The time we spent was filled with sessions, preparing for our own presentation, keeping up with IMA work and seeing what the city had to offer.  We did a lot of everything despite the inevitable jetlag.  A 12 hour time difference is a doozie.

Nonetheless, we made the most of it.  Of all the sessions we attended I found the last one to be the most compelling.  It was a lecture by Khairul Azril Ismail called Pudu Jail�??s Graffiti: Aesthetics Beyond the Walls of the Prison Cells.

The presentation had two main ideas: documenting the graffiti of the Pudu Jail in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and studying it to determine its cultural and historical meaning.  Built in 1895, the institution had a reputation for cruelty and is an example of architecture that is vanishing from the Malaysian town.  The site is currently slated for destruction.

K. Azril Ismail presented a brief overview of the jail’s history and then presented some of his haunting photographs.  The black and white photos (give this link some time to load) document graffiti, architecture, vacant spaces and the memory of the people that passed through them.

His photos have captured a wide variety of graffiti, (the literal sense, not in the urban, underground style you might think of) and the second half of his talk was devoted to analyzing, sorting and categorizing the text and images left behind on the walls.  Their work struggles to make sense of images created by motivations that all human beings share as well as others that few experience.  And K. Azril Ismail continues this project despite considerable personal risk, a fact that he has seemingly suppressed with his dedication to the project.

Immediately following this presentation was the session Daniel and I led, Cramming Aesthetics, Art Appreciation & Education into a Fun Museum Experience.  Our talk focused on the exhibition, Nature Holds My Camera: The Video Art of Sam Easterson.

We shared the ways in which we worked with educators, exhibition and graphic designers, the artist and others to juggle a variety of goals.  Primarily we wanted to offer visitors a unique, fun and memorable trip to the museum that would also teach us something about how visitors participate in their own art viewing experience.  Those in attendance at ISEA seemed interested in the project and some even stayed after to ask Daniel and I more questions and get more info about IMA.  Of course we also took this public opportunity to run through IMA stuff on Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, iTunes U and the IMA Blog.  How could we resist?!?

And of course, we saw Singapore: ate a bunch of food, met with staff at the National Museum of Singapore, checked out Chinatown and Little India…discovered a new point of view.  As much as we gained from attending sessions, it felt equally invigorating as a person and as a professional to be exposed to the unfamiliar and allow the experience to overwhelm our senses.  Both creatively and academically this trip was a great success.

I recently attended the annual Perennial Plant Association Symposium held this year in Philadelphia. The first PPA Symposium I attended 14 years ago was in Philadelphia. And 17 years ago I did a one year internship in Philadelphia at the Morris Arboretum. My advisor at Purdue, Dr. Harrison Flint, said everyone in horticulture should spend some time in the Delaware Valley and since there were no job prospects it was a no-brainer as the young kids say. This is an area rich in horticultural history and filled with public gardens anyone even mildly interested in gardening should visit. Just as importantly, the profession of horticulture is respected in a way still not found in the Midwest. Of course, they have one or two hundred years on us. So it may take a few more months for us to catch up.

We visited four public gardens and several private gardens. As far as the public gardens each had some area of particular expertise. For Mount Cuba it is the native flora of the Piedmont. They have introduced several cultivars of native plants and continue to study more. They are currently running a large trial of Echinacea. I saw a very pretty ginger, Hexastylis minor �??Dixie Darling�?? and a very nice variegated form of the ubiquitous Celadine poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum.

Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College is a great place to see trees and shrubs. They have an incredible collection and horticulture isn�??t even part of their curriculum.

But the two showplaces are Longwood Gardens and Chanticleer. Longwood has long been a major player in public horticulture. Our own Mark Zelonis is a graduate of the Longwood Graduate Program, the partnership of the garden with the University of Delaware. This program leads to a MS degree in Public Horticulture and its graduates can be found at many leading institutions. Longwood is the former estate of Pierre S. du Pont and has been open to the public for decades. It is lavish in its number fountains, in its amount of gardens under glass, in its research, and in its plantings. It remains a must see. But the garden I always want to see is Chanticleer with its over-the-top plants, amazing hardscape, and high quality design work. They do things the way I would if money and history didn�??t stand in the way �?? especially the money part. My favorite areas are the ones around the main buildings. Here is where the Chanticleer staff truly shines in my opinion. Their use of tropicals and annuals is just amazing, simply incredible combinations of color and texture. Here are a few shots from there.

Yes, those are cannas in the hanging baskets. Of course they have a large overwintering greenhouse and a very nice set of cold frames. If any donors out there want to build me an overwintering greenhouse let�??s just say I�??m willing to talk (please throw in a little extra for maintenance and general operating costs, I�??m completely broke). Not that we don�??t do alright with what we have. Take a look at Jim�??s annual border by the greenhouse.

But with a greenhouse I could save a little room for growing on plants. Then maybe Chad wouldn�??t give me THAT look when I say I want to buy 72�??s. It�??s not the quantity, it�??s the fact each plant is growing in a cell just 1.5 x 2.5 inches. A little small to go straight in the ground but you don�??t get much growth in a 60 degree basement under fluorescent lights. Believe me, I tried this year.

When we get back from PPA everyone asks what was the best new plant seen. And sometimes that is an easy question and sometimes it is not. For one thing it depends on whom you ask. I go to PPA for the tropicals and annuals as much as the perennials. I usually come back with only one or two perennials but with the others �?? Katie bar the door. This year I bought very little, one perennial and five annuals/tropicals. It helped we only visited two retail establishments. I am famous for being willing to leave co-workers behind in the interest of buying more plants. Hey, it�??s not like the plants can rent a car and still get back to Indy. Since it was a perennial based trip here�??s a shot of the Geranium �??Cheryl�??s Shadow�?? I bought.

Maybe I like it so much because some sources say it�??s a zone 7 plant. The must have perennial next year is Echinacea �??Hot Papaya�??, the first double orange Echinacea.

It was only found in the trade show. Teasing me like some henna-haired wench in stilettos and leather hot-pants on Saturday night (You know who you are!)But two of the plants I saw that I really want are tropical. One is a palm, Latania lontaroides. Here are a couple shots of it at Chanticleer.

Just as a reminder, they have a greenhouse to put it in this winter. The other is an elephant ear, Alocasia macrorrhiza �??Jungle Gold�??. It�??s in the middle of this picture.

This one I can overwinter without a greenhouse so look out world.

I have to say that as I visit more and more gardens I remain thoroughly impressed with our own here at the IMA. It�??s a shame more have not discovered what a good garden we have right here in the middle of the Midwest. So come on blog readers, stop by and visit a spell. We�??ve got almost all the weeds pulled.

It took 3 flights, about 19 hours of flying time and 6 hours of airport mulling to make it here.  How does someone that works in new media stay occupied, engaged and sane on a trip like this?  The glamour of economy class, cheap wine and tasteless food can only go so far.  I�??m talking about other options �?? but with a new media twist.  So here goes �??

Think about the next big thing.  Think about nothing.  Or, think about Flickr.  I always opt for the window seat.  It allows uninterrupted moments of thought and a great view.  I love clouds and the landscape below, so in between naps, reading or thinking of the next IMA project, I take photos, lots of them.  With that in mind, check out one of my favorite flickr groups, From the Airplane Window.  You might even see some of my snaps and you�??ll think about flying differently the next time you take a flight.  And speaking of flickr, have you checked out IMA�??s latest set of images?  You should, because they�??re kind of cool.

I love planes and am happy to discuss my favorites or least favorites.  But hands down, the only plane for me is the Boeing 747.  It�??s a beautiful piece of design �?? massive but elegant, stylish and timeless.  Which of course leads me to mention IMA�??s blog �?? specifically our first guest blogger, Patrick Smith, who submitted a superb post on the 747, Pan Am, the Concorde, and the Jetliner as Art.  So �?? if you�??re stuck in an airport with your laptop and looking for something to do (other than check work e-mail), read his post, then impress the person sitting next to you on your next flight, with your new knowledge of aircraft design.

If you�??re not the chatty type, recline your seat, turn on your iPod and watch or listen to Indianapolis Museum of Art content.  Yes, you better believe it.  The IMA has its own iTunes page where you can check out some of our latest audio and video content.  And unlike airline food/drinks, our stuff is free, educational, engaging and sometimes funny.  Anyone remember the I love the A.D.�??s webisode from the Roman Art from the Louvre exhibition?  It�??s on our iTunes page.  Just click, here (make sure you have iTunes installed on your machine).

The NES practically raised me as a kid, so I still hold a special place in my heart for video games.  Recently, I�??ve given more and more thought to the role that new handheld devices can assist our visitors in a more meaningful experience.  For instance, when our Art and Nature Park opens next year, should we provide visitors with handhelds such as iPhones, PSP�??s or PDA�??s?  I don�??t know the answer to that�?�yet, but staff at the IMA are already thinking about the next innovative visitor experience.  Flying 35,000 in the air, I messed around with the Sony PSP as a possible device.  I watched our latest video with Jim Irsay and of course, played some video games �?? Lego Star Wars II being my favorite (who doesn�??t love R2D2?).  It�??s unlikely the IMA will partner with Rockstar Games to create an Art Museum Curator game, but we might just create content that will live on your PSP, iPhone/iTouch, or the next popular device.  We�??re crafty that way.

It�??s now 8:30am Monday morning (8:30pm Sunday night in Indy) and I�??m off to some conference sessions.  I would love to hear your thoughts on how to use technology when traveling.  I�??m sure I missed something.

Using the DHL shipping service, Swedish artist Erik Nordenankar brought this global idea to light by orchestrating a 55-day trip across 63 countries. His Web site explains that a sealed case containing a GPS component was sent with specific instructions for its handlers. Nordenankar claimed he created the “biggest drawing in the world” which is also a self-portrait. I was taken in by the video diary of the process.

Seem unbelievable? After numerous blogger comments, Nordenankar’s project was revealed by DHL as a hoax to the UK’s Telegraph newspaper yesterday. DHL agreed to let the artist film inside their warehouse as part of his college project but stipulated that it should go no further. After creating a pretty fascinating Web site, with evidence to support his work including DHL delivery notes and photos of the case, Nordenankar apparently forgot to put up a disclaimer that his GPS case never actually traveled anywhere. (There is now a red disclaimer located at the top of the site.)

As I watched the story unfold, my first clue to the illusion was that the cost must be unbelievable for an emerging artist, let alone a student, to set something like this up. I give credit to Nordenankar for his idea and the realm of possibilities it opens up for both serious and recreational artists. Why not take a GPS device on your next camping trip and see what kind of forest animal your hike can create? I’m game.

Recommended IMA Work of Art:
In the contemporary galleries, on the third level of the IMA, you’ll find a large, orange, mixed media work on canvas by Argentinean Guillermo Kuitca. Entitled “Everything”, 2004, the piece appears to be an abstract blur of lines, cracks and patterns. Upon closer look, a disorienting mix of familiar streets, borders, cities and towns appears, connected in most peculiar ways!

It�??s simple advice and a tip not to be forgotten when exploring unfamiliar cities and towns across the globe: Walk downtown. And while you�??re out, scope out the city�??s local art museum, no matter its size or popularity.

When traveling to Asheville, NC, last week for a family getaway, neither a stroll downtown nor the art museum were tops on the resort�??s list of local attractions. The Biltmore Estate was actually at the top, but we opted not to splurge on the $50 tickets. After a few days of hiking, tennis and movies at the resort, my curiosity motivated me to find out about the history and culture of the area.

First stop, the Asheville Art Museum located in the heart of the downtown. With a population of more than 72,000, Asheville feels like a city but not a big one. The museum reflects just that. Three floors display a permanent collection of 20th and 21st century American art, as well as important works to Western North Carolina�??s cultural heritage. Through special exhibitions featuring regional artists and local collectors, such as Let It Pour: Contemporary Craft Pitchers from the James Goode Collection, it was easy to see the importance of specific crafts in the local culture. Contemporary artists exploring issues of time, place and transformation were also on view in an exhibition on contemporary landscape art. Several large scale photographs captured harrowing environmental issues. This gave me a sense that Asheville not only holds a rich history but is also modern and willing to tackle important issues of the age. Large quotes on the wall also created a sense of place.

A walk around downtown Asheville revealed a vibrant, eclectic mix of old and new with a historic general store, folksy art shops, sleek modern galleries, homey used book stores and a plethora of cozy cafes, street musicians and jazzy restaurants. There was also a great mix of public art such as the parking lot mural above.

Perhaps this excerpt from Wikipedia better sums up Asheville: �??AmericanStyle magazine called it one of �??America’s Top 25 Arts Destinations,�?? Self magazine labeled it the �??Happiest City for Women,�?? and was proclaimed the �??New Freak Capital of the U.S.�?? by Rolling Stone. Asheville has also been called �??a New Age Mecca�?? by CBS News�?? Eye On America, and named the �??most vegetarian-friendly�?? small city in America by PETA.�?? A few inconsistencies? You bet!

In all, Asheville was a breath of fresh mountain air, even on the downtown city streets. Where ever you find yourself on your next adventure, walk downtown to get a real feel for the place and the people.

While in NYC, Daniel and I worked on many projects, and one of them landed us in a meeting with IMA’s own, Lisa Freiman and the artist-duo Type A. You will definitely be seeing more from those guys, and from us, featuring those guys. Keep an eye out for more on that later this spring.

The Nugget Factory: Danny Beyer, Despi Mayes, Daniel Incandela and Dan Dark (left to right)

In other Nugget News, Daniel and I have been invited to present a paper at the 2008 International Symposium on Electronic Arts in Singapore. So, we will be busy in the coming months writing a paper about Nature Holds My Camera: The Video Art of Sam Easterson that reveals our creative secrets (at least some of them). Then in July, we will make our way to Singapore to present that paper to artists and colleagues. Making the most of our travel to Asia, we plan to make stops in Beijing and Shanghai to develop video content for the upcoming exhibition, Power and Glory: Court Arts of China’s Ming Dynasty, which will open at IMA this fall.

Another nugget, Dan Dark is presenting at this year’s Museums and the Web conference in Montreal, on a panel with representatives from other museums. Similarly, I am working with a couple of other museums to put together a discussion about audio content for this year’s Association of American Museums (AAM) conference in Denver. That one will be another in and out for me…only about 18 hours outside of Indy!

So as you can see, we will be busy spreading the IMA word and soaking in new stuff that will make its way to you through the blog, new videos on YouTube, and no doubt, much more! And in between all of that stuff we will be working on web projects, bringing you IMA event video, working with visiting artists, blogging, updating iTunes U, labeling new photos on Flickr and a hundred other awesome things. With all of this work and excitement we are no doubt going to need a “Nugget Appreciation Day.” Any votes for the date?

P.S. - Keep your eye out for Daniel’s post this week featuring more jaw-dropping, show-stopping Nugget Factory action.

Here’s a recap of Day 1.
Opening Keynote Address:

�??We had all the momentum; we�??re riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave.�?? Raoul Duke from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Tyler Green move over. I�??ve got a new crush�?�David Pogue! WOW. He was the keynote address this morning and despite major technical problems, he was a brilliant speaker. He also was a tremendous entertainer. See video below for his impromptu performance. It was the perfect introduction to the conference. I’ve entitled it David Pogue Does Vegas!

Morning Sessions:

“There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right,
that we were winning.” Raoul Duke

WOW! The IMA is ahead of the curve. I�??m typing this as I�??m attending a session called �??practical uses of podcasts and blogs for nonprofits.�?? Yep, that�??s right, I�??m blogging for a nonprofit while learning how to blog for a nonprofit. Kinda bizarre. Moreover, it’s an indication that the information is a bit too basic for me. The majority of the folks currently in this room are where the IMA was a year ago. They are new to the world of digital media and Web 2.0, and they are eager to hone their talents.We’re way beyond the basics at this point in time.

Here’s the good and bad of it…These are my peers and colleagues from around the nation and from every industry, and it’s astounding to think that the Indianapolis Museum of Art is one of the leaders at this conference. It�??s affirming to know how advanced we are, but it�??s also scary to know we�??re on our own here. I feel like David Bowie�??s Major Tom floating about in space.

Lunch:

“We’re right in the vortex!” Raoul Duke

With over 600 people in the room for lunch, my attorney and I were lucky enough to sit right next to Mark Ragan, the CEO of Ragan Communications (our conference’s organizer). After some small talk over our chicken Parmesan, Katie and I had the opportunity to share with Mark how the Indianapolis Museum of Art was leveraging social media. Impressed by our amount of engagement in digital technology and our innovative use of video, Mark asked if I would do a video interview after lunch. Never camera shy, I obliged. The results should be posted to their Web site in the near future.

Back at the Room:

“But there was no going back, and no time to rest. We were going to have to ride it out.” Raoul Duke

I’m exhausted. I’ve been in sessions all day. It’s been a great conference so far, but I’m ready to go out and have fun in Vegas. Tomorrow we have a full morning of sessions before lunch and then an entire afternoon to spend shopping before heading back to Indy on the red eye.

The conference is at the Wynn Hotel and frankly, I don’t want to leave. This place is AMAZING! For some reason, we got upgraded to a suite and it’s by far the best hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. Below is the view from room 3602. Wish you were here!

Postscript:

If you can’t tell, I’m a big fan of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I’m currently rereading it. Hence all the references to attorneys and the use of Raoul Duke quotes. The book is a great read while staying in Vegas. It’s the kind of wacky reading that will mess with your head.

Made popular by the movie �??Night at the Museum�?? starring Ben Stiller, a hot trend is sweeping the country in which museums are opening up their doors for visitors to spend the night among relics, robots and live animals. The IMA manages to stay open until 9:00 pm on Thursdays and Fridays, which doesn’t exactly allow for a gallery slumber party among the priceless works of art, but does give visitors the unique opportunity to stick around after most museums are closed to enjoy art, music and people.

The Indianapolis Marriott Downtown now offers the experience of sleeping with art in its King Guest Rooms, featuring beds with headboards that are reproductions of an IMA work of art titled Smoke Signals, by American Michael James. The hotel reopened on February 10, after a $9.5 million makeover by Dallas-based interior architectural design firm Vivian Nichols Associates. The firm found inspiration for the redesign at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (many thanks to Ruth Roberts, rights and reproductions coordinator at the IMA) and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, using checkered carpet that mimics the Speedway�??s victory flag. Queen-sized beds feature a companion work of art by the same artist.

I was full of pride for our city when I read the recent list of trendy “Art Hotels” in the March issue of Frommer�??s Budget Travel magazine. Though not yet on the list, Indy has joined the ranks of some very forward thinking cities. Each hotel creates a unique and interactive experience by surrounding guests with art and design (We�??ll see if I can squeeze one of these into next year�??s Marketing travel budget!).

Top on the list are:

• Amsterdam - The Winston
• Singapore - The New Majestic
• Berlin - Arte Luise Kunsthotel
• Cape Town, South Africa - Daddy Long Legs
• Nice, France - The Windsor
• Toronto - The Gladstone
• Copenhagen - Hotel Fox
• Paris - Hotel Amour
• San Francisco - Hotel des Arts

What a novelty to have an art hotel right here in our city. So book a room, and drink in the modern, creative ambiance. Or visit the IMA. You never know what we’ve dreamed up for you next. Just don�??t touch the art.

Ingrid Calame- On November 1, the IMA opened our latest Forefront show Traces of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by Ingrid Calame. Calame opened the evening with an engaging and entertaining discussion of her artwork. Her focus on her techniques and methods was especially interesting. Calame’s final works are wonderful without context, but I think that understanding her work process makes this exhibition all the more astonishing. If you missed the artist’s talk at the IMA, you can read the article that the New York Times ran at the end of October featuring her work in Indianapolis. Check it out by clicking here .

You can also view images from the opening event at our flickr site

Miami- The morning after the Ingrid Calame opening event, I caught a flight to Miami and headed to the National Arts Marketing Project Conference presented by Americans for the Arts. During the day, I spent my time attending sessions on Web 2.0 and market research. At night, I spent my time hanging out in South Beach. On Sunday, November 3 I presented in an informational forum the NAMP Conference folks dubbed “The Mosh Pit”. Basically it was a chance to present creative and effective communications strategies in an informal setting. I presented on behalf of the IMA on the effective use of video as a communications tool. Distributing hot pink and teal DVDs containing some the “Nugget Factory’s” greatest productions, I spent the entire 4 hours with a crowd of fellow arts marketers inquiring about how they can produce videos. It was nice to share our experiences. It was great to hear about other organizations’ experiences. Ultimately, it reminded me as to how far the IMA has come since our first ever YouTube posting in June 2006. I took some pictures at the conference and posted them to the IMA’s Flickr account. You can check them out by clicking here.

San Francisco- So after the conference in Miami, I flew to San Francisco for vacation. While I wanted to, I couldn’t completely shut off my work brain so while in San Fran I spent a few days exploring the DeYoung (I LOVE GOLDEN GATE PARK!), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and SFMOMA. Of all the great art that I saw during my adventures, my favorite piece was a video work by Rineke Dijkstra titled The Buzz Club, Liverpool, England/Mysteryworld, Zaandam, Netherlands, 1996�??97. The work is both humorous and haunting as it depicts teens from two different night clubs (one in England, one in the Netherlands). It is definitely a highlight of SFMOMA’s collection.

Back to Indianapolis-I worked two 3-day weeks before leaving again for Thanksgiving. Basically, I spent those days replying to emails, updating content on the IMA’s Dashboard, writing surveys and working on communication plans for 2008.

Hometown for Thanksgiving-Not much to report. I ate too much of my mom’s homecooking, napped more than I have since I was a toddler, and worked with my family on the design, construction and implementation of our Turkey Trebuchet (I have an entertaining family!). Since I’ve mentioned my VW’s dashboard in a previous blog, I thought I would share an image from my trip back from Southern Indiana. It’s not often that you can capture such a significant moment in a car’s life. I’m glad I had my camera handy!

So that’s my November! My December will be action packed as well. We’re launching an online survey and an onsite survey. I’ll talk more about that next time, but in the mean time, if you have anything you would like to share about the IMA’s new Web site, please feel free to email us at web@imamuseum.org or you can just respond to this blog. We’d love to hear from you!