Carla Clark | For The Republic Jessica Schwarz and Emma Schwarz check out the details of the “A View of the World from Indiana” installation at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church during the Exhibit Columbus “Yes And” opening tour at the Vistors Center, Columbus, Ind., Saturday, August 16, 2025.
Exhibit Columbus has removed the installation A View of the World from Indiana from Sarah Aziz, one of the University Design Research Fellowship installations, after what organizers described as “late and unapproved changes to the concept and its resulting on-site execution.”
Those changes, involving 12 “bathtub Madonna” shrines, each containing a wooden figure carved to resemble a notable architect from a Midwestern state, were depicted with minimal clothing and photos covering portions of the figure’s anatomy, resulting in complaints after opening weekend, including concerns from the site’s community partner, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Exhibit Columbus officials said, as installed, the work did not meet Exhibit Columbus’ high standards, according to a statement from organizers.
This is the first time in a decade that an Exhibit Columbus installation has been removed due to changes made to the concept and poor on-site execution.
The handmade elements surrounding the figures were decorated with colorful stones, glass, and seashells. A banner proclaiming “NOTHING TO SEE HERE” was suspended 100 feet across the street but was removed after opening weekend.
Richard McCoy, director of Landmark Columbus, which oversees Exhibit Columbus, said in early July, Aziz proposed changing architecture models of buildings within the shrines to figures of Midwestern architects, and added a partner to create those figures. Exhibit Columbus officials said they would respect and navigate her creative process and went forward with the idea, and believed that as the installation was near a church and private school, the figures would be represented in the public realm in a respectful way.
When asked if he thought Exhibit Columbus had been pranked by the installation due to the figures lacking clothing, with photos of the actual architects over body parts, with each held in place by plastic strips, McCoy said he did not think that was the case.
“I think there was irony and humor that was intended,” he said, referencing the sign high above the installation that said, “NOTHING TO SEE HERE.”
McCoy said in retrospect, the irony and humor was not the strongest part of the installation, and showing the architect’s figures in such a “raw” way rather than in their normal professional way “didn’t land well.”
There were also concerns expressed after the opening weekend that a red “bulls-eye” painted at the center of the installation was inappropriate to be placed near a church and a school, near a drop-off lane for students.
McCoy explained the red “target” that allowed Aziz to use a drone to drop confetti and hats inside the installation on openng day for Exhibit Columbus.
“It was kind of an innocent mistake,” he said, as the red circle bullseye was meant for the drone, not to convey anything else.
Officials had learned that even though the exhibition continues through November, Aziz had planned to remove the figures from the installation in early September, meaning they would only have been on exhibit for a couple weeks.
“She was going to pull a major part of that installation on the first week of September,” McCoy said.
Making a mistake like that is the result of moving too fast, without considering fully what it could convey to onlookers, McCoy said of the bullseye complaints. The red bullseye has since been painted over with green paint to blend in with grass. McCoy said the remainder of the installation is expected to be removed within the next few days.
Exhibit Columbus said the decision to remove the work was made to uphold the integrity and caliber of the program and out of respect for the community partner hosting it. Aziz controls all of the work’s components, and Exhibit Columbus said there is the possibility of it being exhibited again elsewhere.
Aziz, who is with University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning, said she is disappointed by the decision to remove the installation as she said everything other than the paint involved with the “bullseye” allegation was approved by Exhibit Columbus and the church. She added that the paint did not represent a “bullseye” but ended in that effect because the grass had burned with the heat.
Aziz said McCoy had seen a full mockup and approved it prior to the install as long as the sculptures were clothed as requested by the church, which Aziz had approved through the church.
She said Exhibit Columbus not supporting one of its exhibitors is one of the “worst things that they could do.”
Although the de-install has left Aziz in what she described as “financial ruin,” she said the entire installation will be moved across the street from its current location to a private home’s garden, where it will be reinstalled. She said this time, the statues will not have clothing and will appear as designed, nude. She said she expected the move to be completed by next Tuesday.
In an online statement to its congregation St. Peter’s staff said the partnership with Aziz was not what the organization had hoped for and left organizers “very disappointed.”
“The installation is now in the process of being removed and repairs to the property will be completed as soon as possible,” according to church officials.
Exhibit Columbus issued an apology to St. Peter’s, saying, “On behalf of Landmark Columbus Foundation and the Exhibit Columbus team, I want to express our sincere apologies for the distress and inconvenience caused by the recent installation at St. Peter’s. While we intended to create a meaningful and engaging work, we recognize that elements of the project were not in keeping with the needs and expectations of your congregation and community.”
The Aziz installation was not the only one that was changed from its initial configuration for this year’s exhibition.
“Joy Riding,” an installation by J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize recipient Studio Barnes, based out of Miami was initially have a large mural on the roof and speakers on the side of a Jackson Street parking garage downtown that would accompany a transformer speaker. However, McCoy said Studio Barnes declined to bring the mural and speakers due to timing issues. The mural and speakers were being funded by Studio Barnes outside their Exhibit Columbus award.
There were also some delays with the installation at the IU School of Architecture building in downtown Columbus to clear the installation with IU officials before and during construction.
McCoy said Exhibit Columbus tries to work with the community on the speed of trust and there are lessons learned from the need for the removal of the installation about moving too fast.
“We are working to rebuild the trust with St. Peter’s,” he said, adding that he had presented before city officials this past week about the installations, which went very well.
“For one project in 10 years to not come off as well as hoped is unfortunate, but it was on view for opening weekend and celebrated on opening weekend,” he said.
