Ann Dancing

I was in Indianapolis for a total of 1.5 hours and this was BY far the coolest thing I saw. I’m not sure why everyone hates this installation so much. We happened to drive by after eating dinner on Mass Ave. Ann brought a smile to my face and she made me want to dance. What’s wrong with that? And I don’t think her moves are outdated. Anyone who likes to dance has a signature move. «The sway» is Ann’s move. Keep swaying Ann. Dance on!

Ann was cool when she was first installed, and she still is… kinda. But come on, with today’s technology it would be nice if she could shake it up and be programmed to do something other than her signature back and forth dance. But it’s art, so I have to be understanding. It’s a cool addition to Mass Ave, albeit a sometimes annoying one.

The chick has grown on me over time. Say what you will, but even if people don’t know her by name, they recognize her.
She’s just different enough from everything else that she’s become one of those landmark pieces along Mass Ave…
If I had to work next to her all the time, I’m not sure how I’d feel, but on a frequent basis, I’ve come to pass by and think: «Yep, she’s still dancing.» Also a good reminder to make sure I’ve got a spring and swing in my step!
Plus her sway reminds me of a Maya Angelou book and poem.

Ann, you’re a-​okay in my book.
The fact that you cause a stir between those who like and dislike you shows that
you’re doing your job. Give ‘em something to talk about from your Mass Ave intersection.
Although, I will point out that as of late you’ve been losing some lights and luster. Would love to see you do something crazy once in a while to throw bystanders off.

I adore Ann dancing. My girls love dancing with Ann. She’s fun and a bit silly. Art is a matter of perception, and if she brings a smile to my kids face and adds a bit of whimsy to Mass Ave. then I say yes — it IS art.
Lighten up people. Instead of hating on her, be appreciative that there’s was someone considerate enough to add a bit of cheer to the drab brick that was before Vonnegut started flirting with her from across the way!

I refuse to learn the intended meaning behind Ann Dancing, because it is probably some pretentious bull-​you-​know-​what that would make me hate her.
I also don’t know that I can call her «art», since it’s just a 10-​sec looped LED display.
BUUUUUUUT, she makes me smile when I go by. Life’s too short not to truly and fully appreciate the silly little things that make you smile… like Ann.
p. s. I don’t care that she doesn’t have a neck or proper curves. Nobody’s perfect.

Some recent reviews have kept this going, and I love seeing all the Unilocaling opinions happening here. I had a recent run in with Ann, so it deserves an update…
Just a year ago… our standards for public art were pretty low. Thanks to the Super Bowl initiative we have 46 murals (and more) all over the city — that vary from Vonnegut to jazz musicians to unique works by local artists (Kyle Ragsdale on the Canal).
Art doesn’t have to be deep, or tender, or fascinating or perfect. No matter the art work it can be taken seriously (I take the text of Mission Impossible just as seriously as I do Melancholia. And often it’s from a feminist point of view; hence, this review).
From Ann Dancing’s website: «Ann Dancing references the historic use of the female form as architectural embellishment. Whether looking at the caryatids on the acropolis in Athens, Greece or the personifications of Industry, Agriculture, Justice and Literature found at Indianapolis’ own Federal Courthouse, the female form has often been used in the development of inspiring places.»
The caryatid of the acropolis is a robust female figure that supports the structure of the building, and to symbolize their importance in Greece. The Courthouse’s figures are stoic female figures symbolizing core values. When you browse the artist’s website you’ll find that Ann falls in line with all of his work: from men walking, to women dancing nude… they all have plain faces /​heads. Ann just so happens to be the one that can most easily be mocked. His other works of the female form are provoking — full figured forms — alluring and, although still disembodying the female form… they are not easily mocked.
The intentions of art pale in the light of their repercussions — especially when considering that… morally speaking… there is something terribly terribly terribly terrible about this work of art.
Look at Ann. Look at her body. Look at her head. There’s no neck, there’s no hair, there’s no feet. The artist put a woman on public display and burned her femininity at the stake. «Ha! Ha! Look at you women on Mass Ave dancing and having a ball! Well, I’m here to say — booooooooo — and I’m going to steal your womanhood from you.» It’s a public mockery of what a woman is, and that’s the issue. Often in art, women are disfigured — this is another example. Note: a man made Ann.
Walking home one night recently, I saw what I have feared from the very first time I saw Ann. I witnessed four baby boomers (three guys, one woman), swaying and dancing with Ann. Is art a game? Is art a game to mock? Even if it is… is a woman a game to play and to mock?

When I watch Ann Dancing, when I stand disgusted in the glow of her despotic gyrations, I cannot help but think, «This is art?» What leveling has occurred in the minds of our public officials to approve of this and anoint it with the fine word «art.” — What leveling and apathy has occurred in us to allow such an eyesore to maintain this status?- Then the necessary question floats into consciousness: What is art?
Tolstoy once asked himself this question, and he– unlike most of us– had the courage to think it through to the very end. Like many of us however, he too felt the wrongness in the «art» around him.
«Art in our society has become perverted to such a degree that not only has bad art come to be considered good, but even the very notion of what art is has been lost, so that, in order to speak of art in our society, one must first distinguish true art from counterfeit.»
Ann Dancing is a symptom of our perversion, our forgetfulness, our leveling of something powerful, emotion, and authentic. Why? What happens in art? What does it mean to make art?
«To call up in oneself a feeling once experienced and, having called it up to convey it by means of movements, lines, colours, sounds, images expressed in words, so that others experience the same feeling — in this consists the activity of art. Art is that human activity which consists in consciously conveying to others, by certain external signs, the feelings he has experienced, and in others being infected by those feeling and also experiencing them.»
Art is the hope that one person can feel that which another feels– that despite the incessant pangs of alienation we can somehow hold communion with one another– whether the object of this communion be grief, love, despair, anxiety, excitement, fear, happiness… This is why when we are are moved by extremely powerful feelings we pick up our old guitar, we write a ridiculous poem, or we scribble some sketches in a notebook. Art is a condition of human life. Most of us, however, think better after the catharsis and hide our expressions, not possessing the courage to expose ourselves– but it is this fact that separate the majority from those worthy of the title «artist.»
Even if you like Ann Dancing– with what emotion has it ever infected you? What sort of transcendence occurs?- It means nothing. It stands for nothing. It is a novelty, not art. At best, it is an advertisement without a product. At worst, it is the embodiment of our apathy and nihilism. To quote Macbeth it is, «A tale told by and idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” — No, perhaps it isn’t even worthy of the bravado of our nihilism.
Simply put, in an area full of galleries with the works of many talented artists, Ann Dancing is offensive and should be removed.

After reading Trevor’s review (it’s OK, he’s still a nice guy), I felt compelled to update mine and add a star.
Sometimes art is silly, whimsical, and, yes… pointless. If you overthink Ann, you’ll end up with a headache and needing to down a few brews at one of the nearby bars. That’s the great thing about art. Everyone has their own interpretation and opinion of what it is or is not. Tolstoy’s opinion is no more right or wrong than that of Matisse or even Mateff.

It’s hard for me to consider Ann Dancing «art», but I can appreciate it’s uniqueness and the space it fills on Mass Ave.
What I’m really upset about is why there isn’t a male version??? Go figure… guys are getting the artistic shaft again!
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Just as there isn’t an Andy Dancing, there’s no male version of the Mona Lisa… and come to think of it, Seurat’s «Sunday afternoon» has nearly double the women than men in the park… and even when the subject is a man, like Magritte’s «The Son of Man» his face is covered with a green apple!
Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to settle with being able to pee standing up.

Blech! I used to work at Old Point Tavern and that dumb Ann was always out. Part of her leg would be missing or her head. I like the idea, but how much electricity is that thing sucking? How much are the technicians paid to come out and reanimate her legs and head every month? Is it really worth it? I guess she wouldn’t be as cool if she was a painting or a model. Oh wait, maybe she would.

I love Ann and her outdated dance moves. She shakes her stuff at the perfect intersection on Mass Ave.

I like the idea of a dancing LED lady, but they definitely need to teach her some new moves. How cool would it be if she broke into a jig, perhaps the macarena, I’d even take the chicken dance! Just do something *else* and I’d be happy.

Y’all are HATERS!
I don’t get all the hate for Ann —
not everything has to have some deep existential, metaphorical meaning… have you heard of pop art?
She is like a robot member of the Supremes, swaying back and forth in her little shift dress.
I find her to be charming and whimsical. So there.

I’m joining you Janet S. — we can be the anti-​haters! I find her to be a welcome beacon when I am wandering downtown… lost as always… or out doing my weekly mundane Wednesday night hike with the IHC. When I see her… I know I’m almost done with the brain-​numbing urban hike. I say: Keep her swaying!

I was taken to a sweet bar by the very cool, Unilocal Indy! And, while leaving he showed us this… I don’t get it. I think it’s very awkward for a normal public setting. I think she dances a little slutty for children to watch while walking down the street.
So, in summation, I don’t get why this is «Art» and I am not a fan.

I had never been to Indianapolis before, but I knew of Mass Ave, where there were sights to see, eats to eat and drinks to drink — but I wasn’t prepared for the horror that is Ann Dancing.
Now, I’m not claiming to be an art critic, far from it. My sense of fine art boils down to the principal of, «Hey, that’s pretty neat» or, «No, that is not neat at all.» However, I do know I like what I like, and Ann, I don’t like you.
Granted, there is something memorizing about this neon stick-​figure woman shaking her hips and swaying what some artist gave her. You watch it, confused, then can’t look away. This may be the point … although the meaning behind the creation is still lost to me (are you saying all Indianapolis women boil down to floozy caricatures, shaking their goods, literally, at every passersby? Cause I think that’s what I’m taking away from it.) Kristen W was right — this image would feel more at home adorning a strip club than as public art on a very busy street.
I’m giving it two stars for effort. I dig Indy trying to be cool and different. As someone who likes to push the envelope for the sake of shaking things up, I’m all for strange post-​modern art that’s sake is to confuse, or at least make people think … but I can’t stand behind this one. This just seems, well, dumb. Sorry artist, good try

WTH?! I lived in Chicago when the Windy City was attacked by life size cow statues in different mural style painted finishes by different artists/​organization across the city. That was cool, that was art. Ann sorry, you receive a big fat FAIL.
You welcome Indy visitors with off beat, swaying movements that closely resemble that of the drunk girls at college frat parties that are still juniors in high school themselves, actually I think if you had a bottle of captain in your hand it would actually improve the message.
I know the cows eventually came down and were auctioned off, is that any chance we can raffle off Ann and get something more improved, a cow? horse? hell, at this point we may as well just hire a go-​go dancer in a cage as an improvement!

i realize that «beauty is in the eye of the beholder» /​art is subjective, but what’s going on here? there’s nothing appealing about this weird robot-​floozy who seductively sways her hips at on-​coming pedestrians. it’s creepy and kind of offensive.
good for a strip club billboard? *maybe*. good for a downtown art installation? definitely no.

Time to change it up… Ann Dancing — you have danced long enough
Employment led me downtown on a daily basis and also to the Mass Ave area a few times a week — for food. Mass Ave is one of those «streets that doesn’t run east or west or north and south» It just goes against the grain. Low and behold as I am making sure I am at the right place I wonder why no one said.“look for the dancing girl” and you will be there !!
Okay it is now how I tell people to find Mass Ave… but let’s look at the reasons for the girl dancing — named «Ann Dancing» — there is NO reason. She plays no significant part in the history of Indy, she is not a tribute to anyone, she is just «Ann Dancing».
It’s time for a change Indy. We are hosting the Superbowl in 2012. We hold conventions in honor of FFA every year. The National Fireman Convention convenes here each year, not to mention that we have the largest Children’s Museum and the INDY 500… Hello, is anyone getting my drift here?
Let’s get rid of the «dancing Ann» and replace her with a something of meaning. After all it is called the «cultural trail». We have Peyton, we have Indy cars, we have so so much… let’s try to let the people who visit our fine city know we are proud and welcome them with something a bit more meaningful.
Just a thought…