Gateway West: Pappajohn Sculpture Park

[Better Life dude]

If you click on the following link, you can go to a fun map at the Register's web site that allows you to click on a location in the Pappajohn Sculpture park and find out more about any piece in the park.

Countdown is one week from today for the park to be open to the public. The Des Moines Art Center will have a big community celebration next Sunday starting at 1pm.
Register's interactive map:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=sculpture2

[hawk61401]

Des Moines is immensely richer for the love the Pappajohns have for their city. They didn't have to be asked, cajoled, or given any incentives for their gifts. It was their idea and creation from the beginning.

The new symbol of Des Moines: http://www.flickr.com/photos/don3rdse/3 ... 6/sizes/o/



The sculptures and garden give Des Moines an attraction and prestige that is invaluable.

We're going to have to drive to DM just to see him up close and personal!

comments from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/don3rdse/3891151236/

[DMRyan]

Nomade really is the centerpiece of the sculpture garden. It's absolutely beautiful all lit up at night and is definitely a head turner. The entire sculpture park is now lit at night, and even the curved concrete walls look nice with the shadows of the sculptures, even the grass making for interesting light and shadow patterns on the wall. I can't wait to see what other pieces are in store for this sculpture park in the future.

[hawk61401]

This was in the Register 4 days ago but still helpful ...

Pappajohn Sculpture Park FAQs: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/articl ... 1047/ENT01

[Better Life dude]

I just cruised by the sculpture park. The signs describing each of the art pieces are being installed. They are small and discreet- made of stainless steel, they stand about 18 inches high off the ground. About half are done. It looks like the curvy railings are all installed except for a couple segments; a little bit of sod by the red steel sculpture has been torn up for repair; and the sculpture repair lady is buffing up a few of the bronze sculptures. Just a few last minute tweaks.

All I can think of is: tear down those fences!

[Philby]

All I can think of is: tear down those fences!

They must have heard you cause they came down about 20 minutes ago!

[Better Life dude]

All I can think of is: tear down those fences!

They must have heard you cause they came down about 20 minutes ago!

Yahoo!!!
I went down there just now - the grass is very mushy to walk on. The art looks fantastic up close. LOTS OF PEOPLE milling about on a beautiful fall day. I bet the whole park comes alive tonight when the sun goes down.

Some Register reporter wanted my "man in the street" opinion of the park. The only knock I have is that many of the pieces are not near the paths so you really have to walk quite a bit on the grass to get up close. That won't be good in the Winter time or when it's wet out. Perhaps gravel paths (like the sculpture park in Minneapolis has) would be a good next step.

[Better Life dude]

After dinner tonight I took my two nine year olds to the sculpture park. There were quite a few other parents there with their kids, including a dad and his toddler son eating McDonald's inside Nomade, sitting on the concrete floor. The security guard was literally running ragged trying to get kids not to touch the sculptures. Nomade: no touch! The black cubes: no touch! The horses: no touch! Good luck keeping people from ever touching Nomade.

Rolling down the grass berm behind Nomade is perfectly ok to do. My kids did this for about 20 minutes! Apparently walking atop the curvy concrete walls is ok to do so because a mom and her grade-school daughter were doing so. They used the stainless steel railings to steady themselves. The guard did not go after them.

Bottom line: it's the people's park now. Judging from tonight, it will be pretty popular.

[Aulus]

I picked up my eldest granddaughter from school (Walnut Street School) this afternoon and we went the few blocks over to see the park. She was thrilled, even though she got bogged down in the sod at one point and lost her shoe for a bit.

I'll post pics later tonight.

[DMRyan]

I just got back from the EMC lighting and stopped to look at the sculpture park. My observations were much the same, kids using the sculpture for a jungle gym with their parents clearly watching them. The security guard came booking over to get the kids off and the DMPD were making their rounds tonight too.

The security for this park clearly has their hands full keeping people off of the sculptures but on night one of it being open to the public, the crowds milling around seem to indicate that this is a success.

[hawk61401]

I'm looking at this rendering on art daily http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_s ... _new=33200

IMHO, a big chunk of the block is under utilized. The east side is a dead zone. The Hallet apartments are segregated with an attempt to hide them with trees.

This park could have other added dimensions. The back side of the Hallet could be pulled into and incorporated into the park. The back side of the building could be a piece of art onto itself and come alive with an appropriate, tasteful mural. That mural could add a dramatic effect at night with lighting.

A restaurant on the ground floor facing the park with a shaded patio would be a great place to meet and relax, have a cold drink with your date, friends, family, an ice cream cone with the little ones. It would be an added draw for people and they would stay longer.

I'm thinking of parents with small children or an elderly couple walking through the park on a sunny, 95 degree summer day. There's no shade. A few benches to sit on might be taken by others. You're getting hot, sweaty, and little Johnny is crying. You rush through the park so you can leave, sit down somewhere else to relax and cool off.

[Better Life dude]

I'm looking at this rendering on art daily http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_s ... _new=33200

IMHO, a big chunk of the block is under utilized. The east side is a dead zone. The Hallet apartments are segregated with an attempt to hide them with trees.

This park could have other added dimensions. The back side of the Hallet could be pulled into and incorporated into the park. The back side of the building could be a piece of art onto itself and come alive with an appropriate, tasteful mural. That mural could add a dramatic effect at night with lighting.

A restaurant on the ground floor facing the park with a shaded patio would be a great place to meet and relax, have a cold drink with your date, friends, family, an ice cream cone with the little ones. It would be an added draw for people and they would stay longer.

I'm thinking of parents with small children or an elderly couple walking through the park on a sunny, 95 degree summer day. There's no shade. A few benches to sit on might be taken by others. You're getting hot, sweaty, and little Johnny is crying. You rush through the park so you can leave, sit down somewhere else to relax and cool off.

It's not that bad! If you're hot and thirsty, go to the Ritual Cafe for a cool or hot drink. Ritual Cafe is one the same block! Go to one of about 3 or four restaurants within a block of the park (I'm including the 2 new ones opening up at the new Allied building). Drop by the Des Moines Social Club across the street for - whatever it is they serve there. I think all the knocks on the park are premature. It will evolve to suit the needs of the patrons.

[hawk61401]

I think all the knocks on the park are premature. It will evolve to suit the needs of the patrons.

I was offering an opinion. Remember?, I said "IMHO"? I wasn't knocking the park.

[Better Life dude]

I think all the knocks on the park are premature. It will evolve to suit the needs of the patrons.

I was offering an opinion. Remember?, I said "IMHO"? I wasn't knocking the park.

And i offered mine. Peace!

[hawk61401]

I think all the knocks on the park are premature. It will evolve to suit the needs of the patrons.

I was offering an opinion. Remember?, I said "IMHO"? I wasn't knocking the park.

And i offered mine. Peace!

There was a time on this forum when someone could post a simple opinion.

[hawk61401]

The sculpture garden hasn't officially opened but already Des Moines is reaping the rewards from it.

"Design Sponge" is a Brooklyn, New York based design blog. The New York Times declared it to be “Martha Stewart Living for the Millennials,” Design Sponge offers product reviews, home makeover tips, recipes and trend forecasting.

It also does extensive city guides. For Des Moines it did an excellent job. It is the best I have ever seen and will even be helpful to us locals.

Des Moines is now home to what may just be one of the most renowned sculpture gardens in the world, the Pappajohn Sculpture Garden. The city has been enticing the film industry with incredible tax incentives and the industry has been biting! Not only are the big guns coming, but it’s also attracting the independent artists from big cities looking to gain the respect and appreciation of an up and coming art scene. Due to this “creative movement” people are finally starting to see opportunities in Des Moines which before only bigger cities could offer.

comments from readers:

Moved to Des Moines just over 2 years ago, and I absolutely love it. All 4 seasons, a growing art and music scene, great restaurants, and the nicest people on earth. Zanzibar’s Coffee is world class, and Lucca is one of the my favorite restaurants I’ve been to in any city.

read er' here: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/ ... guide.html

[Better Life dude]

That is one comprehensive list at Design*Sponge of what to do in Des Moines. The positive comments about Des Moines at the bottom of her post go on and on and on. Good read for a grey day! Thanks for the link hawk61401.

[hawk61401]

That is one comprehensive list at Design*Sponge of what to do in Des Moines. The positive comments about Des Moines at the bottom of her post go on and on and on. Good read for a grey day! Thanks for the link hawk61401.

You're welcome, BLd. This is the kind of positive feedback that we dreamed about for our city a decade ago. Ok, down to serious business. I am looking over that extensive list of great Des Moines restaurants and trying to choose the one you can treat me to.

[Better Life dude]

That is one comprehensive list at Design*Sponge of what to do in Des Moines. The positive comments about Des Moines at the bottom of her post go on and on and on. Good read for a grey day! Thanks for the link hawk61401.

You're welcome, BLd. This is the kind of positive feedback that we dreamed about for our city a decade ago. Ok, down to serious business. I am looking over that extensive list of great Des Moines restaurants and trying to choose the one you can treat me to.

You name the place and the date. I'll place a one drink limit on you though.

[dsmLA]

Is anyone going Sunday afternoon? Susan and I are going to try and make it.

[Ingersoll1978]

Great video about the Pappajohn Sculpture Park by Blur MediaWorks:

[hawk61401]

Thanks for the video, Ingersoll. It is very impressive. And so is Blur Mediaworks. You can't help but be proud of what Des Moines as accomplished . http://www.blurmediaworks.com/

Ooooh , if we could just have a building or two directly across Grand from the park. Make it a solid wall of new modern, flashy glassy buildings to border the north side. That would complement the sculpture park even more.

[Better Life dude]

Nice video!
I hope the grass has had a chance to dry out and firm up. It was like walking on a wet sponge this past Sunday.

[QuadCityImages]

Here's the QCTimes write-up of the sculpture park from Sunday's Arts and Theatre section:
Pappajohns give downtown Des Moines a sculpture garden worthy of international renown -QCTimes

It's being described as a world-class sculpture garden, and visitors are flocking to the new venue in downtown Des Moines featuring works of art donated by philanthropists John and Mary Pappajohn.

Des Moines Art Center director Jeff Fleming said the interest was intense as soon as the fences that surrounded the park during construction came down last month.

"People just converged onto the park. It was just extraordinary, and they've been there ever since," he said.

Edit: Hmm, this is my 1000th post.

[Better Life dude]

Edit: Hmm, this is my 1000th post.

Celebrate by taking the rest of the day off! You've earned it. Just don't add up all the minutes you've spent at this website - you'd be alarmed.

[rasmeth]

Congrats QCI!

[Ingersoll1978]

Awesome new article about the Pappajohn Sculpture Park (and downtown) in the NY Times!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/tr ... oines.html

Cure for Urban Blight: Plant Lots of Sculpture

By BETSY RUBINER

Published: October 30, 2009

Des Moines — DRIVERS entering this capital city from the west once sped past a motley collection of worn-out buildings, including auto repair shops, vacant storefronts and a pornographic bookstore. But in recent years that vista has been replaced by verdant open space, benches and walkways — and, as of this fall, a sculpture park with works by Willem de Kooning, Louise Bourgeois and Sol Lewitt, among others.

[Better Life dude]

Awesome new article about the Pappajohn Sculpture Park (and downtown) in the NY Times!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/tr ... oines.html

Cure for Urban Blight: Plant Lots of Sculpture

By BETSY RUBINER

Published: October 30, 2009

Des Moines — DRIVERS entering this capital city from the west once sped past a motley collection of worn-out buildings, including auto repair shops, vacant storefronts and a pornographic bookstore. But in recent years that vista has been replaced by verdant open space, benches and walkways — and, as of this fall, a sculpture park with works by Willem de Kooning, Louise Bourgeois and Sol Lewitt, among others.

And the East Village-capitol building photograph accompanying the article is really good!

Downtown Des Moines is getting lots of love these days from major US newspapers.

[SharpHawkeye]

The best quote from that article is the last sentence.

There are also small independent shops like Sticks, a crafts gallery with locally made wood furniture, and Smash, which sells cheeky, Iowacentric T-shirts, including one that sums up the mood around here: “Des Moines: Greatest City in the World.”

[hawk61401]

Another great article about the sculpture park. This one is from Architectural Record. An article and slide show showing how new art parks in four cities enliven urban centers and become more attractive as a place to do business and a place to live.

Click on the slide show under the photo of the Citygarden in St Louis. Slide #13 is my favorite showing great colors of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park.

http://archrecord.construction.com/news ... _parks.asp