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Glowing basketball-like orbs among art coming to 2024 NBA All-Star Game

NBA All-Star committee aims for lasting impact in city

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Several groups on Wednesday announced “a series of arts and culture immersive experiences and interactive exhibits” in advance of the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis.

The efforts were highlighted Wednesday at a news conference at Indianapolis Artsgarden, the glass dome and arts homestead that’s suspended above the intersection of East Washington and South Illinois streets in downtown Indianapolis.

NBA All-Star 2024 events will run Feb. 15-18. The game will start at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indianapolis last hosted the event in 1985. A list of events is online.

Here are arts and culture features announced Wednesday.

  • The Tip Off, a first-ever NBA All-Star opening ceremony, will be at Bicentennial Unity Plaza on the evening of Feb. 15. More details will be announced later.
  • Australia-based design studio Atelier Sisu’s “Evanescent” will bring large, glowing basketball-like orbs to Hudnut Commons at the corner of Maryland and Capitol streets.
  • BUTTER at Indy’s Home Court, an art fair, begins at 11 a.m. Feb. 16-18 at the Artsgarden.
  • Plaid & Pearls Coffee, a local woman-owned business, will take over the location formerly occupied by Pearings at Washington and Meridian street.
  • The former Rock Bottom restaurant site next door will be converted into The Suite featuring the Henderson Bar, food from the International Marketplace, music curated by Chreece Presents: Nap City The Basement, comedy by Made Man Improv, and retail curated by Cargo Streetwear Boutique.
  • Two projection-mapped artworks, from Blockhouse Studios in Bloomington, and a video arts collaboration by renowned Australian artist Wendy Yu will be featured on the T-Mobile Building, 2 W. Washington St., and the District Tap Building, 141 S. Meridian St., respectively.
  • “Shining a Light,” a light display on Monument Circle, will feature “an exciting ‘buzzer beater’ countdown experience produced by Innovative.
  • Two temporary, basketball-theme murals by Indianapolis artists Jingo de la Rosa and Jonathan Southern will adorn the east and west facades of the Artsgarden.
  • The Capitol Avenue underpass between the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium will feature India Cruse-Griffin’s “The Court” artwork. The original currently decorates the interior of Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
  • Jackson Place, adjacent to Union Station, will feature galleries of Salma Taman, Liz Wierzbicki, Phyllicia Carr, and Christina Hollering.
  • The CSX Building, at the east end of Georgia Street, will feature galleries of Eric Stine, Jennifer Broemel, Brittany Murray, Denielle Mowery Hake, Amiah Mims, Faith Blackwell, Gurkan Mihci, Boxx the Artist, DeJuan Wortham, Scott Johnson, and Gretchen Katner, plus a poem by Franklin Oliver.
  • Circle Center Mall will feature galleries of Rebecca Sauve, Dana Powell Smith, Taylor Bamgbose, Kyle Morgan, and Kyng Rhodes.
  • The northwest quadrant of Monument Circle will feature works by Israel Solomon from his “Indiana Fever” series, the originals which hang inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
  • At 7 N. Meridian St., galleries will feature Koda Witsken’s tribute to Hoosier Hysteria, the original of which currently hangs Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
  • Newly installed works inside Circle Center Mall include artwork by JD Bills and poems by Maude Atlas Cottone and Ken Honeywell.
  • A large three-part work at 924 N. Pennsylvania St. by Asli Narin, a newly-named DeHaan Artist of Distinction.
  • Street and graffiti art will be featured on the Pennsylvania and Delaware rail underpasses, just north of South Street, from these artists: Rob Bentley, Bezol One, Rafael Caro, Lucian Agape, Tylar Dickmeyer, Tusk 100, Mike Graves, Nathaniel Johnson, Slice, Ess McKee, Ron Lewhorn, Holly Sims, Invisible Hometown, Koda Witsken, and Fitz.