The city's newest park, under construction in the Hopewell neighborhood being created on the former hospital site south of downtown, will be home to the public art piece titled "Undulate."
The park, called Hopewell Commons, is under construction along the B-Line Trail between First and Second streets and is expected to open this year. The art piece, designed by Jon Racek, is to be installed in 2025.
Racek is founder and program director of Comprehensive Design at the Indiana University Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture and Design. The program focuses on human-centered design across multiple scales. In 2022, Racek received a Fulbright Scholar Fellowship for a project in Sri Lanka titled "Engaging Students in Frugal Innovation: Community Design/Build Projects using Minimal Resources."
The city budgeted $100,000 for the art installation through its 1% for the Arts program. Hopewell Commons will feature 126 trees, a log scramble play structure, artificial lawn area, seating and a covered pavilion.
"Undulate" will consist of yellow ductwork in the park's Wetland Garden to create a series of arcs and loops throughout. The sculpture will double as seating and feature LED lighting for a soft, glowing effect at dusk.
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