GRINNELL COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART, 1108 Park St., Grinnell. (641) 269-4660. Unruly Lines: The Art of Sonja Sekula. Swiss-born artist Sonja Sekula worked in abstract expressionist and surrealist circles in the 20th century. January 22–June 1. Contemporary Photography from the Collection of Keith Jantzen ’80 and Scott Beth. Themes of intimacy are explored through portraiture, landscape, and the body. January 22-March 29. BAX. The annual exhibition of student’s work. Opens April 16.
CEDAR RAPIDS MUSEUM OF ART, 410 3rd Ave. S.E., Cedar Rapids. (319) 366-7503. Barn Storm: Picturing a Midwestern Icon. Barns are an iconic symbol of the Midwest. This exhibition explores how they appear in works from the collection. Through November 1, 2026. Men and Women at Work: Images of Labor from the Collection. Depicting human endeavor through many walks of life, these works show how artists engage with the working worlds. Through January 18. Mata Ortiz: Ceramics from the Sherman Collection. This exhibition explores the style and rich history of pottery by contemporary artisans in the town of Mata Ortiz. Through March 29, 2026. Beyond the Prairie: Midwestern Art from the Collection. Longtime museum favorites share gallery space with contemporary artworks in this changing exhibition showcasing the work of artists inspired by life in Iowa and surrounding states. Ongoing.
DES MOINES ART CENTER. 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines. (515) 277-4405. Manuel Alvarez Bravo: Collaborations. Sometimes called the father of Mexican photography, Bravo worked with some of the greatest minds of the 20th century, including Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and André Breton. Over 100 photographs and ephemera are included. Through January 18. Bill Owens: Work and Leisure. Bill Owens documented the suburbs in the 1970s, capturing the lives of his subjects. These photos invite us into their homes, allowing us to take a moment and join the fun. Through April 19. Aagakinak Haciwi: We Live Opposite Each Other. Ho-Chunk artist Henry Payer considers history and identity through mixed media collages combining imagery drawn from historical archives and his personal experience. Part of the Iowa Artists exhibition series. January 17-June 17.
FIGGE ART MUSEUM, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport.(563) 345-6632. Art Bridges: Partner Loan Network. Masterworks from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art are paired with artworks from the Figge in thematic groupings. Through January 2026. The Golden Age: Northern European Works from the National Gallery of Art. An exceptional selection of 16th- and 17th-century Northern Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces. Through April 2027. Fischli and Weiss: The Way Things Go. Known for their witty explorations of human nature, Swiss artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss present their acclaimed 1987 video in which everyday objects set off a wild chain reaction. Through February 8, 2026.
STANLEY MUSEUM OF ART, 160 W. Burlington St., Iowa City. (319) 335-1727. Re/frame. This mini-exhibition features an early Georgia O’Keeffe urban landscape juxtaposed with a later 20th-century painting by Robert Brown. Through January 25. The Black/Gold Tapestry. Sandra Sawatzky documents the saga of oil, global change, and energy transition through a hand-embroidered 220-foot-long tableau, which she describes as a “film on cloth.” Opens February 3. Weaving Narratives: African Textiles in Iowa. The museum’s collection has grown to nearly 600 examples of fiber art from across the continent. Through April 29, 2026. In the Studio: Art at Iowa in the 1940s. This focused installation explores the early years of the studio MFA program. Includes work by Mauricio Lasansky, Philip Guston, Miriam Schapiro, and Houston Ellis Chandler. Through January 25, 2026.
CENTRAL PARK FURNISHINGS GALLERY, 56 N. Main St., Fairfield. MediterraVibe.com. International Small Works Show & Sale. Featuring over 300 artworks by 125 artists, the exhibition includes paintings, textiles, pottery, sculpture, and more, with new artworks added weekly. Through February 6, 2026.
ICON GALLERY, 58 N. Main St., Fairfield. (641) 469-6252. Icon-art.org. Abstraction/Realism. The small nonrepresentational abstract paintings by Michael Rutherford are juxtaposed to Bill Teeple’s tiny photorealistic landscapes. Both artists’ small paintings draw one in, to experience them intimately. February 6-April 11. Tantra Art from Udaipur: Shiva Linga Paintings from the Hudson Collection. A selection of 13 paintings made by tantrika families from Rajasthan, India. Through March 28, 2026.
PUBLIC SPACE ONE, 225–229 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City. PublicSpaceOne.com. Parables of the Future: Black Future Fest. A month of programming celebrating Afrofuturism, highlighting art, literature, fashion, and imagination. January 19-February 19. Dead or Amazing. An interactive video installation by Ethan Edvenson and Charles Borowicz. Through February 21 at PS1 Northside Gallery, 229 N. Gilbert.
HOYT-SHERMAN THEATRE, 1501 Woodland Ave., Des Moines. (515) 244-0507. Notable artworks in Hoyt-Sherman’s collection are on view, including paintings by American artists George Inness, Thomas Moran, Elihu Vedder, and Frederick Frieseke. The highlight of the entire collection is Apollo and Venus by the Flemish artist Otto van Veen, which is regarded as the most important Old Master painting in the state of Iowa. In 2018, it was rediscovered in a storage closet by Executive Director Robert Warren and restored to its original beauty by Barry Bauman, an art conservator in Chicago. Permanent display.
SIOUX CITY ART CENTER, 225 Nebraska St., Sioux City. (712) 279-6272. Grant Wood’s Corn Room Mural. The Corn Room mural was one of four murals commissioned by Omaha businessman Eugene Eppley for his hotels in Council Bluffs, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Sioux City. Originally part of the historical Martin Hotel, the Corn Room was created by Grant Wood in 1927, then lost for decades under paint and old wallpaper, only to be rediscovered in 1979. Ongoing.
***
AMERICUS DIAMOND, corner of Main St. and Burlington, Fairfield. Featuring the artwork of Christopher Kufner.
AMANA ARTS GUILD. 1 block north of Highway 220, High Amana. (319) 622-3678.
ANOMALY GALLERY, 105 N. Court, Ottumwa. (641) 777-8446.
ART CENTER OF BURLINGTON, 301 Jefferson St., Burlington. (319) 754-8069.
CATICH GALLERY, Galvin Fine Arts Center, St. Ambrose University, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport. 563-333-6444.
CSPS, 1103 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids. (319) 364-1530.
DUBUQUE MUSEUM OF ART, 701 Locust St., Dubuque. (563) 557-1851. DBQArt.org.
FIGGE ART MUSEUM, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport.(563) 345-6632.
FORT MADISON ART CENTER, 1314 Mulberry Ave. (319) 372-8780.
FREEFORM GALLERY, 508 N. 2nd Street, Fairfield.
GILDED PEAR GALLERY, 808 Third Ave SE, Cedar Rapids. (319) 366-0205. GildedPearGallery.com.
GRINNELL COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART, 1108 Park St., Grinnell. (641) 269-4660.
INDIAN HILLS ART GALLERY, Indian Hills Community College, Ottumwa. (641) 683-5144.
JANALYN HANSON WHITE GALLERY. Mount Mercy University, 1330 Elmhurst Dr. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA. (319) 363-8213.
MARVIN CONE GALLERY. Coe College, 1220 First Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids. (319) 399-8500.
MOUNT VERNON CREATES. 121 1st St. NW, Mount Vernon. (319) 895-2682.
MUSCATINE ART CENTER, 1314 Mulberry Ave., Muscatine. (563) 263-8282.
OCTAGON CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 427 Douglas Ave., Ames. (515) 232-5331.
OLSON LARSON GALLERIES, 542 5th St, West Des Moines. (515)-277-6734.
PETER PAUL LUCE GALLERY, Cornell College, 809 First St, Mount Vernon.
PUBLIC SPACE ONE, 225–229 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City. PublicSpaceOne.com.
SIOUX CITY ART CENTER, 225 Nebraska St., Sioux City. (712) 279-6272.
STANLEY MUSEUM OF ART, 160 W. Burlington St., Iowa City. (319) 335-1727.
TAAG GALLERY, 1041 Arthur St., Iowa City. (319) 855-4755.
WATERLOO CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 225 Commercial St., Waterloo. (319) 291-4490.
WEGE GALLERY, Wege Center for the Arts, Maharishi International University, 1000 N. 4th St., Fairfield.