Client: Hyatt House-Hyatt Place

Overview

Indianapolis Hyatt House-Hyatt Place is located in downtown Indianapolis, facing the main entrance of Bankers Life Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers. It was opened to represent a prominent landmark within the central downtown area. The 15-story property is comprised of the Hyatt Place Indianapolis Downtown and the Hyatt House Downtown. Indianapolis Hyatt House-Hyatt Place engaged art consulting and curatorial firm Eaton Fine Art to curate a unique art program for the guestrooms, corridors, and public spaces, a portion of which was to be done in collaboration with the Arts Council of Indianapolis Public Art for Neighborhoods Program.

Goals

When curating the art program for Indianapolis Hyatt House-Hyatt Place, Eaton Fine Art wanted each piece to have a connection to the Circle City, to sports, reflecting both the hotel’s location near the city’s NBA stadium and Indianapolis’ strong pride in their sports teams, like the Pacers and the Colts, as well as events such as the Indy 500. For example,“Full Court Press”, by local artist Chris Vorhees, is a sculpture made out of an old gym floor and reworked into an incredible piece of art, covering the walls and ceilings of the lobby. The found object base of the piece also adds an exciting sustainable element to the program. Additionally, using the circle as a repeated theme, Eaton Fine Art incorporated pieces with this form throughout both public and private spaces, such as “All Ball,” by Chris Vorhees, and “Bounce,” by local artist, Reagan Furqueron calling to mind circular elements in sports such as balls, hoops, and the Indy 500 track.

Process

Indianapolis Hyatt House-Hyatt Place is a dual-branded property located in downtown Indianapolis’ historic Wholesale District, facing the main entrance of Bankers Life Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers. Hyatt opened the property with HRI Properties, LLC to represent a prominent landmark within the central downtown area and to create an experience that allows guests to enjoy both brands under one roof. With interior design led by Gettys ONE and architecture led by RATIO, Indianapolis Hyatt House-Hyatt Place engaged art consulting and curatorial firm Eaton Fine Art to curate a unique art program for the guestrooms, corridors, and public spaces throughout the entire property, a portion of which was to be done in collaboration with the Arts Council of Indianapolis Public Art for Neighborhoods Program. As Eaton Fine Art’s sixth project with HRI, the final space reflects a true collaboration between all parties involved to capitalize on the rich creative talent found in Indianapolis. Across the entire property, Eaton Fine Art curated 44 pieces, 11 of which were commissioned artworks.

Additional Information

In the lobby bar hangs “Jersey Wall,” inviting audience engagement into the space. “Jersey Wall” features stretched jerseys of different colors and numbers, all from Indiana-based hall-of-famers. Guests are invited to sit, engage in conversation, and guess the players who wore the jerseys. In the outdoor space “Shard Wall”, by sculptor and architectural designer Elena Colombo, is a unique piece that aligns with the program’s local theme. “Shard Wall” is part of the architecture of the property itself, and boasts a fire element, calling to mind Indianapolis’ strong history in the railroad and warehouse district industry.