Starting this weekend, people will be able to see a restored Grant Wood mural at the Sioux City Art Center.
Wood's work remains relevant more than 80 years after his death.
Grant Wood is known for the iconic American Gothic, which shows a farmer holding a pitchfork next to his daughter.
A lesser-known work is the Corn Room mural, first painted in 1926 at a hotel in Sioux City.
After years of neglect behind paint and wallpaper, it ended up at the Sioux City Art Center.
Last year, all seven panels underwent conservation in Minneapolis to restore their vibrancy.
Curator Christopher Atkins put together an entire exhibit to honor Grant and other artists who focus on rural life.
“I think he's someone whose art, in spite of this being a 100-year celebration, continues to resonate today, not just in terms of how he painted but also what he painted. And if you just sort of think about Grant Wood as American Gothic, that's certainly an important thing, but there's a lot here that you're gonna learn about him that you weren't aware of," Atkins said.
Art Center Director Todd Behrens says the mural will be part of an expanded exhibition called “Pasture to Present.”
“This is a celebration of Grant Wood, not just what he did in Sioux City, but Grant Wood, you know, the most outstanding artist in Iowa's history. So, this is a real statewide celebration for us," Behrens said.
The exhibit will include other Wood paintings on loan from art centers across the region, as well as a large installation honoring the Iowa State Fair from the Des Moines Art Center.
