An Urban Oasis: The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park

April 19, 2021 Adventure

We made a brief visit to the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines, Iowa during our cross-country drive this past week. The impressive collection includes works by Willem de Kooning, Yayoi Kusama, Keith Haring, Mark di Suvero, Richard Serra, Olafur Eliasson, and many more internationally acclaimed artists. The 4.4 acre sculpture park, which is free and accessible to the public, is an extension of the Des Moines Art Center. It opened with an initial donation of 24 artworks from the Pappajohns. This ranks among one of my favorite spaces in the Unites States to enjoy public art. Here are a few photos from our visit.

Thinker on a Rock (1987) by Barry Flanagan
Nomade (2007) by Jaume Plensa
Untitled (Three Dancing Figures, version C; designed 1989, fabricated 2009) by Keith Haring
TB (1987) by Mark di Suvero
Love (1969-1999) by Robert Indiana
Moonrise, east. august (2006) by Uno Rondinone
Pumpkin (L; 2014, fabricated 2018) by Yayoi Kusama