiom here. See detailed coverage of Big Car and Service Center in the Indianapolis Business Journal here. Also read an excellent story from the Central Indiana Community Foundation about Service Center and Big Car here and another by Indiana Humanities here.
Saying YES to fun in our public spaces
Big Car: Creativity, Culture and Community from Big Car on Vimeo.
Big Car is excited to help invigorate our public spaces: parks, city squares, the Canal, The Cultural Trail, White River State Park. We’re working to raise $20,000 over the course of 2012. Please join us in saying Yes to helping make fun and innovative things happen in our city.
Want to know more about Big Car?
In 2013 Big Car is busy with several citywide efforts including organizing TEDxIndianapolis and participating in collective projects like Reconnecting to Our Waterways.