(UPDATED 12/8/17) Sacramento’s Indo Arch is located at 4th and K Streets in Downtown Sacramento. The Indo Arch was my first introduction to public art in Sacramento – and I remember it in particular as there was some controversy about the piece at the time.
The controversy took place shortly after I arrived in Sacramento when I was just starting to familiarize myself with Sacramento and the surrounding region. The Indo Arch was created in 1978 and put in place in 1980. As I recall, the controversy had to do with what some saw as its phallic nature.
The 40 foot tall Indo Arch is an abstract sculpture of Corten steel created by Gerald Walburg who at the time was an Art Professor at CSU Sacramento. Walburg (now retired) won a competition to create a sculpture at the entrance of what was the Downtown Plaza (now the Downtown Commons).
It is notable that the Walburg sculpture was the first piece of public art commissioned by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC). SMAC – jointly funded by the city and county – was established in 1977 by city and county ordinances and charged with implementation of the Sacramento Art in Public Places program.
When I first saw the Info Arch – looking up at it – I remember thinking that the sculpture was massive. Visiting the sculpture recently it appears smaller – perhaps as it is now dwarfed by the surrounding buildings and trees.
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Walburg, one of Sacramento’s most notable artists, has a number of sculptures on display including one outside of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, one on the campus of San Jose State University, and one on the grounds of San Francisco General Hospital. Walburg unfortunately has no website.
An aside: On Mother’s Day, 2015, my daughter and I were enjoying the East Sacramento Garden Tour when we discovered that one of the featured gardens was at the home of Gerald and Deborah Walburg in East Sacramento. The property includes the Walburg home, a studio and a guest house. Several lots have been combined over the years to form a delightful and magical space filled with sculptures of various sizes (many quite large), plants, walkways and outdoor living areas – all surrounded by a fence that is also a work of art. Unfortunately I did not have my phone/camera with me so I cannot share the experience with you.
If you were also on the 2015 East Sacrament Garden Tour – did you take pictures of the Walburg garden(s) and art? If so, please share. Thank You!
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I personally like the Indo Arch – what do you think?
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