TARA DONOVAN
June 19 – September 13, 2009
Des Moines Art Center Anna K. Meredith Gallery
and Des Moines Art Center Downtown Gallery
The first museum survey of American artist Tara Donovan features sculptures and installations created over the past decade. Presented in two locations – the main Art Center on Grand Avenue and the Art Center Downtown – the exhibition traces the ambitious process of this young artist, a 2008 recipient of the MacArthur Foundation’s MacArthur Fellowship or “genius” grant. With brilliant simplicity, Donovan approaches her work with a singular awareness of the unique qualities of everyday objects and their materiality – Styrofoam cups, toothpicks, Mylar sheets, and Scotch tape. By assembling these individual items en masse, Donovan’s monumental installations transcend the single object – plastic drinking straws piled against a wall magically transform into a fog bank, and stacks of small buttons become shimmering formations of undersea coral.
Tara Donovan is accompanied by a comprehensive, 160-page color monograph co-published by The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston and The Monacelli Press/Random House with an introductory essay by ICA Associate Curator Jen Mergel and ICA Chief Curator Nicholas Baume, a conversation between Tara Donovan and Lawrence Wechsler, and an afterword by ICA Director Jill Medvedow.
Tara Donovan is organized by The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. The exhibition and accompanying publication were generously supported by Chuck and Kate Brizius and Barbara Lee.
The Des Moines presentation of Tara Donovan is sponsored by Faegre & Benson, LLP; KPMG, LLP; and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Media support is provided by The Des Moines Register.
Tara Donovan Related Programs
Gallery Talks
Hear two curators give their insight into the art of Tara Donovan.
Both are FREE admission
Thursday, July 9, 6:30 pm
Jeff Fleming, director
Art Center on Grand
Anna K. Meredith Gallery
Thursday, July 16, 6:30 pm
Laura Burkhalter, assistant curator
Art Center Downtown
(Gallery opens at 6 pm)
Conversations on Art: Jen Mergel on Tara Donovan
Wednesday, September 9, 6:30 pm
Levitt Auditorium
FREE admission; reservations required*
Jen Mergel, associate curator at The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston will present an illustrated lecture that contextualizes Donovan’s unique methods and materials, provides information about the artist’s creative process, and offers her own analysis of the work.
*Reservations for this FREE lecture are required and available exclusively through IowaTIX beginning Monday, August 17. Reserve your seats at www.IowaTIX.com or by phone at 515.277.3727 (9 am – 5 pm, Monday – Friday).
Guided Tours
We are pleased to offer guided tours of Tara Donovan and the permanent collections. We can accommodate groups from two to 90 people. It’s a perfect activity for a family, work team, or social group. Please schedule at least three weeks in advance. Contact Jennifer Cooley at jcooley@desmoinesartcenter.org or call 515.271.0328.
Adult Group Tours
$2 per person / $20 minimum fee
Student Tours
FREE
Drop-in Tours
FREE
June 19 – September 13
Second and fourth Saturdays at 11:30 am
Meet an Art Center docent in the lobby of the Art Center on Grand for a 30-minute tour of Tara Donovan.
Audio Guides
Learn about Tara Donovan’s artwork by listening to audio commentary produced by the ICA/Boston. Borrow an iPod from the Art Center’s information desk or download the commentary to your own MP3 player from the ICA/Boston's page here: http://www.icaboston.org/gofurther/mp3-tours/donovan.
ICA interpretative programs are made possible by significant support from the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Nathaniel Saltonstall Arts Fund.
Downtown hours for the Tara Donovan exhibition
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 11 am – 4 pm
Thursday 11 am – 9 pm
Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
Closed Sunday and Monday
As with the Des Moines Art Center on Grand, admission Downtown is FREE.
Please note: to devote time and resources to the main location on Grand and the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, the Downtown location will close permanently at the end of Tara Donovan.