Snowplow (sculpture)
Encyclopedia
Snowplow is an abstract outdoor sculpture by American
artist Mark di Suvero
located on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art
in Indianapolis, Indiana
, United States
.
plow blade
; a large rubber
tire
; and an unpainted, industrial steel I-beam
base which connects the separate elements. The I-beams, a recurring element of di Suvero’s work, are cut and welded into a series of low-lying crossed bars with vertical projections in place to support each suspended element.
The plow blade is positioned in such a way that the bottom edges run horizontally and the upper edges slope up and away from their crux at an angle nearly 30 degrees above horizontal. The front faces and top edges of the blade are painted safety yellow, evoking the tradition of public works
. The back of the blade is painted dark gray. The plow head is suspended from the I-beam frame with a steel chain, giving it freedom to swing gently up and down. The tire is attached to the support structure with steel bolts.
The artwork is supported by a pink-colored concrete pad, which is covered by a wide circle of gravel surrounding the artwork.
Based on di Suvero's prominence at the time, the Indianapolis Sesquicentennial Commission sought to acquire a work by the artist to celebrate Indianapolis' 150th birthday in 1971. Upon the selection of Snowplow, $20,000 of funding was obtained from the National Endowment for the Arts
(NEA) Art in Public Places program. The Commission raised further funds by selling sesquicentennial medallions and cookbooks
, finishing the fundraising in 1975 to purchase the artwork for $42,600. For much of that year the artwork was on loan to the Whitney Museum of American Art
, finally arriving in Indianapolis in the fall of 1976.
in Chicago, Illinois, and from there the sculpture was shipped to New York for a major di Suvero exhibition at the Whitney before its delivery to Indianapolis.
Snowplow’s original Indianapolis installation in 1977 was prominently located outside the downtown Convention Center
. Although the artistic community appreciated its presence, many local board members and private citizens were dissatisfied with its design, and in 1981 it was moved to a less-busy site west of the pump house at White River State Park
downtown. The White River Commission was excited about this location, and it fit the criteria of a location suitable for the NEA Art in Public Places Program. The IMA helped with the move, both with an endorsement and logistical solutions. Snowplow was moved again less than three years later, this time out of downtown to the entrance of Central Equipment Management Division on 30th & Riverside Drive.
Once the artwork had arrived at the museum it was installed next to the main entrance driveway from 38th Street that led up towards the Sutphin Fountain
.
After the renovations of the IMA in 2005, Snowplow was put on display on the south eastern edge of the grounds.
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
program.
Between 2001 and 2003 an additional survey was conducted by Save Outdoor Sculpture! to determine the fates of sculptures funded by the NEA Art in Public Places project, which ended in 1992. 91% of funded artworks were able to be surveyed, including Snowplow, totaling approximately 460 pieces. Among these, Snowplow was counted as one of the better-off. According to the survey, eleven percent of the artworks had been destroyed, nearly half were in need of conservation, and one-third were considered well-maintained.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist Mark di Suvero
Mark di Suvero
Marco Polo "Mark" di Suvero is an American abstract expressionist sculptor born Marco Polo Levi in Shanghai, China in 1933 to Italian expatriates. He immigrated to San Francisco, California in 1942 with his family. From 1953 to 1957, he attended the University of California, Berkeley to study...
located on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis Museum of Art
The Indianapolis Museum of Art is an encyclopedic art museum located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The museum, which underwent a $74 million expansion in 2005, is located on a campus on the near northwest area outside downtown Indianapolis, northwest of Crown Hill Cemetery.The...
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Description
The sculpture is composed of a re-used, painted steelSteel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
plow blade
Snowplow
A snowplow is a device intended for mounting on a vehicle, used for removing snow and ice from outdoor surfaces, typically those serving transportation purposes...
; a large rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
tire
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
; and an unpainted, industrial steel I-beam
I-beam
-beams, also known as H-beams, W-beams , rolled steel joist , or double-T are beams with an - or H-shaped cross-section. The horizontal elements of the "" are flanges, while the vertical element is the web...
base which connects the separate elements. The I-beams, a recurring element of di Suvero’s work, are cut and welded into a series of low-lying crossed bars with vertical projections in place to support each suspended element.
The plow blade is positioned in such a way that the bottom edges run horizontally and the upper edges slope up and away from their crux at an angle nearly 30 degrees above horizontal. The front faces and top edges of the blade are painted safety yellow, evoking the tradition of public works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
. The back of the blade is painted dark gray. The plow head is suspended from the I-beam frame with a steel chain, giving it freedom to swing gently up and down. The tire is attached to the support structure with steel bolts.
The artwork is supported by a pink-colored concrete pad, which is covered by a wide circle of gravel surrounding the artwork.
Historical information
In the late 1960s and 1970s, di Suvero began working in a truly monumental scale, using I-beams as a consistent aesthetic and structural element in his work, as displayed in Snowplow. He drew upon the dynamism of an urban environment for inspiration, as opposed to many Minimalists of the time whose artwork reflected the alienation of modern cities and machinery. Di Suvero believed art to be an integral part of city life, considering both the artwork's surroundings and the viewer’s experience as contributing to the artwork; thus, he created many of his artworks to have parts that could swing or rotate in the wind in order to enhance the interactive aspect.Based on di Suvero's prominence at the time, the Indianapolis Sesquicentennial Commission sought to acquire a work by the artist to celebrate Indianapolis' 150th birthday in 1971. Upon the selection of Snowplow, $20,000 of funding was obtained from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
(NEA) Art in Public Places program. The Commission raised further funds by selling sesquicentennial medallions and cookbooks
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
, finishing the fundraising in 1975 to purchase the artwork for $42,600. For much of that year the artwork was on loan to the Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art, often referred to simply as "the Whitney", is an art museum with a focus on 20th- and 21st-century American art. Located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street in New York City, the Whitney's permanent collection contains more than 18,000 works in a wide variety of...
, finally arriving in Indianapolis in the fall of 1976.
Location history
Snowplow was originally on display at the Illinois CenterIllinois Center
Illinois Center is a mixed-use urban development in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, lying east of Michigan Avenue. It is notable in that the streets running through it have three levels. Elsewhere in Chicago, some streets have two levels, with the lower level for through traffic and service...
in Chicago, Illinois, and from there the sculpture was shipped to New York for a major di Suvero exhibition at the Whitney before its delivery to Indianapolis.
Snowplow’s original Indianapolis installation in 1977 was prominently located outside the downtown Convention Center
Indiana Convention Center
The Indiana Convention Center is a convention center located in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It contains over of open exhibit space and almost of group meeting space. It was finished in late 1983 along with the Hoosier Dome , which it was connected to prior the Dome's deconstruction in 2008....
. Although the artistic community appreciated its presence, many local board members and private citizens were dissatisfied with its design, and in 1981 it was moved to a less-busy site west of the pump house at White River State Park
White River State Park
White River State ParkDesignationState ParkLocationIndianapolis, Indiana USANearest CityIndianapolis, IndianaArea Date of Establishment1979Governing Body...
downtown. The White River Commission was excited about this location, and it fit the criteria of a location suitable for the NEA Art in Public Places Program. The IMA helped with the move, both with an endorsement and logistical solutions. Snowplow was moved again less than three years later, this time out of downtown to the entrance of Central Equipment Management Division on 30th & Riverside Drive.
Once the artwork had arrived at the museum it was installed next to the main entrance driveway from 38th Street that led up towards the Sutphin Fountain
Sutphin Fountain
The Sutphin Fountain is a built environment located at the Indianapolis Museum of Art , which is near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The granite and concrete fountain was designed by Stuart O. Dawson of Sasaki, Dawson, DeMay Associates, Inc...
.
After the renovations of the IMA in 2005, Snowplow was put on display on the south eastern edge of the grounds.
Acquisition
When Snowplow first arrived in Indianapolis in 1976, the IMA was bestowed with the unofficial responsibility of maintenance of the artwork. Its purchase by the IMA and entrance into the museum's collection took place in 1993, after which it was moved to the museum property. The resources for the acquisition were provided by the Dan and Lori Efroymson Fund. As terms of the purchase agreement, the city of Indianapolis agreed to use proceeds from the sale to establish a permanent endowment for commissioning artworks for neighborhoods and other public spaces.Condition
This sculpture was surveyed in 1993 by the Smithsonian'sSmithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture! is a community-based effort to identify, document, and conserve outdoor sculpture in the United States. By fostering awareness and appreciation, SOS! aims to advocate proper care of a nationwide public resource....
program.
Between 2001 and 2003 an additional survey was conducted by Save Outdoor Sculpture! to determine the fates of sculptures funded by the NEA Art in Public Places project, which ended in 1992. 91% of funded artworks were able to be surveyed, including Snowplow, totaling approximately 460 pieces. Among these, Snowplow was counted as one of the better-off. According to the survey, eleven percent of the artworks had been destroyed, nearly half were in need of conservation, and one-third were considered well-maintained.