Campus: IU Bloomington
When entering the IU Musical Arts Center lobby, visitors will notice two large, brightly-colored banners hanging from the ceiling. These banners are historic pieces of art designed by renowned artist George Earl Ortman, an abstract artist who worked across several mediums from 1926 to 2015. However, the banners that fly in the MAC today are not the originals, or even the first recreations.
Over the years, Ortman’s original felt banners faded from prolonged sun exposure. They were replaced for the MAC’s 25th anniversary in 1996, but these replacement banners also faded and were eventually removed. In the summer of 2013, thanks to the painstaking archival research conducted by IU capital planning assistant vice president Linda Hunt and campus arts curator Sherry Rouse, five women on the IU’s Residential Programs and Services sewing room staff were able to cross-reference photographs of the banners based on photos and other materials found at the IU Archives and recreate them in their original glory.
On February 15, 2014, IU president Michael McRobbie rededicated the new banners in the MAC and awarded each of the seamstresses the E. Ross Bartley Award, saying, “Over the nearly 200 years of its history, Indiana University has acquired, through the generosity of countless individuals, numerous outstanding works of public art such as the Ortman banners. These works help define the essential character and culture of this great institution.”
