For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Day
Tel: 515.271.0344 (o)
515.612.0775 (m)
E-mail: aday@desmoinesartcenter.org
DES MOINES, IA (July 2025) – The Des Moines Art Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan deLima as Director of Installations. deLima brings over 20 years of experience in the contemporary art world, with an impressive background in exhibitions, managing collections, and developing impactful art programs. Previously, he served as Manager of the Contemporary Art Collection for Krause Group, where he led major installations across international sites and expanded the collection’s reach and engagement. deLima’s career also includes key roles at Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills, CA, where he implemented more than 60 exhibitions and oversaw a major architectural expansion. deLima holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a concentration in English from Amherst College and has a strong foundation in education and community engagement. He has served on the board of the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation since 2019.
About his appointment deLima shared, “I am incredibly excited to join the team of inspired and dedicated people at the Art Center. The museum has such a singular and robust program, owing to the great engagement of its staff, volunteers, and community. I look forward to collaborating and helping develop vibrant projects in the coming years.”
“I am thrilled to welcome Jonathan to the Art Center to lead our distinguished and extraordinary Department of Installations,” says Kelly Baum, John and Mary Pappajohn Director and CEO. “Jonthan’s extensive experience working with artists on complex, groundbreaking projects for both galleries and private collections, likewise his expertise on overseeing the care, stewardship, and handling of works of art make him a superb addition to the Art Center.”
deLima joins the Art Center following the retirement of Jay Ewart who has held the position for the past 21 years. Ewart was hired as Chief Preparator in 2004, relocating from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, where he had worked for thirteen years. He was promoted to Director of Installations in January 2024.
Over the past two decades, Ewart has overseen the installation of 227 exhibitions and countless permanent collection rotations, many that tested the limits of art, engineering, and architecture. Ewart played a key role in stewarding the Pappajohn Sculpture Park from its inception to the present day as one of its chief caregivers, overseeing the installation of every work that has ever entered the park. Additionally, he has contributed to the realization of a number of major capital improvements, most notably lighting and restoration projects in the A.H. Blank Gallery, Kyle and Sharon Krause Galleries, the Richard Meier Wing, and the I.M. Pei building.
The Des Moines Art Center congratulates Jay Ewart on a successful career and welcomes Jonathan deLima who began his new role on July 14, 2025.
For more information, contact Senior Director of Communications and Marketing Amy Day at 515.271.0344 or aday@desmoinesartcenter.org.
About the Des Moines Art Center
The Des Moines Art Center is a vibrant, AAM-accredited institution located in the capital city of Iowa that welcomes over 270,000 visitors annually from across the country and around the globe. Its historic campus consists of three buildings designed by major architects of the 20th century—Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier—incorporated into the natural landscape of Greenwood Park. The Art Center is home to one of the strongest collections of 20th and 21st century art in the region, and it hosts a series of ground-breaking exhibitions and lectures each year featuring artists known regionally, nationally, and internationally. The experimental spirit of the art for which the Art Center cares for is reflected in its creative offerings, including a celebrated education program that prioritizes access and collaboration, an art school with studio classes for all ages, and the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, situated on 4.4 acres in downtown Des Moines. The Art Center is committed to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, which are incorporated into every facet of its mission and identity.
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