Private Universe

Des Moines Art Center Downtown
August 29, 2008 – January 25, 2009

Private Universe explores the work of artists who use a variety of media and construction methods to create new and often highly personal worlds. Some rework familiar domestic spaces and objects, while others build up elaborate new landscapes from scratch. Fantasy and imagination play important roles in the exhibition, as demonstrated by Ruud van Empel’s utopian forests and Patrick Nagatani’s alternative archeological histories. Although many of the works are small in scale, they often result from intense feats craftsmanship, from Joseph Cornell’s flawlessly integrated collages to H.C. Westermann’s detailed woodwork. Media in the show range from early-20th-century collage to mid-century box constructions to 21st-century photography.

Private Universe
Related Programs

Preview Party
Thursday, August 28, 6 – 8 pm
Art Center Downtown
Featuring music by Chad Elliot
Admission $5; FREE for members

Gallery Talk
Laura Burkhalter, assistant curator
Thursday, September 4, 6:30 pm
(Gallery opens at 6 pm)
Art Center Downtown
FREE admission

Join Laura Burkhalter as she discusses the artists and works in this exhibition.

Downtown Extended Hours:
Open second Saturdays
11 am – 4 pm during exhibitions

September 13
October 11
November 8
December 13
January 10

Guided Tours
We are pleased to offer guided tours of Private Universe. Please schedule at least three weeks in advance. Contact Jennifer Cooley at 515.271.0328 or jcooley@desmoinesartcenter.org.

All tours Downtown are FREE.

Support for this exhibition is provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.