John Mellencamp will donate an archived collection of his life and work to Indiana University.
The news was announced by IU President Pamela Whitten at the Mellencamp Symposium held at the IU Bloomington campus.
The collection will include items related to the acclaimed musician, artist and activist’s iconic artistry, social activism and philanthropy, and it holds original creative works, photographs, instruments and other significant memorabilia.
“John’s impact on music and American culture is immense,” Whitten said. “On behalf of Hoosiers everywhere, I am exceptionally proud of John’s lifelong association with IU and deeply grateful to him for selecting the university as the permanent home for his archives.”
The archives will be a focal point for IU’s efforts to inspire and equip students for successful arts and entertainment careers across creative arts disciplines.
During the symposium luncheon, Whitten also announced that a sculpture honoring Mellencamp’s artistic legacy will be commissioned for the Bloomington campus.
The sculpture — funded by a group of donors, including John and Michelle Vickery, Randy Hoffman, Allen Grubman, and others who wish to remain anonymous — will rest near the Fine Arts Plaza on the IU Bloomington campus and will symbolize the strong connection Mellencamp has to his southern Indiana roots.
Whitten also announced that the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University will partner with Mellencamp to launch an exhibition in the 2023-24 academic year.
The exhibition will showcase Mellencamp’s visual artistic expression and pay tribute to his accomplishments as a contemporary artist. It will serve as a gateway for students to experience and engage with Mellencamp’s original works of art.
More information about the exhibition will be released through the Eskenazi Museum of Art website later.
Mellencamp, a Bloomington resident whose music career spans more than four decades, kicked off his extensive Live and In Person 2023 North American tour at Indiana University Auditorium.
“Legends of Rock: John Mellencamp,” a new permanent exhibition, opened last year at the storied Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum.
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