The Sioux City Art Center is planning to show off the newly restored Grant Wood Corn Room Mural at its spring fundraiser.
Center director Todd Behrens says it will be the first look at the restored work. “Originally created for the Martin Hotel in 1926 by Grant Wood. This is the only artwork that was created in Sioux City by Grant Wood. So, it’s a very special part of our community’s history and a very special part of our collection,” he says.
The Corn Mural consists of several large panels painted on wood and was originally on display in the dining room of the old hotel. Art Center curator Christopher Atkins says the mural had been undergoing a two-stage restoration process in Minnesota. “As you can imagine, as things get old, it starts to develop a patina, there’s some discoloration, that will be removed,” he says. “These panels have had a long, long history from when they were in the Martin Hotel, when they were covered over, when they were brought over here and conserved. As you can imagine, when they’re covered over with glue and with paint and cut through to put through conduit and thermostats, they’ve been through a lot, but they’re going to look their best they haven’t in almost 30 years.” There was even wallpaper put over the mural at one point.
Behrens says the celebration of the mural return will have a rural theme and activities that include a social hour, dinner, program and live auction. “We always like to encourage people to dress up thematically. There will be a costume contest. So whether it’s country and western, whether it’s just old-timey rural, we are encouraging anybody to dress as creatively as they can. And there will be line dancing,” he says.
The event is scheduled for the atrium of the Art Cent on Friday March 20th from 6 to 10 p.m. Tickets are available through the Art Center.
(By Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City)