Gateway West: Pappajohn Sculpture Park

[Better Life dude]

The concrete base for Nomade has been poured in the new sculpture park but the uplights on the pad are not installed. Nomade will be on the Walnut Street side of the park right at the midway point. It will not be going back to it's former site in front of the Pappajohn Center. So it may be in storage until the new park is ready for it sometime this summer.

That's my understanding of the situation. Anyone else hearing differently? I walk past the sculpture park almost daily on my walkabout and yesterday I noticed the underground electrical is being roughed in. I would think once that's done, sidewalks will be poured. it will be cool to see everything come together at once over the next 2-3 months.

[DMRyan]

Walnut Street?

[Better Life dude]

I meant to write Locust Street. I always get the "tree" streets mixed up.

[Better Life dude]

The sculptures are arriving!
I drove by the Pappajohn park today and had to stop the car and get out to see this. The first installation has begun of the works of art. It's a piece located in the northwest part of the park and I believe it's by Tony Smith (it was still all wrapped up). There are also two pieces of sculpture on pallets and wrapped in protective white plastic on the Grand Ave. side of the park - waiting to be placed on their pedestals and unwrapped. Art from at least 19 different artists will be moved to the park.

How exciting! The story below from KCCI TV says that all the art will be installed over the nehxt few weeks. It will be like getting a new Christmas present every few days. My math figures on about one new piece every other work day from here on out.

The Pappajohn private collection should be completely installed by July. The sculpture garden is set for a grand opening in September.

With all the bad news we are all getting almost daily, this is truly wonderful stuff for the people who live in Des Moines.

Link to KCCI-TV article and pictures:
http://www.kcci.com/news/19448473/detail.html

[hawk61401]

That's great news Bld. This is going to notch up Des Moines to a whole new level.

Des Moines will soon have it's own Mark di Suvero's bundle of red steel beams to play on like Suvero's sculpture in Philadelphia.

[Better Life dude]

As a parent my reaction watching this video, "those kids are going to hurt themselves!"

[Better Life dude]

As of today (Saturday), four pieces of sculpture have been installed - all along the Grand Ave. side. I wish I had a camera to take pics, but alas, I don't.

[DMRyan]

Looks like the Nomade sculpture has made its way home. It's not installed yet, but is sitting on site in protective cover. The distinctive head shape is readily visible through the covering though.

[Better Life dude]

Looks like the Nomade sculpture has made its way home. It's not installed yet, but is sitting on site in protective cover. The distinctive head shape is readily visible through the covering though.

I think what you're describing is a different piece. But we'll see.

The next few weeks are going to be fun. Much of the pieces should be in place in time for the Arts Festival at the end of June - even though they'll probably still be behind construction fencing.

[Mastermind]

You're right BLD, it is not Nomade.

[Des Moineser]

I saw that too, it's way too small to be Nomade.

[Mastermind]

They kinda look like little people.

[DMRyan]

That must be one of the new art acquisitions since this sculpture garden was announced.

I like this new piece though.

[hawk61401]

Sculptor Barry Flanagan is best known for making his hares do a stretch, pose, and jump as if they were people. I don't know how many "Thinker On A Rock" he sculpted. There was one, or still is at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. Another "Thinker" is at Washington University in St Louis. Today, Des Moines' s Thinker made it's permanent home in the Western Gateway.



photo attributed to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlyfaye/2645998174/

[Mulder.DSM]

I walked by tonight and got some updated photos to share with everyone.

[Better Life dude]

I like the matching white and black sculptures. They look like chess pawns. Thanks Mulder for the pics.

BTW, the side walks paths are being framed on the eastern half. You can start to see the flow of the place.

Also, here's a video of the rabbit being moved. Jeff Fleming also tells when to expect Nomade to re-appear. I'll let you guys watch the video to find out.
Link to Register video:http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=videonetwork&videoID=1128192247

[DMRyan]

It's so cool watching these pieces of sculpture being unfolded, one by one. I can't help but remark how accessible this park seems to be and how visible these pieces will be by the thousands that pass by daily. This might be the coolest thing to be built in DSM this year, even surpassing the ped bridge on the river.

[couch]

Des Moines will soon have it's own Mark di Suvero's bundle of red steel beams to play on like Suvero's sculpture in Philadelphia.

The bundle of red steel beams isn't new. It was part of the original donation to the park. I only know cause it was on that guy's lawn south of Grand for so long.

[dogbo]

The two Butterfield horses have arrived and are now in their new home! This is really getting fun!

For me personally it is really amazing to see these two pieces now in place. I first learned of Deborah Butterfield years ago before I lived in Des Moines. I was visiting the Principal corporate campus and observed the prominent horse sculpture that is displayed at the skywalk level of "The Tower" building. The next time I saw a Butterfield horse was my first visit to the Des Moines Art Center a few years later (which I believe, in retrospect, was actually one of these two sculptures now in the Gateway Park -- most likely loaned to the Art Center by Pappajohn -- can anyone confirm?) . Finally, on my most recent business trip to D.C., I took some time to visit one the Smithsonian Art Galleries/Museums. I was pleased to find yet another. Not being much of an art buff, I suddenly felt a tinge of confidence come over me as I could now prove to myself that I could stumble upon a piece in one of our National museums and note the artist without having to look at the little info note cards.

Ahhhh…yes…but of course. A great example of a Butterfield horse….

[Better Life dude]

Excellent, Dogbo! "Ah, yes - that's a Deborah Butterfield."

I think the first Butterfield horse sculpture I saw was in the outdoor sculpture garden across the street from the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. It looked so much like real driftwood pieces I wondered how they could ever be held together. Not till several few visits later did I realize they were cast bronze sticks.

BTW, the spider sculpture showed up today and looks like it will be hanging out with the horses and the rabbit.

[hawk61401]

When you scroll down and look at the pages of Butterfield's horses, they are amazing. http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=deborah+butterfield

[Ingersoll1978]

Here are some more pics taken earlier this month...(wasn't able to post them due to graduation/London trip).

These focus on the improvements made in the park...















Also, did anyone notice the new banner on the side of the Hallet Apartments? I noticed something quite large is missing on the banner...LOL I like the side of the building dressed up in this manner.

[Mulder.DSM]

I walked by last night and they had installed a few more sculptures (sorry I didn't have my camera with me) and two of the new ones are pretty scary looking, like something from a nightmare. Hopefully these won't scare the kiddies.




You can see more at my Flikr Gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/larrybrads ... 059210945/

[dogbo]

I saw those when I went running yesterday. I love those...ahhhh...whatever they are. Seriously, this is what I call unpretentious art and I'm all for it.

[Ingersoll1978]

Those are scary! LOL

[Aulus]

Friday afternoon, I picked up my 9½ year old granddaughter at the Walnut Street School, where she is in fourth grade. We drove past the sculpture park on the way to see her mother, my daughter at IMMC (see below).

As Zara saw the horses, she commented that they looked like robots, to which I replied, "Robots? Like The Terminator? 'I'll be back---whinney!'" Zara giggled over that most of the way to the hospital. OTOH, she really wasn't too thrilled with the giant spider sculpture.

Oh, and on our visit to IMMC, my daughter, Kate/Zara's, mom is in there on bed rest for a few days, pending birth of her twins. We already know they are a boy and a girl. Kate's doctor says to expect a C-section in the next 2 to 7 days. I can hardly wait to see the little tykes.

[Mastermind]

Congrats Aulus!

Those heads look like something from a Tim Burton movie...think Beetlejuice, Corpse Bride or James and the Giant Peach.

[QuadCityImages]

I was thinking the Scarecrow from Batman Begins.

[Better Life dude]

There are now at least 18 pieces of sculpture installed in the park. Perhaps 4 to 8 more pieces - including the biggest ones are yet to be installed. The electricians were pulling wire yesterday to wire up all the in ground landscaping lights and the sprinkler irrigation was being buried. Coming along very nicely.

[Mastermind]

bundle of red steel beams is being installed.