FROM INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Indiana University (IU) will unveil a new statue honoring Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp on Friday at the Bloomington campus. The statue will be placed in the IU Auditorium’s North Garden, recognizing the Seymour native’s longstanding connection to Indiana and the university.

Mellencamp, who holds an honorary degree from IU, will attend the unveiling. Anthony DeCurtis, an IU alumnus and contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine, noted Mellencamp’s deep ties to Indiana. “Not many artists are as associated with a place like Mellencamp is with Indiana,” DeCurtis said, reflecting on his decades of following Mellencamp’s career.

Mellencamp joins the ranks of other IU icons like Hoagy Carmichael, George Taliaferro, Elinor Ostrom, and Herman B Wells, who are also commemorated with statues on campus. The life-sized sculpture was crafted by IU alumnus Michael McAuley, a Bloomington native.

Mellencamp’s musical career began in the 1970s, and at age 73, his contributions to art and his Indiana roots remain a significant part of his legacy. DeCurtis emphasized the importance of the statue’s location at IU, saying, “Being at Indiana University is a big deal.”

The unveiling ceremony is open to the public and media.