On Procession is the brain child of the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the Herron School of Art at IUPUI. The end product is to be three giant pull toys representing a donkey, a jackass, and a mule which are to be paraded down the streets of Fountain Square on April 26, 2008 as part of the East Meets West Interchange Overpass Parade. This blog will explore and attempt to understand what this event is all about and what relevance it has for the Indianapolis community and the greater community at large.
From the beginning of the semester upon hearing of my class’ upcoming involvement with the Allison Smith Project, I was skeptical. On Tuesday, January 15th, the artist gave a talk at the Herron School of Art on the project and IUPUI’s part in it. The flyer given out during the talk was intriguing but puzzling. The concept of a donkey, a jackass, and a mule constructed of layered plywood and made into giant pull toys to head a parade seemed a bit silly to me. To add to the puzzling concept, was a call to action for historical re-enactors and other artists and crafts people to create materials for this parade. A few weeks later, the concept of the East meets West Parade through Fountain Square meeting up at the Virginia Street Overpass of I-65 made me laugh. I was already not on board for this project and to add a parade with the concept of east meets west through Fountain Square just sounded corny to me. Who is this parade for? Who would care about this parade? Who would be its audience? What is the true purpose behind the parade? What would it cost the city of Indianapolis to pull off the parade? Just how much money is the Indianapolis Museum of Art shelling out fo this artist and her equine procession? How do the Herron School of Art students feel about being the free labor for the making of these animals?
Onparade2008's Weblog 
I wondered if there is somewhere to learn answers to the questions asked by the blogger (i.e. what is the purpose and who is this for, etc…)? The idea sounds interesting, but it also sounds pretty dangerous to be pulling giant wooden pulltoys along an overpass of the interstate. Will the roads be closed to traffic? You hear about cars hitting police officers and construction workers…what about someone pulling their “giant wooden ass?” 😉 This sounds like something that should be publicized a little better and maybe located in a park near the overpass, rather than on it.
It’s just a parade. What is a parade? This particular parade gives the people of this community the opportunity to celebrate life for no particular reason- and that’s worth a great deal to me. I actually had a bad attitude about it at first- then I woke up to how jaded I had become. When we get bothered by such things as parades then it’s probably time for us to question ourselves.
I agree with blogger, it would be interesting to know the total cost of the east meets west parade through fountain square. The blogger asked who would care about the parade, NOT ME! After a long week of work and classes I can definitely think of better ways to spend my Saturday; which do not include watching a wooden jackass and its other wooden friends in a parade.
In fact with the high price of gas if I was to go I would be the biggest “jackass” there.
Parading donkeys around seems like a political statement. Where’s the elephant?
When did this come about? I thought it took a long time of planning and preparation to put on a parade. It doesn’t seem like the neighborhood has had much notice if any to make plans to participate or even attend.
People are encouraged to stand on the overpass to view the parade? That’s asking for trouble. Who will be liable if someone gets hurt?
It sounds like it could have been a good idea, if the planning,notifications, and preparations had begun a lot earlier.
Good Luck, hope it doesn’t end up being half – assed.
Considering that I live in this neighborhood and didn’t know anything about an upcoming parade speaks volumes.
Personally, I’m of the opinion that there is money tied up in this that could better benefit the community. A lot of people around here are on food stamps and other public assistance. You can’t eat a large wooden parade animal, unless you’re a termite. Maybe tie the parade into some community-benefit event. Serve some snacks. Teach people something. (Stepping down from my soapbox now.)
Also, has anyone taken into consideration that the roads around here are just as crappy as the rest of the city? What if one of the specially-crafted parade pieces loses a wheel and pitches over onto I-65?
It’s an idea someone, somewhere put together to make a parade. And somehow they made it happen. The website lists quite a few participants, and not just from Indy. So obviously it has some interest in it. I’m sure the art students are also getting graded on their participation.