For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Day
Tel: 515.271.0344 (o)
515.612.0775 (m)
aday@desmoinesartcenter.org
DES MOINES, IA (April 3, 2024) – After much consultation with city officials and structural engineers, the Des Moines Art Center has finalized its plans to remove Mary Miss’s Greenwood Pond: Double Site in the interests of public safety. Detailed information can be found in a public statement from John and Mary Pappajohn Director Dr. Kelly Baum, accessible through the Art Center’s website.
We wish to thank the City of Des Moines and Des Moines Parks and Recreation for their partnership and collaboration during the planning and implementation of this process. We’re also grateful to Mayor Connie Boesen for her support and trust: “I recognize the deep connection our community has with Greenwood Pond: Double Site,” Mayor Boesen has said. “We prioritize the public safety of park patrons and respect the Des Moines Art Center’s decision regarding its decommissioning, and we remain dedicated to supporting our vibrant arts community. Moving forward, we will collaborate closely with the Art Center and the public to ensure that the surrounding park remains a cherished local destination, while also exploring opportunities to reimagine the park, and continuing to enrich our city’s cultural landscape.”
Director Kelly Baum reiterates Mayor Boesen’s sentiments, stating, “Every decision we make as an institution is for the intellectual, emotional, social, and physical well-being of our guests. Trust and creativity flourish best in environments that are secure and welcoming. We are and always will be just as committed to the arts as we are to public safety.”
Work Set to Begin at Greenwood Park
To request 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.
###