“History Wall” Exhibit Tells IUPUI Story
Like soap bubbles blown across a crimson sky, dozens of circles - some wood, others of Plexiglas with text or photographs - seem to float along the painted wall in a Campus Center corridor.
Together they form a timeline tracing the history of the IUPUI campus from the days before Indiana University and Purdue University merged their Indianapolis-based extensions to create Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 1969.
The "History Wall," as it is named, is located in the second floor Campus Center corridor leading from the Vermont Street Garage to the IUPUI Admissions office.
Organized in sections that correlate to the eras of the campus's four chancellors, the pictures and text document student life and academic accomplishments. Various aerial photographs trace the physical growth of the current campus.
The public display counters the false perception that IUPUI has little history, says Suzanne Pride, coordinator of Campus Pride, Spirit and Tradition in the Office of Communications and Marketing. Vick serves as the History Wall project manager.
"Sometimes people aren't even aware of the depth of our rich history and traditions here at IUPUI," Vick says. "The History Wall is a way to celebrate (traditions) and to make people aware of them."
"It can be a teaching tool, but it is also sort of a celebration tool," Vick says.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 75-foot permanent display took place during the Campus Center's grand opening on April 9, 2008.
"The wall is one of a series of mechanisms, such as campus history, signs and dormitory names, that aspire to remind the campus that this neighborhood and IUPUI are part of a
complex social and institutional heritage," says Anthropology Chair Paul Mullins, who attended the ribbon-cutting. "Making that heritage literally visible with projects such as the History Wall is the first step in making the campus community feel proud of its connections to nearly two centuries of residents and see itself as a steward of that heritage."
University Library Archives Specialist Greg Mobley helped curate the exhibit and write its text.
"People often think of IUPUI as a relatively young institution, dating back only to 1969," Mobley said. "I hope this exhibit gives them a better understanding of our university's deep historical roots in Indianapolis and an appreciation of the work that has gone into transforming a small commuter campus into a major educational and research center with 29,000 students."
The impetus for the History Wall was a temporary University Library exhibit of campus history that Mobley arranged a few years ago.
"The original archives exhibit was done to coincide with the publication of Ralph Gray's 'IUPUI —The Making of an Urban University,' the first substantive written history of IUPUI. The History Wall uses many of the images and much of the text from the original exhibit, plus new material relating to the neighborhoods that previously occupied the campus area and to cover events that had taken place after the first exhibit."
Working with designer Lars Lawson of Timber Design Group, Vick developed the exhibit's design which incorporates the shapes, colors and materials found in the architecture and décor of the Campus Center.
"It's a flowing design of circles," Vick says. "It kind of resembles bubbles of different sizes, and features Plexiglas and maple wood paneling, with a little bit of stainless steel."
Funded by OCM and External Affairs, the wall cost approximately $45,000 and was installed in February.
Some viewers have questioned the display's placement, saying it could be in a more prominent location, the project manager said.
The 2nd floor corridor is a very appropriate location in that it provides ample room to continue the timeline into the future and it is located along a major walkway for visitors entering the Campus Center through the garage in route to Admissions, Vick says.
"Future plans are to create murals throughout the campus that depict campus history scenes," says Troy Brown, executive director of Communications & Marketing. Those plans include "taking advantage of blank walls on campus and updating walls in high traffic areas, such as the wall that now carries a mural between University Library and the Business/SPEA building."
Overall response to the wall has been positive, according to Vick. The project manager said people are most surprised by the exhibit's aerial views of the IUPUI campus.
"I don't think they realize how much growth we have had, in such a relatively short period of time," Vick said.
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