For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Day
Tel: 515.271.0344 (o)
515.612.0775 (c)
aday@desmoinesartcenter.org

DES MOINES, IA (October 24, 2023) –  Designed by artist Mary Miss in collaboration with the City of Des Moines and several local nonprofit organizations, “Greenwood Pond: Double Site” (1989-1996) is a large-scale outdoor artwork located in Greenwood Park. The multi-piece work functions simultaneously as a site-specific art installation and an outdoor recreational area.

As part of the Art Center’s due diligence to maintain their collections, the Art Center is conducting a complete structural review of the site that is more than 30 years old. While the site is being studied, the Des Moines Art Center has suspended public access to some of the wooden structures that comprise “Greenwood Pond: Double Site.” This week, metal fencing will be installed to enclose the warming hut and bridge and some of the arched structures will be dismantled as future plans are considered.

While Greenwood Park is owned and managed by the City of Des Moines, “Greenwood Pond: Double Site” is an artwork under the ownership and management of the Des Moines Art Center. The Art Center is responsible for the care and financial obligations associated with maintaining the site and has engaged a comprehensive team including the City of Des Moines, a structural engineer, and professional contractors among others to consider future plans.

For further information about the history, creation, and concept of “Greenwood Pond: Double Site” visit the Des Moines Art Center’s website for a video featuring interviews with the artist and other key stakeholders involved in the project.

A timeline for reopening public access has not yet been established. The Art Center will share the latest updates and information on Facebook at facebook.com/DesMoinesArtCenter.

About the Des Moines Art Center + John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park
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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