Grinnell, Iowa – The Grinnell Crossroads sculpture, which has welcomed visitors and residents at the intersection of Highways 6 and 146 since its installation in 2020, will be moved as a result of Grinnell College’s sale of the property where it is located.
The College commissioned landscape and public artist Walter Hood to create the sculpture in 2016. Hood, who is the recipient of a 2019 MacArthur Fellowship (also known as a “Genius Grant”), is the founder of Hood Design Studio, a social art and design firm based in Oakland, California. The sculpture’s intricate diagonal lattice walls pay homage to the area’s historic wooden covered bridges and fences, representing a connection between the past and the present. The structure and placement of the art symbolizes the lives and stories that converge in the community of Grinnell.
“Walter Hood envisioned Grinnell Crossroads as a space people would inhabit through life, work, and play,” said Sarah Smith, director of community outreach in the office of Community Partnerships, Planning and Research. “We are in communication with the artist about reimagining the artwork’s future, fostering a new chapter that aligns with our commitment to enriching the community through art and shared experiences. During this transition, the sculpture will be placed in storage, ensuring its preservation and safekeeping.”
Smith, along with Jocelyn Krueger, collections manager at Grinnell College Museum of Art, Milton Severe, director of exhibition design at Grinnell College Museum of Art, and Susan Baley, director at Grinnell College Museum of Art will serve on the committee responsible for determining the appropriate next steps for the sculpture.
Grinnell College is selling the property at the intersection of Highways 6 and 146 to PMP Holdings, a developer who approached the College regarding acquisition of the lot for commercial purposes. The closing date of the property sale is tentatively set for March 5, 2024. The sculpture is scheduled to be moved from the property in late February.
About Grinnell College
Grinnell College, a private liberal arts college in Iowa founded in 1846, provides individually advised learning for intellectually engaged students to produce graduates who are prepared to navigate the world’s complexities and responsibly contribute to the common good. Grinnell enrolls 1,700 students from around the world, who earn bachelor’s degrees in a range of disciplines across the humanities, arts and sciences. Grinnell’s rigorous academic program and campus life emphasize excellence in education through free inquiry and the open exchange of ideas, a diverse community and social responsibility and action. More information about Grinnell College is available at www.grinnell.edu.
