Sandra Bloodworth Writes in Support of "Greenwood Pond: Double Site"
On January 30, 2024, Sandra Bloodworth wrote the following letter to the Des Moines Art Center (DMAC) Director Kelly Baum concerning plans to demolish Greenwood Pond: Double Site, a site-specific installation by the internationally acclaimed leader of the land art movement, Mary Miss, commissioned for the Art Center’s permanent collection. The work, which opened in 1996, is in a diminished condition with some sections fenced off, suggesting the DMAC has not fulfilled its contractual obligation to “reasonably protect and maintain” the work. The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) is calling for the DMAC to reverse it demolition decision and, instead, to engage in meaningful consultations with the artist and others to find a solution that restores the artwork and develops a long-term, ongoing maintenance plan.
Dear Ms. Baum,
I read the article in the Times and was sorry to hear of the potential dismantling of Greenwood Pond: Double Site by Mary Miss. As you know, Miss is an internationally recognized leader of the land art movement and was recently included in the widely hailed Nasher Sculpture Center exhibition Groundswell: Women of Land Art. This attention is in no small part because the Des Moines Art Center’s marvelous decision nearly 40 years ago to commission her to create this groundbreaking public artwork. Though I do understand the difficulties in maintaining art in the public realm, the potential demolition of this iconic work would be a tremendous loss for the field.
Greenwood Pond is one of Mary Miss’ most significant, extant works, partly because of the thoughtful and extensive community engagement that the artist undertook over seven years. Commissioned as a permanent work, the expectation as I understand it was that all efforts would be extended to protect and maintain it over the course of its lifetime. Now in a diminished state, the time has come to restore the work to its former glory, not let go of one of the finest examples of land art by a woman artist in American history. International art lovers are now aware of the challenge you face; is it not possible to pursue a restoration in light of renewed public interest in the work of this landmark artist?
I can imagine that you didn’t have many options when your earlier decisions were made, but with renewed attention, would this not open doors to either grants or sponsorships that might contribute to its restoration? Could you consider doing a call for sponsors or starting a GoFundMe campaign? It would be wonderful if not only such a campaign raised the funds needed to restore and protect the work, but in doing so, bring positive attention to the Des Moines Arts Center, strengthening its overall resources. Surely this spotlight will enhance your ability to find a solution to restore the work and to create an endowment for the work’s long-term maintenance.
I am certain this call to save Mary’s work creates a considerable burden in light of the challenges non-profit arts organizations such as yours face today; I do not envy the task before you and applaud you for your efforts in leading DMAC well into the future. But as someone with years of experience in the field of public art, I can tell you that artworks of this significance hold a special place in the hearts and minds of the exact people our programming and community building is designed to reach; losing this artwork today means a loss for generations past, present, and future. I humbly ask you to work with Mary and the wider arts community to do everything possible to save this artwork.
Sincerely,
Sandra Bloodworth
Cc: Mary and Charles A. Birnbaum, President & CEO, The Cultural Landscape Foundation
The views expressed here are my own and are not written on behalf of my professional affiliations.
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