Released June 29, 2017
Stone Country: Then and Now opens June 24
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Megan Simpson, 317.234.8146, [email protected]
INDIANAPOLIS — The Empire State Building. Yankee Stadium. The Pentagon. Not buildings you’d typically associate with Indiana. But all three, and thousands more, come from the bedrock of the Hoosier state – limestone. The Indiana State Museum is proud to feature Stone Country: Then & Now. The exhibition will feature 30 original photographs by award-winning photographer Jeffrey Wolin showing the three decade progression of the limestone industry in the Hoosier state. The exhibition opens June 24 and runs through September 10.
In 1985, Wolin and writer Scott Russell Sanders published Stone Country. The project documented the limestone industry and its profound impact on the people of southern Indiana. 30 years later, the two have updated the book to reflect the changing industry and the men and women who continue to move the tradition into the future.
The images document the journey of the limestone from the quarry to some of the world’s most recognizable structures. It also looks at the rugged characters who put their lives at risk to help bring forth the beauty in the stone. There are stunning images of the finished products, from the Empire State Building to the National Cathedral.
When the Pentagon was damaged in the 9/11 attacks, the limestone used for the reconstruction was taken from the same southern Indiana quarry as the original. 35 state capitols are also constructed using Indiana limestone, including Indiana’s own Statehouse.
“The exhibition showcases Mr. Wolin’s talents as a skilled photographer and tells the story of a world-renowned Indiana industry and natural resource that many Hoosiers may not be aware of,” said Mark Ruschman, chief curator of fine art for the museum. “The hope is after seeing Stone Country: Then and Now, they’ll never look at these buildings the same way again.”
For more information on the exhibition, please call 317.232.1637 or visit indianamuseum.org.
HOURS AND LOCATION
The Indiana State Museum is located at 650 W. Washington Street in Indianapolis. Exhibition gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The first Tuesday of each month (Community Tuesdays) admission is half price. Auxiliary aids and services are available with advance notice. For more information, call the museum at 317.232.1637.
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The Indiana State Museum is located in White River State Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. It is Indiana’s museum for science, art and culture, offering a place where you can celebrate, investigate, remember, learn and take pride in Indiana’s story in the context of the broader world. Even the building is a showcase of the best Indiana has to offer in architecture, materials and sculpture. Easy and convenient parking is available in the attached underground garage.
