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Inside Iowa State, a newspaper for faculty and staff, is published by the Office of University Relations.

Sept. 8, 2006

Brunnier features federal art murals

An art exhibit focusing on the only existing federally funded Public Works of Art Project murals at Iowa State opens Sept. 13 in the Brunnier Art Museum, Scheman. "When Tillage Begins, Other Arts Follow: Grant Wood and Christian Petersen Murals" runs through Nov. 27.

Breaking the Prairie by Grant Wood is part of an exhibition opening Sept. 13 in the Brunnier Art Museum that focuses on Public Works of Art Project pieces from the 1930s. Submitted photo.

It features 30 works of art by Iowa artist Grant Wood and former Iowa State artist-in-residence Christian Petersen and other PWAP studio artists who helped create the campus murals.

Iowa State's Art on Campus program has its roots in the 1930s New Deal PWAP pieces, including Wood's When Tillage Begins, Other Arts Follow (1934-35) and the final cycle Breaking the Prairie (1935-37); and Petersen's sculpted bas relief murals The History of Dairying, For Melke and Chese and Butter, and Four Thousand Yeeres (1934).

A scholarly publication of the same title as the exhibition, written by Lea Rosson DeLong, chronicles the creation and legacy of the campus murals. DeLong also is the guest curator of the exhibit. The book will be sold in the Brunnier Art Museum Store or from the University Museums office for $55.

A lecture and reception with DeLong begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Brunnier Art Museum.

Summary

"When Tillage Begins, Other Arts Follow: Grant Wood and Christian Petersen Murals" runs through Nov. 27.