Heartland View

Media Credit: Laura Boden

Media Credit: Laura Boden

Most art followers and visitors come with one thing on their minds. They hope to catch a glimpse of Iowa artist Grant Wood's famous American Gothic.

Wood's portrait of farmer and daughter standing in front of their small white farmhouse with the Gothic-inspired window has become an important piece of art and American history.

The Des Moines Art Center recently showcased two exhibits featuring Iowan and Midwestern artists. The two shows, After Many Springs: Regionalism, Modernism, & the Midwest and Iowa Artists 2009, have highlighted some of the best artwork to come out of the region over time and will continue until May 22.

Along with Wood's American Gothic are several of his well-known landscapes, most recognizable for the unusual perspectives in which they were painted and his signature style of trees depicted in each one.

Other famous featured artists in the After Many Springs exhibit include Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry, Philip Guston, Jackson Pollock, Charles Sheeler and others. Their collective works, according to the Des Moines Art Center "portray not only the Midwestern landscape, but convey complex issues prevalent in the Depression era, including poverty, racism, and ecological devastation."

The second exhibit, Iowa Artists 2009 features the work of three other talented Iowa artists. Invited to display their work were Phillip Chen of Des Moines, Larassa Kabel, Des Moines, and Timothy Wehrle, Burlington.

Chen's displayed works are a series of relief etching prints. The etchings give off a sense of eerie complexity because of the combination of photography and hand drawn aspects. The meticulously crafted prints give testament to Chen's attention to detail as well as the meaning behind the subject matter.

Kabel's intricate paintings have a drastically different feel than Chen's darkly-toned prints. Kabel's paintings recreate photograph snapshots in precise brushstrokes, all the way down to the somewhat blurred subject or awkwardly cropped shot.

Wehrle uses colorful designs and repetition of stylized motifs in his drawings. His pieces are incredibly detailed and elaborate, despite the flat appearance of included figures and objects. These unique drawings and watercolors have an almost whimsical nature, exemplified by his depiction.

The Des Moines Art Center features rotating exhibits throughout the year, bringing culture and new ideas into the community.

For more information visit www.desmoinesartcenter.org.

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