Grant Wood Symposium to explore race and representation in Regionalist art

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Scholars and artists from across North America will gather April 25–26 at the University of Iowa for the eighth biennial Grant Wood Symposium, a two-day event examining the intersections of race and American Regionalist art.

Hosted at the Seamans Center, the symposium features four panel discussions, a film screening, and a visit to an art exhibition.

This year’s theme explores questions of who is representing and who is represented in the American Scene, using the work of Grant Wood and other artists to examine broader issues of identity, race, and representation in Midwestern art.

Panelists will explore topics including Chicano/a, Asian and African American contributions to Regionalist traditions, alongside new perspectives on Wood’s own body of work.

Discussions will also address how racial identity has shaped artistic practice both historically and today.

Friday evening includes a screening of films by Christopher Harris and Cameron Granger, followed by a talkback with the filmmakers. The event coincides with the Stanley Museum of Art’s current exhibition, it’s a fine thing, which focuses on Black life in the Midwest and is supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

The symposium concludes with a keynote by it’s a fine thing curator Katherine Simóne Reynolds and a reception at the Stanley Museum, offering attendees an opportunity to experience the exhibition firsthand.

The symposium’s theme is rooted in Grant Wood’s legacy as an artist and educator.

Organizers say the event seeks to challenge traditional narratives of the “heartland,” which often exclude the contributions of Black and other marginalized artists to the American Scene.

The Grant Wood Symposium is free and open to the public.

Both in-person and virtual attendance options are available. While registration is not required, attendees are encouraged to sign up at grantwood.uiowa.edu/2025symposium for a complete schedule and event updates.

Support for the symposium comes from private donations through the University of Iowa Center for Advancement.

More information on the Grant Wood Art Colony and ways to contribute can be found HERE.