From the builders of some of America’s earliest railroads and farms to Civil Rights pioneers to digital technology entrepreneurs, Indian Americans have long been an inextricable part of American life. “Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation” explores the Indian American experience and the community’s vital political, professional, and cultural contributions to American life and history. The exhibition moves past pop-culture stereotypes of Indian Americans to explore the heritage, daily experience, and diverse contributions of Indian immigrants and their descendants in the United States. Weaving together stories of individual achievement and collective struggle, “Beyond Bollywood” uses photography, narrative, multimedia, and interactive stations to tell a uniquely American story, while conveying the texture, vibrancy, and vitality of Indian American communities.

“Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation” was created by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The Mathers Museum’s presentation of the exhibit has been generously funded by Indiana University alumnus Robert N. Johnson, the Madhusudan and Kiran C. Dhar India Studies Program, the Asian American Studies Program, and the Department of American Studies. Gallery is open 9am-4:30 pm Tues-Fri and 1pm-4:30pm Sat/Sun.

Free visitor parking is available by the Indiana Avenue lobby entrance. Metered parking is available at the McCalla School parking lot on the corner of Ninth Street and Indiana Avenue. The parking lot also has spaces designated for Indiana University C and ST permits. During the weekends free parking is available on the surrounding streets.An access ramp is located at the Fess Avenue entrance, on the corner of Ninth Street and Fess Avenue. Reserved parking spaces are available on Ninth Street, between Fess Avenue and Indiana Avenue. If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can be made to accommodate most needs. Please call 812-855-6873.

Tom Rhea was trained as a painter at Indiana University, where he graduated with a
BFA. After twenty years in the demanding field of medallic arts, his paintings still retain a very sculptural feel, with an emphasis on the unique limestone architecture that distinguishes the IU campus. Besides providing celebrity portraits for publications such as The Wall Street Journal, LA Weekly, and XXL Magazine, he has written extensively on arts topics for local and national publications. He currently teaches drawing and History of Art at Ivy Tech Community College. While most are views of Bloomington, the show also contains two paintings from a recent trip to Italy, including a view of the ancient city of Matera, carved into the limestone cliffs in the southern region of Puglia. These paintings were executed in gouache, an opaque watercolor, over the past five years.

Please meet in the museum’s third floor office. No pre-registration is required, but space is limited. Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The popularity of watercolor as a medium for both professional and amateur artists in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries resulted from improvements in the materials, including the development of watercolor papers and pre-mixed pigments. These advancements coincided with the rise of Romanticism in the British Isles. Nan Brewer, the IU Art Museum’s Lucienne M. Glaubinger Curator of Works on Paper, will discuss a selection of British watercolors by notable artists including Thomas Girtin, John Robert Cozens, and Richard Parkes Bonington, as well as examples by less-familiar names.

On Friday, March 11th, beginning at 6:00p.m. The Venue will host the showing and sale of jewelry by Lorraine Farrell, a.k.a Fossil Rain, and museum quality, hand-painted Bird lithographs, by “The Bird Man” John Gould.
Through this show and sale, Lorraine Farrell hopes to reconnect with many of her former customers from the days of Fossil Rain, and expose new clientele to her unique jewelry designs. “The metalwork I employ (in my jewelry) is purposely minimal, allowing the inherent beauty of each fossil, gemstone, and mineral to carry the overall design.” Having secured her art education in England and Indiana University, Lorraine brings her vast experience to each piece, capturing beauty while preserving a clear and powerful connection to the Earth.
John Gould (1804-1881) is universally recognized as the father of modern aviary art, hence “The Bird Man”. Gould traveled from England, around the world, seeking out subjects for his bird lithographs. He then partnered with prominent artists of the day to produce limited editions, hand- painted masterpieces. The pieces in this show are circa 1850, matted, framed, and covered with museum glass. These works are rare, stunning, and yet reasonably priced. They have a beauty that has, and will continue, to stand the test of time.

The Vallures are the sounds of summer in the 60’s at a GO-GO; dancin’, shakin’, groovin’, movin’ it, bringing you sweet soul music with a twist and a shout! Old hits, rarities, and originals with a nod to sixties girl groups make you wanna Boogaloo, Shingling, and just let it all hang out.

The Bloomington Sex Salon was created with support from the IU School of Public Health’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion to foster campus-community conversations about sexuality topics. The format is a Q&A with someone working in sex research, education, art, or advocacy; the first part consists of a Center official asking questions and the second part is open for audience questions. The event is free to attend and open to individuals 18+. Arrive early to grab a seat and a drink!