1 fun thing to go: Airport art
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Five major public artworks have been selected for the new Des Moines International Airport terminal, set to open in early 2027.
State of play: The Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation commissioned the work via a $4 million capital campaign.
- The installations aim to create a welcoming and culturally rich environment for travelers, foundation president Bruce Hentschel told dsm Magazine.
Matt Niebuhr and RDG Art Studio, Color Sentinels —Eight vibrant 9-foot steel posts inspired by Iowa's wild rose.
Alteronce Gumby, Home Before Dark — A series of tonal paintings incorporating locally sourced minerals like calcite and moss agate, creating a shimmering mosaic along the second-floor wall.
Adam Frank, VITAL DSM — A digital mural featuring Iowa's state tree, the bur oak, with animated light projections on glass panels flanking the terminal's elevator enclosure.
Anne Lindberg, viridis — A luminous installation of custom-printed glass panels above the check-in area, blending soft green hues to evoke Iowa's natural landscape.