Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis

We’re so excited about the coverage of our CAMi museum expansion in The New York Times (@nytimes )! Thank you to Sarah Bahr (@smbahr14 ) for your excellent story recognizing our continued work bringing contemporary art to Indianapolis.   Pick up the print edition where the story will be featured in the special museum section on Sunday, April 19 or check out the article via the link in our bio 🔗 📸: Lee Klafczynski (@leeklaf )

“To See Her Smile” Samuel E Vázquez Acrylic, spray enamel, ink, dye on board, 2011. With assemblage by Joanna Nixon. On view in the Katharine B Sutphin Gallery as part of “From the Collection of…” exhibit. Samuel E. Vázquez (b. 1970, San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a New York-born, Indianapolis-based contemporary visual artist whose practice is rooted in the subway painting era of 1970s and 80s New York City and shaped by the hip hop and style writing movements he came of age within in Harlem and East Harlem. Mentored by Anthony “A-ONE” Clark — a collaborator of Jean-Michel Basquiat and member of the pioneering crew The Death Squad — Vázquez developed a deep fluency in both street-based artistic traditions and the downtown fine arts world. He earned his B.F.A. in Visual Communication Design from Herron School of Art + Design at IU Indianapolis in 2010, and has exhibited alongside artists including Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Sam Gilliam, Keith Haring, and Futura 2000. He has served as scholar-in-residence at the IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute and was a featured artist in “City as Canvas: New York Graffiti from the 70s & 80s” at Newfields. Currently there is a retrospective of his work presented at DePauw University.

The making of Ivelisse Jimenez “CAMPO DE RESONANCIA” After months of preparation, Jimenez flew in to Indianapolis the second week of April and spent two weeks creating the exhibit on site. Tune into @wqrtfm at noon 5/16 to hear an interview with Jimenez. @iximenez Special thanks to Adam Brand and Brose Partington for install assistance. @afbrand @broparco

JJJJJerome Ellis, Grupo Folclórico Macehuani & A.K.A. performed at our May 3 Levitt VIBE Indianapolis concert as we wrapped up a big weekend @camimuseum celebration! The mini Indy Gay Market was in full swing, our artist studios and storefronts were all open. Join us for the next concert on June 7, 12pm! The monthly FREE, family-friendly live concert series runs through November. Special thanks to Levitt Family Foundation, Citizens Energy Group, Jungclaus-Campbell, Efroymson Family Fund, Eskenazi Health, and Lumina Foundation for their generous support of the 2026 Levitt VIBE Indianapolis Music Series! @jjjjjeromeellis @grupo_folclorico_macehuani @artemexicanoenindiana @levittfoundation @aka.ensemble @indygaymarket @citizensenergygroup @luminafoundation @jungclauscampbell @eskenazihealth @grupo_folclorico_macehuani

Join us for NIGHTJAR featuring Kristi Maxwell on May 20 at CAMi (our usual spot in the Tube factory). Kristi will be visiting us from Louisville, so don’t miss this chance to hear her read! Open mic prompt: Write a poem inspired by a walk and the things you encounter on it. Kristi’s latest book is called Wide Ass of Night, and I’m including a couple poems from Goners, the book before that. It’s made of elegies to endangered animals that are lipograms—poems written without the letters in the animal’s name. Come through to hear Kristi’s deft and startling work and share your own! Kristi Maxwell is the author of nine books of poems, including Wide Ass of Night (Saturnalia Books, 2025), Goners (Green Linden Press, 2023), winner of the Wishing Jewel Prize; Realm Sixty-four (Ahsahta Press, 2008), editor’s choice for the Sawtooth Poetry Prize and finalist for the National Poetry Series; and Hush Sessions (Saturnalia, 2009), editor’s choice for the Saturnalia Books Poetry Prize. She’s the Director of Creative Writing and Professor of English at the University of Louisville.

Whether your mother is here in spirit or in the flesh- you’re welcome to spend Mother’s Day at CAMi! “Terri Sisson Park- A Shrine for Motherhood,” celebrates all mothers and forms of motherhood. The park was designed by Rundell Ernstberger’s Daniel Liggett in close collaboration with CAMi and features many ways for visitors to experience and enjoy art. It’s open to the public during daylight hours. The signage was designed by Matinee Creative and made by artist Cory Robinson. @rundell.ernstberger @matineecreative @cory_robinson_studio The park includes “The Chicken Chapel of Love” and if your mother has left the earthly plane, you are welcome to leave a photo or object to honor and remember her. With commissions ongoing, the chapel contains the work of many artists : @heyitsnasreen @rachelleahc @jasonpetergray @coops203 @cloudprincess87 @stephanie_willl2 @shautamarsh @sheissylvia @arianareines @jjjjjeromeellis @juliexart56 In the park is Juan William Chavez “The Indianapolis Bee Sanctuary” featuring a multi-color hexagon pattern concrete floor that houses two beehives. Surrounding the hives is a hexagon-shaped cedar eco wall filled with organic soil and is filled with an abundance of native plants and flowers for bees throughout the seasons. The Bee Sanctuary embraces the concept of working as a hive. @jwchavez Sam Van Aken “Tree of 40 Fruit” is a single tree that grows forty different types of stone fruit including peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries, and almonds. Created through the process of grafting, the “Tree of 40 Fruit” blossom in variegated tones of pink, crimson and white in spring, and in summer bear a multitude of fruit. Primarily composed of heirloom and antique varieties, the “Tree of 40 Fruit” are a form of conservation, preserving stone fruit varieties that are not commercially produced or available. @samvanakenstudios #sacredart

A toast to the many people worked around the clock to open CAMi, our donors and the 2,000 plus people who came to our opening weekend! Photos from staff artist and designer Michael Burris @michaelbdesignin 🙏🙏🙏🙏 @juliexart56 @breakfastwithwolves @hannahhadleyarendt @dai.gallerie @landonscaldwell @funkoftherob @endlessbuffalo @thespacemouse @between.ben.and.them @indyplantroom @jungclauscampbell @christenbaker_ @andplsf @dudesculpture @j4kd @aprilknauber @eliasgarzagarcia @eddiecalaca @hannahhadleyarendt @juliexart56

Pt. 2 - Artist and sociologist David Schalliol @metroblossom has been studying and photographing various iterations and projects of our organization since 2011. Here are some horizontal portraits of a few of our staff artists, amazing @jungclauscampbell contractors and CAMi artists he captured as we scrambled to open and then —opened! @iximenez @sesseka @sheissylvia @juliexart56 @grayson__oconnell @verygabart @indijart @slevijones @jen.broemel @cory_robinson_studio @hqbooksandrecords @shautamarsh @jim_jwalker @jen.broemel @lgiple

FOUND in BOSTON! This Friday, May 8th, 7:00 PM @wburcityspace - please let your Boston friends know we're headed their way, it's gonna be a special one!! Next stops for @found_zine : CHICAGO, INDIANAPOLIS, TOLEDO OH, ANN ARBOR MI, and beyond with the G.O.A.T. @samuelsethbernard (Boston and Chicago ticket links in bio.) We've got scintillating found notes to share, soulful, energizing music, and we can't wait to celebrate 25 years of road magic with y'all! See ya soon!! MAY 8 — BOSTON, MA City Space, 890 Commonwealth / 7 PM presented by @wburcityspace JUNE 10 — CHICAGO, IL Hideout Chicago, 1354 W. Wabansia / 7:30 PM @hideoutchicago [25 years to the day from our original Chicago release party in 2001! FOUND O.G.s and newbies all welcome!] JUNE 11 — INDIANAPOLIS, IN Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis @camimuseum , 1125 Cruft St / 7 PM presented by @bigcarpix JUNE 12 — TOLEDO, OH at Dream Louder, 303 Morris / 7 PM presented by @dreamloudermusic JUNE 13 — PITTSBURGH, PA Details TBA Presented by @pghcitypaper JUNE 14 — ANN ARBOR, MI Details TBA - stay tuned!! JUNE 28 — ANN ARBOR, MI A2 Summer Festival / 8 PM SEPTEMBER 8 - 15 Bring us to your town! Drop a line! "Davy and Peter Rothbart are utterly engaging performers!" —L.A. Times "Electrifying!" —N.Y. Times "Hilarious and heartbreaking!" —WBUR "Unexpected as a tumbleweed!" —New Yorker XO.

Pt. 1 - Artist and sociologist David Schalliol @metroblossom has been studying and photographing various iterations and projects of our organization since 2011. Here are some vertical portraits of a few of our staff artists, contractors and CAMi artists he captured as we scrambled to open and then —opened! @iximenez @sesseka @sheissylvia @arte.de.sammy @indyplantroom @seamsquirky @jim_jwalker @hepaticapotterycollective @cpyleabstracts @_mollywolfe_ @jingoillo @broparco @sosastudiollc @c.s.carrier.poet @_mollywolfe_ @jaredcru @lineandformartcenter @indyplantroom

We have new hours! • Wednesday - Friday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. • Saturday + Sunday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Monday + Tuesday: Closed Hope to see you soon!

A.K.A is performing at Levitt VIBE Indianapolis Music Series concert TODAY, Sunday, May 3! 🎶 This FREE, family-friendly live concert series is at the Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis (CAMi) campus in the Garfield Park neighborhood! These celebrations happen from noon to 3 p.m. on the first or second Sunday of each month through November.  Enjoy live musical and dance performances, local food trucks, drinks from Normal Coffee and Stall, outdoor games, and family fun! May’s performer lineup includes JJJJJermone Ellis, Grupo Folclórico Macehuani, and A.K.A. And, Pi Indy food truck will be on-site. Big Car Collaborative and Arte Mexicano en Indiana produce the 2026 series with support from the Levitt Family Foundation. The series is also made possible by additional support from Citizens Energy Group, Jungclaus-Campbell, Efroymson Family Fund, Eskenazi Health, and Lumina Foundation. Learn more about the series via the link in our bio. 🔗  @jjjjjeromeellis @grupo_folclorico_macehuani @pi_indy @BigCarPix @CAMiMuseum @WQRTfm @NormalCoffeeIndy @ArteMexicanoEnIndiana @LevittFoundation   #MusicMoves #LevittVIBEIndy #Do317 #Indianapolis