24-07-2025
Unlikely Destination For Design And Art Lovers: New Harmony, Indiana
UNITED STATES - JUNE 09: Atheneum, New Harmony, Indiana. Architect: Richard Meier (Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images) Getty Images
New Harmony, a small town perched on the Wabash river in southwest Indiana, is a very unlikely destination for design lovers. But those who make the trip — two hours drive from both Louisville, KY and St. Louis, MO and three hours from Indianapolis, IN and Nashville, TN – will not be disappointed. This rural town of about 800 people, many of whom get around via golf cart, boasts buildings by Philip Johnson and Richard Meier, public art by French sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, Anglo-German sculptor Ralph Beyer and American sculptor Don Gummer, and a park designed by a firm best known for their work on MoMA's sculpture garden.
Philip Johnson's Roofless Church is set in a garden with gates by French sculptor Jacques Lipchitz License agreement: Alex Morgan Imaging
This is all thanks to Jane Blaffer Owen, an oil heiress from Houston (her father was one of the founders of a company that's now ExxonMobil and her grandfather established the company that ultimately became Texaco), whose husband, Kenneth Dale Owen was a descendent of New Harmony's founders. Soon after they were married, Kenneth brought his new bride to his home town; she fell in love with New Harmony and dedicated her life to its preservation and revitalization, earning many many accolades along the way, including Commander of the British Empire, bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II.
Dedication of the Roofless Church with Jane Blaffer Owen and Kenneth Dale Owen, unknown photographer, May 1, 1960 Historic New Harmony; University of Southern Indiana
It seems random but isn't: Jane's mother, Sarah Campbell Blaffer, was a passionate art lover and collector whose eponymous foundation debuted in 1964 with the mission of 'sharing great works of art with people in communities far from major art museums.' The family were long-time supporters of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and, in 1947, Sarah established the Robert Lee Blaffer foundation at the museum, in honor of her late husband (Jane's father). A few years later, Jane's brother John, and his wife Camilla, made a large contribution to the museum which resulted in the construction of the Robert Lee Blaffer Memorial Wing. Today the Sarah Campbell Blaffer collection is shown in conjunction with the museum, with works from the collection exhibited in dedicated galleries there.
Bonnie Pollan left, David Boot center and his wife Kelley Bott look over paintings from the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Tuesday, March 19, 2013, in Houston . ( James Nielsen / Houston Chronicle ) (Photo by James Nielsen/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) Houston Chronicle via Getty Imag
Jane knew of the the architect Philip Johnson through her friends Dominique and John de Menil, who were noted patrons of art and design, and huge fans of modernism in all its forms. In 1948, the de Menil's tapped Johnson to design their Houston home. It was his first residential commission, and was completed in 1950. They filled it with what was widely considered to be one of the most important art collections in the country, and entertained often.
Philip Johnson, in front of the glass house he designed for himself in New Canaan, Ct, Fairfield County. (Photo By: David McLane/NY Daily News via Getty Images) NY Daily News via Getty Images
But Jane apparently didn't meet Johnson until the mid 1950s, and in 1957 she commissioned him to design the Roofless Church. She also arranged for the French artist Jacques Lipchitz to create the gilded bronze gates at the ceremonial entry of the walled enclosure.
License agreement: Alex Morgan Imaging
Several years prior, Jane had read about Lipchitz's work in an art magazine, and a maquette of one of his sculptures caught her eye. She reached out to him and had three bronze castings made of the piece. One occupies a place of honor underneath the Roofless Church structure, the other two went to the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Toute-Grace in France and the Iona Abbey in Scotland.
Descent of the Holy Spirit (1946–55) by Jacques Lipchitz Historic New Harmony
Over time, Jane added additional sculptures, memorials and a fountain to the Roofless Church site. They include: Pieta by Stephen De Staebler, Breath of God by Connecticut sculptor Mark Mennin, William Schickel's Grandparents' Baptismal Fountain and Ewa Żygulska's Polish Memorial .
Pieta, a sculpture by California artist Stephen De Staebler Courtesy of Visit Posey County
Jane met Paul Tillich, a German-American theologian and Christian existentialist philosopher, through Jacques Lipchitz. In 1963 he visited New Harmony to dedicate a site, across the street from the Roofless Church, that would ultimately be a park named in his honor. New York landscape architects Zion & Breen, who had worked with Philip Johnson on the design for New York's Museum of Modern Art sculpture garden, were tapped to design this space as well. It is set with large granite stones inscribed with passages from Tillich's writings (engraved by English letterer Ralph Beyer) and a bronze bust of Tillich by the American abstract sculptor James Rosati. Tillich's ashes were interred here in 1966, a year after New Harmony was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Bust of Paul Tillich by American abstract sculptor James Rosati. Courtesy of Historic New Harmony
1979 brought the debut of the Atheneum by Richard Meier & Associates, which contains Historic New Harmony's visitors' center. The porcelain, glass and steel structure was the first major commission for Meier, and earned him a host of awards including the American Institute of Architects National Honor Award for Achievement of Excellence in Architectural Design. Meier's original drawings and architectural model of the building are part of the permanent architecture collection at New York's Museum of Modern Art.
License agreement: Alex Morgan Imaging
Courtesy of Historic New Harmony
Don Gummer's Fountain of Committment sculpture is a focal point of Church Park, constructed in 1996 (fun fact: Gummer is married to Meryl Streep).
Fountain of Committment by Don Gummer Courtesy of Historic New Harmony
Finally, New Harmony has not one, but two labyrinths. The Cathedral Labyrinth and Sacred Garden is a replica of the 12th century Chartres Cathedral outside of Paris, France. It was designed by local treasure Ken Schuette, a landscape architect and professor emeritus of Purdue University. His architectural work has also included concept planning for renovation of the Pentagon and serving as project architect for the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorial restorations in Washington, D.C.
The Cathedral Labyrinth, designed by Ken Schuette, with The Atheneum, by Richard Meier, in the background. Courtesy of Historic New Harmony
The Harmonist Labirynth was originally designed by the Rappites, a religious German society, and dates to the early 1800s. When the Rappites left the area, the labirynth was not maintained, and deteriorated over time. An early aughts restoration, based on archival information, returned it to its previous glory, complete with a stone Rappite temple in the center.
License agreement: Alex Morgan Imaging
The best part is that all of the above can be accessed free of charge. Many are specially lit at night, offering different, often dramatic, almost made-for-instagram views. For more information about New Harmony, and a plethora of resources, go to Visit New Harmony and the Robert Lee Blaffler Foundation.
