One of Des Moines' most iconic landmarks, the towering 'Nomade' sculpture at the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, has been temporarily removed for essential conservation work. On October 21, crews began dismantling the 27-foot-tall sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, with the sculpture's head removed by nightfall and the area cordoned off with chain-link fencing.

The removal is part of a planned conservation effort and the sculpture will return to its downtown location in spring, according to Amy Day, senior director of communications and marketing at the Des Moines Art Center, which operates the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. This marks the first major conservation project of many scheduled over the next three years as part of a comprehensive preservation initiative.

The Des Moines Art Center has launched an extensive conservation program at the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, with Nomade serving as the pilot project. A substantial $113,000 Legacy Grant from Prairie Meadows is funding not only the preservation of Nomade but also broader improvements to the park's security systems and accessibility features. The overarching goal is to ensure the sculpture park remains a safe, inclusive, and inspiring destination for all visitors.

Since opening in September 2009, the Pappajohn Sculpture Park has become a cornerstone of downtown Des Moines, welcoming more than 3.2 million visitors. The park's origins trace back to 2007 when venture capitalist John Pappajohn made a generous offer to donate 21 sculptures from internationally renowned artists. The city had recently cleared a 4.4-acre site between Grand Avenue and Locust Street, and this opportunity quickly evolved into a nationally recognized outdoor art destination now featuring 27 works.

Today, the sculpture park serves not only as a cultural landmark but also as a vital hub for community life in Des Moines. It regularly hosts major events including the Des Moines Arts Festival and the World Food & Music Festival, attracting thousands of visitors annually and significantly contributing to the city's economic vitality. The park's presence has helped catalyze more than $500 million in development along Locust and Grand avenues over the years, including the construction of headquarters for major companies like Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Kum & Go.

Nomade, one of the park's most photographed and beloved sculptures, depicts a crouching human form composed entirely of painted stainless steel letters from the Latin alphabet. Plensa's innovative work explores themes of language and human communication, with each individual letter functioning as a metaphorical cell within the larger human body. The sculpture's unique design invites viewers to step inside its hollow form, creating an intimate space for reflection and personal connection with the artwork.

The sculpture has a fascinating international history before arriving in Des Moines. Originally displayed in Antibes, France, Nomade was created during a closure period of the Musée Picasso and became an immediate sensation when installed on the city's historic ramparts overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. After its successful debut in France, the sculpture traveled to Miami before being acquired by Mary and John Pappajohn, who generously gifted it to the city of Des Moines. A second version of Nomade now resides permanently in Antibes, serving as a lasting testament to the artwork's impact.

This isn't the first time a major sculpture has been removed from Des Moines' skyline. After more than two decades as a beloved fixture in downtown Des Moines, the towering red garden trowel sculpture 'Plantoir' by renowned artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen was quietly removed from its longtime home near the Western Gateway in September 2025. The 23-foot-tall artwork, weighing 2,300 pounds and engineered to withstand winds up to 120 miles per hour, was sold to an undisclosed out-of-state buyer.

Plantoir had been originally installed in 2002 by Meredith Corp. to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, serving as a playful tribute to the company's gardening legacy. Before arriving in Des Moines, the sculpture had been exhibited at the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art's Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden in New York. Constructed from aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastic, and steel, the piece was specifically designed for outdoor display in garden settings.

The sale was confirmed by People Inc., formerly known as Dotdash Meredith, which stated that local organizations were given the opportunity to acquire the sculpture before it was offered to external buyers. Unfortunately, no local entity stepped forward with a competitive offer, and the company has declined to reveal either the buyer's identity or the final sale price. Plantoir was one of two major public artworks by Oldenburg and van Bruggen in Des Moines, with the other being 'Crusoe Umbrella' from 1979, which remains installed at Cowles Commons.

The removal of both Plantoir and temporarily Nomade represents significant changes in Des Moines' public art landscape. While Plantoir's departure marks the permanent end of an era, with the sculpture having become a recognizable part of the city's skyline and a favorite among residents and visitors alike, Nomade's temporary absence represents an investment in its long-term preservation. The conservation work being performed on Nomade demonstrates the city's commitment to maintaining its world-class sculpture collection for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.