For Immediate Release: August 27, 2009
Contact: Jeff Morgan
Public Relations
515.281.3858
Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov
Artist Jaume Plensa to speak at public art conference in November
Plensa’s “Nomade” anchors John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park
(DES MOINES, Iowa) - The Iowa Arts Council and the Des Moines Art Center will host the 2009 Iowa Public Art Networking Conference this November to celebrate the opening of the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Des Moines.
The two-day conference, supported by the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, will be Nov. 12-13, 2009, at various locations in Des Moines. The conference fee is $44.50, or $60 after Nov. 1, 2009, through www.iowatix.com. A conference brochure is available at www.iowaartscouncil.org.
The conference begins at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, at Hoyt Sherman Place Theatre, 1501 Woodland Avenue in Des Moines, with the Des Moines Art Center Fingerman Lecture featuring artist Jaume Plensa, who has produced projects all over the world including the “Crown Fountain” for Chicago’s Millennium Park and “Nomade,” which anchors the southern side of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park
During his presentation, Plensa will discuss his body of work and share his approach to making art for public spaces. The lecture is the 21st in the series made possible through generous gifts by Louis and Lois Fingerman.
The conference continues 9:15 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, 2009, at the Des Moines Public Library, 1000 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, for an introduction and walking tour of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Plensa and Des Moines Art Center docents will lead the tour.
After visiting the Temple for Performing Arts for lunch and a presentation about public art projects completed during 2008-2009, participants will return to the Des Moines Central Library for panel discussions about “Sculpture Parks” and “Establishing and Maintaining a Public Art Program and Master Plan.” The conference concludes with a reception at Art 316 Open House, 316 SW 5th Street in Des Moines.
The 4.4-acre John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park opens to the public Sept. 29, 2009, in downtown Des Moines’ Western Gateway Park. The park is located within a major crossroads of the urban grid, making it unlike any other sculpture park in the United States, and will contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood.
The Pappajohns’ contribution of 24 works for the park is the most significant donation of artwork ever made to the Des Monies Art Center and includes sculptures by Louise Bourgeois, Deborah Butterfield, William de Kooning, Ellsworth Kelly, Martin Puryear and Richard Serra, among others.
The project is a collaborative effort of the Pappajohns, the City of Des Moines, the Des Moines Art Center, and numerous corporate and private supporters.
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The Iowa Arts Council is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and works to enrich the quality of life for Iowans through support of the arts. Funding for the Iowa Arts Council and its programs is provided by the state of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Arts. More information at www.iowaartscouncil.org.