ABOUT

The Grant Wood Legacy Project exists to promote and protect the enduring legacy of one of America’s most iconic artists and Iowa’s most celebrated creative sons. Funded by The Hayes Foundation and named in honor of long-time benefactor Jim Hayes, the project seeks to preserve Grant Wood’s story in all its complexity, the artist, teacher, craftsman, and visionary, while reintroducing his life and work to new generations.

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Centered on his years in Iowa and at the University of Iowa, the initiative honors both his artistic brilliance and the struggles he faced within the academic and cultural landscape of his time. Through exhibitions, research, digital storytelling, fundraising and public engagement, the Grant Wood Legacy Project aims to modernize and amplify his legacy, ensuring that the values he championed and embodied; creativity rooted in place, craftsmanship with purpose, and art in service of community will continue to inspire artists, scholars, and citizens across the world.

Born in rural Anamosa, Iowa, in 1891, Grant Wood’s artistic vision was shaped by the landscapes, people, and rhythms of Midwestern life. From his early years in Cedar Rapids to his later teaching tenure at the University of Iowa, Wood’s work reflected a belief that art could spring from the familiar and speak to the universal.

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Yet despite his fame—sparked by his 1930 masterpiece American Gothic—his years at Iowa were marked by tension and marginalization. Though he brought national recognition to the University through his leadership in the Public Works of Art Project and his mentorship of young artists, Wood’s lack of formal academic credentials and his devotion to Regionalism set him apart from colleagues aligned with more modernist movements.

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He was often treated as an outsider within the very institution that benefited from his presence. Still, his dedication to art grounded in community and place never wavered. His studio at 1142 East Court Street in Iowa City became a creative hub, and his teaching shaped generations of artists who carried forward his belief that great art could emerge from ordinary life.

Today, the Grant Wood Legacy Project seeks to reclaim and reframe that history by acknowledging the challenges he faced, celebrating the brilliance of his vision, and restoring his rightful place within both the University of Iowa’s heritage and the broader story of American art.

 

By preserving his work, reinterpreting his influence, and supporting contemporary artists who share his spirit, the project ensures that Grant Wood’s legacy remains a living, evolving presence and is one that will continue to define Iowa’s cultural identity and to inspire creative innovation across the nation and world.