After 14 years, the University of Iowa finally has an art museum again, and the long-awaited $50 million facility will open on Friday, August 26.
The University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art (at 160 W. Burlington St., Iowa City) overlooks Gibson Square Park, across from the UI Main Library. The facility was built on the former library parking lot, and that parking lot is now partially enclosed under the museum.
The three-story, 63,000-square-foot museum was built by Davenport-based Russell Construction, which also built the Figge Art Museum in 2005 at 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport. Since the former University of Iowa art museum flooded in 2008, Figge preserved 14,000 items from the UI collection — which now numbers nearly 20,000 items.
Its most prized possession is Jackson Pollock’s “Mural,” considered by many to be the most important modern American painting. After nine years of touring Europe and the United States, the 8-by-20-foot painting is finally home in Iowa City, where it will be displayed when the museum reopens on August 26.
Stanley Art Museum Director Lauren Lessing and the museum’s collections staff welcomed “Mural” into its 3,200-pound coffers on July 14. After adjusting to its new surroundings, the 1943 painting rode the custom freight elevator on the second floor of the museum and is now on permanent display in the Chris and Suzy DeWolf Family Gallery.
The “mural” — which originally appeared on Figge until 2012 — traveled more than 20,000 miles to 14 countries on trucks, cargo planes and boats, and was viewed by more than 2.7 million people after leaving Iowa City immediately. on a planned world tour. after the 2008 flood, according to the museum.
In 2012, the Mural underwent a two-year technical study and conservation treatment by research scientists at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, followed by solo exhibitions at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Sioux City Art Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
Beginning in 2015, the Mural was the centerpiece of an exhibition organized by the UI Museum of Art, Jackson Pollock’s Mural: Energy Made Visible, which traveled to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy; Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle, Berlin; and Museo Picasso Málaga,
Málaga, Spain.
After that exhibition closed in 2016, “Mural” anchored exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Art, London; Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain; Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri; National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, South Carolina; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City.
The mural marked “a pivotal moment in Pollock’s career and is a beacon for art lovers everywhere,” the museum said in a statement. The Stanley’s inaugural exhibition, Homecoming, will include the Mural, as well as more than
600 artworks in all media from around 500 artists.
“We’re bringing home all the wonderful works of art that people have missed so much – the rock stars of the Stanley Art Museum,” said Lessing. The new Stanley Art Museum will be officially dedicated at 3pm on August 26, followed by its grand opening celebration on August 26-28.
Many activities planned
The 3–4 p.m. Aug. 26 dedication will include remarks by UI President Barbara Wilson and Stanley Art Museum Director Lauren Lessing.
If you are unable to attend in person, the dedication will be streamed live on Stanley’s website.
After the dedication, refreshments will be served in Gibson Square Park.
Starting at 4:30 p.m., visitors can explore the galleries and enjoy curatorial presentations at Returning home, the inaugural exhibition. Art-making activities in the park will be available throughout the evening and there will be live music starting at 6 p.m.
Presented in association with UI SCOPE Productions, featured bands are Tresreach, Pictoria Vark and Houndmouth.
Free popcorn, lemonade, and water will be available at Gibson Square Park from 5 to 9 p.m. Throughout the evening, food trucks will be parked adjacent to the park with food for purchase.
Get directions and parking information.
Find out where to stay and what to enjoy when visiting Iowa City.
Limited seats will be available. Members of the public are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair. Bring the family, bring your friends, stay for the fun!
Celebrate Stanley all weekend long!
Friday, August 26
- orStations rt, Gibson Square Park:4-9 pm
Come in and create your own artwork, take a fun photo, or contribute to a community art project. - Curator talks, galleries, 4-5:30 p.m
Join the curators of Returning home on the second floor for short, informal presentations of the exhibition’s themes. - Galleries close at 20:30 in the afternoon
- Live music, Gibson Square Park, 6–9 p.m
Grab a chair and listen to live music from Tresreach, Pictoria Vark and Houndmouth. at Gibson Square Park!
Free popcorn, lemonade and water will be available in Gibson Square Park from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM throughout the evening’s food trucks (Continuing with Jones and Caribbean cuisine) will be parked on the street between Stanley and the Main Library with food for purchase.
Saturday, August 27
- Art Stations, Gibson Square Park, 10 a.m.–7 p.m
Come in and create your own artwork, take a fun photo, or contribute to a community art project. - Returning home Tours, 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m
Join a 45-minute docent-led tour that provides an overview of Returning home, highlights work you’ll remember and introduces you to recent purchases. Tournament sizes are limited; visit the lobby welcome desk to participate. - The galleries are open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m
- Trick Performance and Workshop, Gibson Square Park, noon–3:15 p.m
Luther Bangert will perform a unique 10-minute juggling and dance performance on the hour. Between shows Bangert will lead lessons on the practice and art of juggling. - Director’s welcome, Lobby, 4:45 p.m
Stanley Art Museum Director Lauren Lessing will share her plans for the museum and ways visitors of all ages can participate in museum activities throughout the year. - Cedar Rapids Opera Performance, Lobby, 5–5:30 p.m
A special performance of Selections from Grant Wood Operas: Strokes of Genius. Seats are limited and first come, first served. - Special performance by DJ Simeon Talley Gibson Square Park, 6-9 pm
Spend Saturday night in the park! Enjoy music and food after your visit to the museum.
Free donuts and coffee (10 a.m. – 7 p.m.) and popcorn, lemonade and water (noon – 9 p.m.) will be available at Gibson Square Park.
Throughout the day food trucks will be parked on the street between Stanley and the Main Library with food for purchase.
Sunday, August 28
- Returning home Tours, noon, 2 and 4 p.m
Join a 45-minute docent-led tour that provides an overview of Returning home, highlights work you’ll remember and introduces you to recent purchases. Tournament sizes are limited; visit the lobby welcome desk to participate. - Galleries open noon – 5:30 p.m
- Performance by Steve Grismore Trio, Lobby 1 to 3 p.m
- Performance by Wilder-Hill Players, Lobby 3 p.m
Free cookies and coffee (noon to 5:30 p.m.) will be available in the lobby.
For more information on the museum, click HERE.