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Art News

The year ahead

11/30/2022

Peter Sekaer American (born Denmark, 1901–1950). Untitled ca. 1935-1940. Vintage gelatin silver print, 5 7/8 × 7 5/8 inches. Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of Joel Meyerowitz, 2016.174. Photo by Rich Sanders, Des Moines

Next year should be big for Des Moines arts institutions. In recent years, the Des Moines Art Center has worked to improve its collection of photography, particularly that of the early to mid-20th century. This era was often ignored by art museums but has now been embraced as not only an essential element of visual culture but a critical record of the world in decades past. Via gifts and targeted purchases, the Art Center now has hundreds of photographs in its collection and is sharing them in a series of small thematic exhibitions over the next few years.

“Postcards,” the first show, focuses on landscapes, travel documentation and the scenic routes artists have taken with a camera in hand. Works in the exhibition date from photography’s 19th-century beginnings to contemporary works.

“Postcards: Recent Photography Acquisitions to the Art Center’s Collection” is organized by Curator Laura Burkhalter. It will play Dec. 16 to April 16.

“Art Center: 75 Years of Iowa Art” will initiate the Art Center’s 75th anniversary year. That exhibition will reflect the work of artists who have lived and worked in Iowa and their connections to the Des Moines Art Center. The creative work of these individuals, exhibited and collected by the museum, have helped cement DMAC’s place in the community and foster the creative culture of our state, as well as reach out to local, national and global audiences.

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From its founding in 1948, the Art Center has showcased the work of Iowa artists in various ways, including its Iowa Artists series, which began in the early 1950s and has run almost every year since. Building on this core aspect of the museum’s identity, the Art Center will showcase historical artwork featured in these exhibitions, work collected by artists based in Iowa or with Iowa roots, and recent work by artists working across the state today. A select number of newly commissioned artworks will showcase the dynamism and diversity of Iowa’s contemporary art.

“Art Center: 75 years of Iowa Art” is organized by Curator Laura Burkhalter and Associate Curator Mia Laufer. This exhibition is sponsored by the Harriet S. and J. Locke Macomber Art Center Fund and plays Feb. 10 to May 7.

Although best known for its exceptional holdings in modern and contemporary art, the Des Moines Art Center owns a remarkable collection of works on paper that date back to the 15th century, including work by Albrecht Dürer, Canaletto, Katsukawa Shunsho, Utagawa Toyokuni and Francisco de Goya. In celebration of the museum’s anniversary, a special exhibition will showcase some of the oldest works in the collections, including 15th to 18th century prints from across Western Europe, South and East Asia.

Artworks featured will cover an array of styles and subject matter, including portraiture, landscape, religious and mythological scenes, and natural history studies. Some of these works have periodically been included in larger thematic exhibitions, but this will be the first opportunity in almost 25 years for audiences to enjoy the scope and breadth of this important part of the Art Center’s collections. “Before Modern Art” is organized by Associate Curator Mia Laufer and plays April 21 to Aug. 27.

Barcelona artist Ruben Sanchez is showing his bright-colored geometric paintings and a few sculptures through Dec. 3 at Moberg Gallery. Sanchez works evolved from graffiti and skateboarding art. You would not know it for its contemporary sophistication. Following that, the gallery hosts its always popular Winter Group Show. 

Des Moines Metro Opera announced its 2023 season. The productions include mainstage performances of Georges Bizet’s beloved “Carmen,” Bela Bartók’s psychological thriller, “Bluebeard’s Castle,” and Sergei Prokofiev’s absurdist comedy, “The Love for Three Oranges,” as well as productions of Susan Kander and Roberta Gumbel’s “dwb” (driving while black) and Zach Redler and Jerre Dye’s “The Falling and the Rising” as part of the company’s 2nd Stages Series.

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