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Here at the Azzurra building, where I live in Los Angeles, each residential level is dedicated to a different artist -- every floor is transformed into its own private gallery -- and my floor is dedicated to the works of Andy Warhol. Warhol's first one-man art gallery exhibition as a fine artist was here in Los Angeles on July 9, 1962 in the Ferus Gallery. That exhibition marked the West Coast debut of pop art.

It was during the 60s that Warhol began painting iconic American products such as Campbell's Soup cans and Coca-Cola bottles, as well as painting celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Mohammed Ali, Elizabeth Taylor and others.

As a long time Andy Warhol fan (and collector: I have a Warhol "Wooden Nickel" print), I'm excited about this fall's exhibition of more than 100 Warhol works, called "Andy Warhol Enterprises", which will be on display from October 10th through January 2nd, 2011 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Congratulations to Max Anderson and his superb team for bringing this world-class exhibition to our city.


Image Above: "Andy Warhol Dollar Sign", copyright and all rights reserved by the Andy Warhol Foundation.

Video Below: Indianapolis Museum of Art lively video of upcoming activities at The Toby this Spring.

 
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A remarkable development on the Indianapolis near-Eastside, specifically on the Tech High School campus, should produce huge benefits for that neighborhood, the entire near-Eastside, and the city of Indianapolis.

The amazing new community center and related improvements, which will total about $11.2 million, will be a massive shot in the arm for that side of downtown.

You can read more about this incredible Super Bowl project on the Urban Times online website, as well as on WTHR's website.

 
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My friend, John Herbst, the CEO of the Indiana Historical Society, has been getting a lot of press lately around the remarkable job that he and his team have done to literally transform the presentation of Indiana's history.

Their new programs -- The Indiana Experience -- include "Destination Indiana" and "You Are There", both of which masterfully use existing technology along with stunning new technology to bring history alive in electrifying ways.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I'm a board member of the Indiana Historical Society and am more than a little overwhelmed and excited about how fantastic these new developments have turned out. Without a doubt, the changes that John and his team have brought to the Historical Society building have turned the presentation of history upside down! I urge all my friends and readers to consider spending a morning or afternoon at the History Center, on the Canal in downtown Indianapolis, where you'll literally be blown away by what you find.

Given that I'm obviously more than a little bit biased, I thought I'd post just a tidbit of the recent publicity that these new exhibits have been getting as the media has gotten a peek at the spectacular new programs just unleashed a few weeks ago.

Take a minute to read these news articles and see what has so many people talking. Then bring your friends and family downtown -- and park for free in the History Center lot -- to experience it for yourselves.

And, by the way, after you've experienced what the Indiana Historical Society has done thus far, get ready for even more exciting technological wizardry still to come later this year! You'll be even more blown away! I guarantee it.



NOTE: Visit the History Center's website, here, for complete details, schedules and other useful information to plan your visit.

Images below are recent news reports about the new History Center's exhibits. Just click on them to enlarge and read.

Video is CBS WISH TV report that takes you inside for a quick teaser of what to expect.

 
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I'm anxious to get back to Indianapolis for any number of reasons, but the installation of a stunning sculpture at the new Marriott Place, in downtown Indianapolis, is close to the top of my list.

Just a short 10 minute walk from my downtown home, the Marriott Place -- a complex that includes the new high-rise JW Marriott and two smaller hotels -- sits between White River State Park and downtown Indianapolis, across the street from Bush Stadium, and is a beautiful new addition to our city.

The sculpture is featured in the multimillion-dollar plaza which was designed by Claire Bennett Associates (Claire Bennet did the design for the two green spaces outside my home), and was designed by Jeff Laramore of 2nd Globe Studios.

It took six months of cutting, shaping, and welding -- by Linell Signature of Mooresville, Indiana -- to fabricate this stunning sculpture out of 15,000 pounds of steel and 15,000 pounds of aluminum, all of which is covered in 22 gallons of colored paint, 7 gallons of primer, and 12 gallons of clear coat.

Kudos to the brilliant design skills of Jeff Laramore and his wonderful Young and Laramore firm, as well as to friend Paul Knapp, who's been the CEO of Young and Laramore for more years than I can remember.

Thanks, also, to White Lodging Services and REI Real Estate Services for an outstanding job bringing this new hotel complex to our downtown during one of the worst financial environments this nation has ever seen.  Special thanks to Dean White and his son Bruce White, for a job well done -- especially for the $5.4 million donation to promote Indianapolis' tourism and convention business, recently made from the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation Inc.

More information can be found in today's Indianapolis Star, here, on the IBJ website, here, and in this wonderful video by WISH TV, here.

Note: photo of the unveiled sculpture at the Marriott Place (above)courtesy Gary Moore/The Star, below, courtesy Young and Laramore 



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