Public Foundation Greater Des Moines Art 2014–15 Annual Report
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PUBLIC FOUNDATION GREATER DES MOINES ART 2014–15 ANNUAL REPORT 1 greater des moines public art Foundation The overall structure is comprised of a series of stainless steel and polycarbonate elliptical rings, laced with precisely placed LEDs, suspended up to 30' in the air by a series of nine parabolically curved high strength stainless steel columns. Mission Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation places art in public spaces through public and private collaborations. Jim Campbell Vision (American, born 1956, Chicago, Illinois) Studies for Untitled Work LED lights, custom electronics Greater Des Moines Public Art and steel Approximately 100 feet high Foundation engages, inspires, and and 30 feet long Commissioned by Des Moines Performing Arts enriches the lives of citizens and Projected installation Fall 2015 at Cowles Commons, adjacent to the Civic visitors in our community. The Center of Greater Des Moines. Acclaimed San Francisco-based artist, Foundation is recognized for increasing Jim Campbell, explodes moving images with a lickering grid of light in cultural awareness by establishing a the sculpture. Thousands of computer controlled world class destination for public art. LED lights will create the illusion of igures that disolve and resolve as the public moves around and beneath the suspended, cloud-like matrix that will illuminate the entire area. Greater Des Moines Public art FounDation ProuDly In support of its mission, the Public Art Foundation helped to support this project which will be seen and enjoyed ■ selects, and commissions works of art created by venerated professional artists by hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors each year. for installation in public spaces; ■ acquires artworks for a public art collection by means of direct commissions, invitationals, community-initiated projects, and gifts; ■ enhances greater des moines’ environment, public buildings, and lands; ■ provides inancial support and assistance in commissioning professional artists for private or municipal urban development projects; ■ integrates professional artists into the planning, design, and construction of city and privately developed facilities, e.g., buildings, parks, streetscapes, and other facilities and spaces that would beneit from participation by an artist; ■ celebrates the multi-cultural and diverse character of the community’s neighborhoods and citizens; ■ nurtures a sense of citizen ownership and pride in a public art collection; and ■ encourages creative partnerships between artists and residents, neighborhoods, businesses, and community organizations located in the city. 2014–2015 annual report 1 FroM tHe Director Fiscal year 2014 brought together 23 artists partnerships with organizations and who collaborated with 11 organizations community groups, such as the CVB, The and hundreds of volunteers to accomplish Department of Cultural Affairs, Water Works extraordinary public art projects. Public art Park Foundation, and the Restoration initiatives engaged residents and attracted Ingersoll Board. A stronger marketing visitors at popular venues, in particular plan has helped the Public Art Foundation the Iowa State Fair Grounds and Western capitalize on innovative activities and Gateway Park. There were unexpected, increase its engagement numbers. public art efforts, such as wrapping designs The website and mobile app continue on transit buses and generating a deeper to contextualize public art in a way that is appreciation of our water-trails. The accessible and engaging. We are expanding public art program with its ProjectSPACES navigational tools, to allow visitors to share initiatives, celebrated creativity, enhanced content and explore public art in a whole urban identity, and encouraged public- new way. Our desire is to make our world- private partnerships. Inventive partnerships class public art available to more people, and bold approaches placed public arts at more often. the center of economic growth. The governing body also has undergone This year saw the power and strength a great deal of growth. The Board of of Social Media primed to grow and thrive Directors elected a new president for 2015, in the immediate and long-term future. Katherine M. Murphy, who became the Annually, nearly 25% of Greater Des Moines third person to hold that ofice since the Convention and Visitors Bureau’s (CVB) organization was founded in 2004. On behalf visitor survey respondents—750,000 people— of the Board of Directors and the executive decided to visit Greater Des Moines for its oficers of the Public Art Foundation, I thank arts and culture. The survey uncovered Paul Mankins for his service as president that one-half of these visitors reported that and welcome Kathy Murphy in her new role. public art was hard to ind or gave up looking. Tim R. Hickman was elected Vice President As a result, the Public Art Foundation and Ted M. Stuart was re-elected Secretary took steps to better understand a target and Treasurer. New board members, audience’s perceptions and needs. Through Khalid Khan and Susan Fitzsimmons, were live and online focus groups, a market welcomed. Their knowledge, contacts, and research company provided feedback. experience will further enhance the Public The process determined the awareness of Art Foundation. G. David Hurd and Paul the website and iPhone app among Mankins, who fulilled their maximum terms, young professionals, ages 25–45, in the were individually conferred Emeritus status Greater Des Moines area, along with their on the Board of Directors for their years of interest in and expectations of public art. distinguished and active service. Participants were 87% White or Caucasuan, Thanks to a dedicated board, volunteers 8% mixed race, 4% Asian, and 1% Black. and our diverse and driven partners, the The research brought to light the great Public Art Foundation is well-known interest in public art, however nearly as a force for public art, innovation and 80% of participants wanted to know more community collaboration. Together, we information about public art. Key indings believe that innovative public art projects underscored the importance of an innovative nurture and enhance the vibrancy of our website design, promotion of the mobile app, lives, our neighborhoods and our city. and a branding campaign. Our investment As our population continues to grow, so in social media has increased. We expanded will the scale of our challenges. I could not be more hopeful about the opportunities that are here, the Public Art Foundation is fully committed to tackling those challenges Paintallica Corn Dogs and Clowns, 2014 head-on. Let’s have the resolve and foresight Light, metal, paint, wood to seize them. Patty & Jim Cownie Cultural Center, Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, Iowa Commissioned by Greater Des Moines M. JESSICA ROWE Public Art Foundation, 2014 For more information on this project see page 4. 2 greater des moines public art Foundation 2013-2014 annual report 3 Public art ProGraM coMPlete 4 greater des moines public art Foundation Public art ProGraM coMPlete PAINTALLICA AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR ARTISTS Multimedia in Des Moines and have Associate Wilson Tarbox. For the Jesse Albrecht, Dan Attoe, Gordon Barnes, been viewed over 360 times on the inale, three members of the Flying Jamie Boling, Josh Doster, David Dunlap, Jay Schmidt and Jeremy Tinder Greater Des Moines Public Eagles Acrobalance Troupe brought LOCATION Art Foundation YouTube channel. the carnivalesque and historic themes Patty & Jim Cownie Cultural Center The commissioned project, Corn to life with a performance in front of Iowa State Fair, East 34th Street Dogs and Clowns, was a tribute to the installation. Des Moines, Iowa Iowa’s fair history. Pantiallica was DATE 13–23 August 2014 inspired by antique circus broadsides about Paintallica (advertisements of circus acts and Paintallica is a group of nationally and The week leading up to the 2014 Iowa performers.) Paintallica researched the internationally accomplished artists State Fair was a loud one, at least in fair's history, gathered vintage images whose common bond is their intuitive, the courtyard of the Patty & Jim Cownie and spoke to locals before inalizing stream-of-conscious approach to Cultural Center. The artist collaborative, their concept. The artwork incorporated creating assemblage and performance Paintallica, carved up a spectacle out a plethora of information, from popular art. Their work has received critical of logs with the aid of chainsaws and images of the Iowa State Fair (corn dog, acclaim in Sculpture Magazine, Artforum, heavy metal. tractors, and Midway amusements) to and The New York Times. The Public Art Foundation partnered colorful interpretations of historic circus They worked for a week before the Iowa State with Paintallica and the Iowa State and carnival images. Corn Dogs and Fair opened, often through the night and in the rain, to complete Corn Dogs and Clowns for Fair, to organize this outdoor art Clowns was a visually animated opening day. The piece provided the perfect installation. According to fair attendance and provocative contribution to the backdrop for an impromtu performance members of the Flying Eagles Acrobalance Troupe, a numbers, the Public Art Foundation’s fair's already diverse art scene. crowd pleaser. ProjectSPACES initiative connected about On Saturday, 16 August 2014, To see videos of the work in progress and 92,000 Iowans per day with temporary Paintallica artists staged a public commentary by the artists go to the Greater Des Moines