Celebrating the tenth anniversary of Big Car Collaborative non-profit organization, Big Car is presenting an
intuitive multimedia art gallery called “No Brakes: 10 years of creating vibrant collisions” in Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center at the University of Indianapolis. The display of various artworks are placed there from August 25 until September 26.
Started in 2004 in Fountain Square, Executive Director Jim Walker made Big Car possible with a group of
artists willing to transform and evolve together communities by encouraging thousands of people in Indianapolis to get involved in art and in creativity.
“For me it’s important to participate but mostly to teach,” said Walker. You can create your own practice,
gain experience and share it with others.”
“No Brakes ” displays its multimedia gallery in Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center now through September 26. Photo by Laken Detwiler
Since Big Car’s foundation, the organization has continued to strengthen the public’s engagement in special
projects, programs, performances and events to make neighborhoods more livable.
“Working with my team is great. I feel happy to see people be passionate about what they do,” said
community artist Tom Streit. “We want people to collaborate as a community and we want them to have access to creativity.”
Social practice art is what Big Car promotes for a positive impact and change in the community’s life. It is
exchanging experiences and practices of art between artists and residents.
The retrospective gallery involves interactive activities as well as displays of dynamic pictures with
motivational quotes, videos on screens, and handicrafts on walls.
“It’s amazing when you look at all these creative works ,” said Creative Director of Big Car Andy Fry. “I just feel great seeing so much art, all in one room.”
UIndy students showed positive emotions about the aesthetic of the gallery as they walked around the
artworks and participated in some of the activities.
“Instead of buying the product, it feels like more of a community,” graduate student of strategic leadership
and design Carrington Clodius said.
“I believe this is the best gallery i’ve been to at UIndy so far! It’s so lively and nice, and the work is good,”
sophomore pre-art therapy and studio art major Alexandra Myers said.
Big Car is now a thriving non-profit organization bringing diverse people together through design,
inspiration and sharing just to make our city better. Its latest project, Galeria Magnifica, located in Superior Market and Taqueria on the far east side, is a new art gallery that shares space for everyone to join the art community. Big Car’s future goal is hopefully to expand its work on the south side of Indianapolis and of course to create more connections with people supporting a better living place.
“It’s less about the cultural exchange or the product. It’s more about the people,” Sreit said. “People can
engage and just be creative. It’s about bringing art to people and people to art.”
