After standing as a beloved landmark in downtown Des Moines for over two decades, the massive "Plantoir" garden trowel sculpture has been quietly removed from its prominent location in the Western Gateway. The towering artwork, which had become synonymous with the city's skyline since 2002, disappeared sometime on Thursday, September 11, leaving only scaffolding and an empty tree-framed lawn where the world's largest garden trowel sculpture once stood.
People Inc., the media conglomerate formerly known as Dotdash Meredith, announced in late August that it had sold the iconic sculpture to an undisclosed out-of-state buyer for an undisclosed amount. The company has remained tight-lipped about the details, with a spokesperson stating only that "we don't comment on the details of the sale." The buyer's identity, location, and the final purchase price continue to be closely guarded secrets.
The monumental sculpture was originally created by the renowned European-American artist duo Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, who were famous for their oversized everyday object installations. The former Meredith Corporation purchased and installed the artwork on its corporate campus in 2002 to commemorate the company's 100th anniversary, making it a symbol of both the corporation and the city itself.
Standing more than 23 feet tall and weighing 2,300 pounds, the "Plantoir" was constructed from aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastic, and steel. The sculpture was engineered to withstand winds up to 120 miles per hour and earned recognition from the World Record Academy as the world's largest garden trowel sculpture. While slightly smaller versions exist elsewhere, including one at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Des Moines' version held the distinction of being the largest.
According to People Inc.'s August statement, the sculpture was offered to local organizations before being sold to the out-of-state buyer, but no local entity stepped forward with a competitive offer that would have kept the landmark in Iowa. The company has declined to identify which local organizations were approached about the potential purchase. The Des Moines Art Center, which manages the nearby Pappajohn Sculpture Park, did not respond to requests for comment, and Maartje Oldenburg, daughter of the late Claes Oldenburg and unofficial steward of his artistic legacy, has not responded to numerous inquiries.
The sale and removal of the sculpture followed People Inc.'s July announcement that it was changing its corporate name from Dotdash Meredith to People Inc., in recognition of its flagship People magazine. This change effectively erased the historic Meredith name from Des Moines' corporate landscape, marking the end of an era for the Iowa capital's business community.
Despite selling the landmark sculpture, People Inc. has stated that it remains committed to Des Moines. The company is currently renovating its historic building at 1716 Locust Street, which was part of Meredith's former headquarters complex. The company had previously sold another building on the campus to Mid-American Energy as part of its restructuring efforts.
The now-empty 1.8-acre plot where the sculpture stood, located between Locust Street and Grand Avenue, is zoned for commercial use and valued at $1.3 million by the Polk County Assessor's Office. People Inc. has not announced any specific plans for the prime downtown real estate.
While Des Moines has lost its giant trowel, the city can still claim another masterpiece by Oldenburg and van Bruggen. The artistic duo also created the "Crusoe Umbrella," a giant umbrella sculpture that was installed on Cowles Commons in 1979 and remains a cherished part of the city's public art collection. This remaining sculpture serves as a lasting tribute to the collaborative genius of the late Claes Oldenburg, who passed away recently, and his longtime partner van Bruggen.
