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Poetry is Everywhere

Roy and Bobbi Reiman Public Art Studio Gallery, 0003 Morrill Hall

January 21, 2025 – July 25, 2025

This collection displays poetry inspired by the Art on Campus Collection, featured alongside works of art and maquettes from our public art collection, highlighting how poetry interacts with and enriches other forms of artistic expression. As part of Iowa State’s public art collection, University Museums has commissioned a diverse array of poetry by Iowa writers. Ranging from the founding of the Art on Campus Collection to contemporary public art, this exhibition explores various themes and examines interpretation over time and foregrounds poetry’s adjacencies to other forms of artmaking. Additionally, Poetry is Everywhere examines poetry as a form of visual literacy, illustrating how this pedagogical method offers insights into public art and its connections to academic curricula. Through various poetic forms and styles, these poems invite readers to contemplate and appreciate the beauty and complexity of language, while sparking new perspectives and connections within our vibrant campus community and beyond.

This exhibition is curated and organized by University Museums. Support was given by Jim and Marcia Borel, Kathy and John Howell Art Enrichment Program, J.W. Fisher Endowed Artists Residency Fund, Warren and Beverly Madden, Carole and Roger Custer, Jan and George Beran, and University Museums Membership. 

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Exhibition Programs

Find full descriptions of programs on the University Museums Calendar. All programs are free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged but not required. Click the event title for more information and to register. Events listed below will be at the Christian Petersen Art Museum, Campbell Gallery (1017 Morrill Hall, 603 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa) unless otherwise noted. Times are Central Standard Time (CST). Programs are subject to change. Check the University Museums Calendar and Facebook page for the latest events information.

 

Art Write Now with the Ames Writers Collective

March 3, 2025, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (US Central)

Location: Christian Petersen Art Museum, 1017 Morrill Hall

"Art Write Now" invites writers of all levels to explore the connection between visual art and creative writing! The program includes a curator-led tour of the Christian Petersen Art Museum’s exhibitions, followed by writing exercises led by Ana Hays McCracken to spark meaningful creative responses.

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Dragons and Rayguns: Book Reading with Iowa Poet Laureate, Vince Gotera

March 6, 2025, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM (US Central)

Location: Christian Petersen Art Museum, 1017 Morrill Hall

Dragons and Rayguns: Book Reading with Iowa Poet Laureate, Vince Gotera

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Museum as Muse: Poetry of the Art on Campus Collection With Iowa Poet Laureate, Vince Gotera

April 6, 2025, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (US Central)

Location: Christian Petersen Art Museum, 1017 Morrill Hall

Connect with University Museums for an afternoon of poetry! Led by Vince Gotera, enjoy a guided tour of the Art on Campus Collection and Anderson Sculpture Garden. Gotera will share poems inspired by Art on Campus and read alongside the works of art that motivated them. Learn about his creative process and go home with inspiration to create ekphrastic poems of your own! 

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Poetry Pop-Up with Sketch

April 17, 2025, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (US Central)

Location: Anderson Sculpture Garden, between Morrill Hall and the Hub

In partnership with Iowa State’s student publication, Sketch, join University Museums for a pop-up reading of student-penned poetry inspired by the Art on Campus Collection in the Anderson Sculpture Garden.

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