Des Moines Art Center to Pay $900,000 for Demolishing Historic Land Art Installation

In a significant development for the art world, the Des Moines Art Center has agreed to pay $900,000 to renowned land artist Mary Miss after demolishing her site-specific environmental artwork 'Greenwood Pond: Double Site' without proper consultation. The settlement marks one of the largest payments ever made for the destruction of a piece of public art in the United States.

The artwork, originally installed in 1989, was a sophisticated environmental installation that incorporated walkways, viewing platforms, and architectural elements around Greenwood Pond. It served not only as an artistic piece but also as an educational tool about the local ecosystem. The installation was demolished in 2021 as part of a renovation project, despite being protected under the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA).

The controversy highlights the ongoing challenges in preserving site-specific art and the rights of artists under VARA, which protects artists' moral rights to their work. The settlement acknowledges the Art Center's failure to properly notify Miss before removing the installation, which had been a beloved feature of the museum's grounds for over three decades.

The case has sparked important discussions in the art community about:

The preservation of site-specific environmental art
Artists' rights under VARA legislation
The responsibilities of art institutions toward maintaining public artworks
The value and significance of land art in contemporary culture

This settlement sets a precedent for how cultural institutions should handle the maintenance and potential removal of site-specific artworks, emphasizing the need for proper communication with artists and respect for their legal rights.

The Des Moines Art Center has acknowledged the significance of the case and has committed to reviewing its procedures regarding the maintenance and modification of its outdoor installations to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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