For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Day
Tel: 515.271.0344 (o)
515.612.0775 (c)
aday@desmoinesartcenter.org
DES MOINES, IOWA (September 2026) – The Des Moines Art Center has received a $50,000 grant from The Fred Maytag Family Foundation to support the planning and preparation of a transformative upcoming exhibition, “Hugh Hayden: Blow the House Down,” scheduled to open in April 2027.
The first exhibition curated for the Art Center by John and Mary Pappajohn Director and CEO Dr. Kelly Baum—who joined the Art Center from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2023—this project brings together the work of contemporary sculptor Hugh Hayden, an artist with a background in architecture, and I. M. Pei, the Pritzker Prize-winning architect behind the Art Center’s iconic 1968 building. Presented in dialogue, their work will illuminate the dynamic ways art and architecture shape and inspire one another.
The exhibition will feature approximately a dozen works installed across two floors of the Pei-designed wing, including several new site-specific sculptures inspired by Midwest art and architecture, including the history of Iowa-born artist Grant Wood. Through these installations and related educational programs, this project will invite new perspectives on art and architecture — transforming one of the Art Center’s most celebrated buildings into a stage for exploring American art, history, and identity.
“We are deeply grateful for the Fred Maytag Family Foundation’s support in realizing this exhibition and for their steadfast commitment to the Des Moines Art Center over the past three decades. Thanks to their generosity, generations of Iowans have enjoyed free access to a vibrant space featuring an exceptional art collection, engaging exhibitions, and impactful educational programs. Just as the Maytag family’s vision has brought our community together through art, their continued support inspires creativity, learning, and connection at the Art Center,” said Dr. Baum.
“Hugh Hayden: Blow the House Down” will be on view at the Art Center from April 3 through July 25, 2027.
About the Des Moines Art Center
The Des Moines Art Center is a vibrant, AAM-accredited (American Alliance of Museums) institution located in the capital city of Iowa that welcomes around 300,000 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 art for which the Art Center cares 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. In 2025, as part of its strategic plan, the Art Center adopted the values of equity, respect, integrity, continuous reflection, and collaboration.
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