Tulip to Life
Encyclopedia
Tulip to Life is a public art
work located on the grounds of the Indiana Government Center South in Indianapolis
, Indiana
, United States
. The functional sculpture
is a drinking fountain made of stainless steel
in the shape of a tulip tree leaf. Designed by Eric Ernstberger of Muncie, Indiana
and fabricated by Tarpenning-LaFollette of Indianapolis, Indiana, the sculpture was installed in 1991.
of the American tulip tree
, Indiana's state tree. The sculpture consists of two main segments: the leaf, which forms the main body and majority of the piece, and the petiole
-and-bowl segment, which houses the drinking fountain. Measured diagonally from the foremost tips of the leaf segment to the back of the fountain bowl, it is about 207 inches (530 cm) long.
The leaf segment is approximately 172 inches (440 cm) at the widest point and rises about 16 inches (41 cm) off the ground at its highest point. It is made from sections of sheeted stainless steel
, overlapped and bolted together using brass
bolts and acorn nuts
, supported by rib-like structures on the underside, and curled to mimic the organic shape of a leaf. It is completed by a long piece of stainless steel which forms the midrib of the leaf. The entire leaf segment is held slightly off the ground on support bars of varying length. A series of small electric
lights is arranged under it in order to produce a glow from underneath at night.
The petiole-and-bowl segment stands independently of the leaf section, but is positioned to give the impression that the midrib continues into the petiole. It rises approximately 42 inches (110 cm) off the ground, not including the water spigot. The stainless steel petiole structure stands atop a small stone base and supports the main bowl structure, which is made of copper
. A thick, slightly irregular, oblong ring of limestone
forms the lip of the drinking fountain basin. The spigot itself is an ordinary manufactured fixture; it is attached to the central copper portion of the bowl.
, the tulip tree leaf is the main focal point of a below-ground-level rectangular courtyard
surrounded by the Indiana Government Center South’s architecture. The courtyard is accessible via an ornamental stairway
on the north end, as well as by a set of entrance doors on the south end. The piece itself is located on the south end of the courtyard.
, an urban design
and landscape architecture
firm based in Muncie
, Indiana. It was fabricated under the direction of Jan R. Martin of Tarpenning-LaFollette, a custom sheet-metal products contractor
based in Indianapolis.
's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!
" initiative described the piece as "well maintained."
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
work located on the grounds of the Indiana Government Center South in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
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...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The functional sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
is a drinking fountain made of stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
in the shape of a tulip tree leaf. Designed by Eric Ernstberger of Muncie, Indiana
Muncie, Indiana
Muncie is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and the birthplace of the Ball Corporation. It is the principal city of the Muncie, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 118,769...
and fabricated by Tarpenning-LaFollette of Indianapolis, Indiana, the sculpture was installed in 1991.
Description
The sculpture depicts an over-sized leafLeaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
of the American tulip tree
Liriodendron tulipifera
Liriodendron tulipifera, commonly known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tuliptree, tulip poplar or yellow poplar, is the Western Hemisphere representative of the two-species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern hardwood...
, Indiana's state tree. The sculpture consists of two main segments: the leaf, which forms the main body and majority of the piece, and the petiole
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
-and-bowl segment, which houses the drinking fountain. Measured diagonally from the foremost tips of the leaf segment to the back of the fountain bowl, it is about 207 inches (530 cm) long.
The leaf segment is approximately 172 inches (440 cm) at the widest point and rises about 16 inches (41 cm) off the ground at its highest point. It is made from sections of sheeted stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
, overlapped and bolted together using brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
bolts and acorn nuts
Nut (hardware)
A nut is a type of hardware fastener with a threaded hole. Nuts are almost always used opposite a mating bolt to fasten a stack of parts together. The two partners are kept together by a combination of their threads' friction, a slight stretch of the bolt, and compression of the parts...
, supported by rib-like structures on the underside, and curled to mimic the organic shape of a leaf. It is completed by a long piece of stainless steel which forms the midrib of the leaf. The entire leaf segment is held slightly off the ground on support bars of varying length. A series of small electric
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
lights is arranged under it in order to produce a glow from underneath at night.
The petiole-and-bowl segment stands independently of the leaf section, but is positioned to give the impression that the midrib continues into the petiole. It rises approximately 42 inches (110 cm) off the ground, not including the water spigot. The stainless steel petiole structure stands atop a small stone base and supports the main bowl structure, which is made of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
. A thick, slightly irregular, oblong ring of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
forms the lip of the drinking fountain basin. The spigot itself is an ordinary manufactured fixture; it is attached to the central copper portion of the bowl.
Location history
An example of site-specific artSite-specific art
Site-specific art is artwork created to exist in a certain place. Typically, the artist takes the location into account while planning and creating the artwork...
, the tulip tree leaf is the main focal point of a below-ground-level rectangular courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
surrounded by the Indiana Government Center South’s architecture. The courtyard is accessible via an ornamental stairway
Stairway
Stairway, staircase, stairwell, flight of stairs, or simply stairs are names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps...
on the north end, as well as by a set of entrance doors on the south end. The piece itself is located on the south end of the courtyard.
Historical Information
Installed in 1991, the piece was conceptualized and designed by Eric Ernstberger of Rundell Ernstberger Associates LLCLimited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
, an urban design
Urban design
Urban design concerns the arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and cities, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space. It has traditionally been regarded as a disciplinary subset of urban planning, landscape architecture, or architecture and in more recent times has...
and landscape architecture
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
firm based in Muncie
Muncie, Indiana
Muncie is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and the birthplace of the Ball Corporation. It is the principal city of the Muncie, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 118,769...
, Indiana. It was fabricated under the direction of Jan R. Martin of Tarpenning-LaFollette, a custom sheet-metal products contractor
Independent contractor
An independent contractor is a natural person, business, or corporation that provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract or within a verbal agreement. Unlike an employee, an independent contractor does not work regularly for an employer but works as and when...
based in Indianapolis.
Condition
A 1993 survey by the Smithsonian American Art MuseumSmithsonian American Art Museum
The Smithsonian American Art Museum is a museum in Washington, D.C. with an extensive collection of American art.Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum has a broad variety of American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States...
's "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....
" initiative described the piece as "well maintained."
