Art in the office DesMoinesRegister.com
"Corporate art collections enhance the quality of life," said art dealer Steven Vail of Des Moines, where a trove of artwork fills business offices and lobbies downtown. "The prospective employees who are most skilled with innovative thinking also tend to be people who gravitate toward contemporary art. In a city like Des Moines, where companies are attracting and retaining younger employees to live and work, I think it's particularly important."
Collection reflects Deere's world viewBusinesses invest in art for a whole slew of reasons: to foster creativity, to impress clients, to promote goodwill in the community and, though they usually don't say so, to make a few bucks if or when the artwork appreciates in value. (That's part of the reason many companies are hanging on to artwork even in the current economy: The art market is slower than usual.) Deere's early acquisition strategy focused on the company's growing worldwide reach, and the first show at the Figge, "Global Currents," through Oct. 24, showcases the collection's international scope.