The Alexander Aims To Inspire With A Hotel Adorned With Art
The Indianapolis boutique hotel goes all in on an artistic experience for visitors
(Nick Cave’s Soundsuit, one of many art installations found throughout The Alexander)
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Perfect For: Anyone looking for a vibrant stay in Indiana’s capital
Most hotels feature art at some level, often in the form of pleasantly forgettable paintings intended to be ignored in a guest room. Such is not the case at Indianapolis, Indiana boutique The Alexander, where vibrant art installations are the centerpiece of the hotel.
“The art is very much designed to inspire your stay. And that's really been our tagline is ‘Stay inspired,’” explains Brent Hall, Director of Sales & Marketing at The Alexander. “And it is really meant to promote thought and conversation, and also create this really amazing backdrop for a really great experience, an unforgettable experience, and some great memories.”
The hotel’s art immersion begins before guests even step foot inside the property. Visitors parking in the hotel’s two garages will notice murals portraying accomplished British graffiti pioneer Nick Walker via his Vandal character, who tags urban areas under the guise of a proper English gentleman. It’s an intentional effort to deliver a visual engagement for guests from the moment they arrive onsite.
(One of Nick Walker’s Vandal murals in the parking lot of the Alexander)
“It's all a part of creating kind of that immersive guest experience from start to finish,” Hall details. “Like you said, it's the first thing you noticed when you pulled into the parking garage and it sets the tone. And it's the last thing you see when you pull out of the parking garage as well. So…I think that's the reason behind it. And it's fun.”
Upon entering the hotel, guests are greeted by an array of art installations throughout the hotel’s lobby and public spaces. The $3 million collection includes pieces from local, national, and international artists, all intended to inspire and provoke conversation among visitors at The Alexander.
"We want to give people a reason to come to Indianapolis and experience the destination. And then the color and the vibrancy is very much in keeping with the hotel." - Brent Hall
One prominent display comes from artist Paul Villinski, whose Anthem piece showcases a wall of birds in flight, which, upon closer inspection, are all made from vinyl records.
(Above and below: Paul Villinski’s Anthem installation)
“The background story behind that is (Villinski) was in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and was very intrigued by how people's belongings were just piled in the streets from these homes that were devastated,” Hall reveals. “And so he started scavenging the vinyl records and he collected them all and took them back to his studio in Los Angeles and then just started playing around with shape and form and landed on these birds taking flight. And (he) went through all of the records that he scavenged and then started getting into his own vinyl record collection as well.
“One of the unique things about that piece too is that you'll find a lot of the records that were used somehow have ties to Indiana. Either it was an old record label that was here or an artist or a producer. And if you look at the record player, at the base of the piece, the record that is on there is actually The Jackson 5 from Gary, Indiana.”
One floor below the Anthem wall is the Standing Wave installation by Brooklyn-based sculptor Alyson Shotz. According to Shotz’s site, the piece is comprised of “long strips of the acrylic material…that seem to undulate with color and light.”
“The piece looks different throughout the day,” Hall shares. “And I think that's one of the key features of that is that it's always changing. I think my favorite view of that piece is at night, especially from the street, because…it's all you can see in (the lower lobby) when you're in that space, when you are standing at street level, looking in. It's really stunning.”
(Above and below: Found item lightbox installations from Indianapolis-based collective The Droops - Emily Gable, Paul Pelsue, Ashley Windbigler, Brock Forrer, Ally Alsup and Adam Woolenberg)
Hear more from Hall on A HOTEL PODCAST, with the Director of Sales & Marketing speaking on his background in hospitality that led him to the Alexander, the hotel’s beehive-based sustainability initiatives, his ideal long weekend for first time visitors to Indianapolis, and more.
(Note: This interview was recorded in summer 2023 and references fall 2023 as the likely start of a renovation effort.)
Find more via The Alexander. And subscribe for more from A Hotel Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Hosted by Jaime Black.
Overnight accommodation provided by The Alexander.