A painting by Harry Davis titled “A Segment of Mass Ave” from 1973. Photo courtesy of University Library Special Collections and ArchivesThe work of a Herron School of Art alumnus whose paintings help preserve the memory and history of landmarks and buildings from decades past will be celebrated in an exhibition in downtown Indianapolis.

‘The Art of Harry Davis’ will be on display at the Indiana Landmarks Center at 1201 Central Avenue from June 7 to 28. The show is presented in partnership with Indiana Landmarks, the Herron School of Art and Design and University Library Special Collections and Archives.

After studying at the Indianapolis Herron School of Art in the 1930s, Davis found success as an artist in Europe and North Africa. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army, working as a combat artist during World War II before returning home to join the Herron School faculty.

Davis is renowned for depicting Indiana landmarks in hundreds of paintings, ranging from rural areas from his childhood to urban buildings that faced threat of demolition.

The exhibition will kick off with two events on June 7:

• A free opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m.
• A discussion of Davis’s life and legacy led by Rachel Berenson Perry, fine arts curator emerita of the Indiana State Museum, from 6 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for the general public and free with RSVP for Indiana Landmarks members. A virtual option will be offered.

The program is made possible through a grant from Indiana Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Additional resources about Davis are available through University Library Special Collections and Archives, including a Harry and Lois Davis Papers collection and a Harry A. Davis Image Collection.