Art That Moves: Bringing Augmented Reality to Downtown Des Moines

_{Leon Keer, Augmented Reality 3D mural, "Shattering," Helsingborg, Sweden}

As Executive Director of the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing how art can transform not just spaces — but communities. This fall, we’re thrilled to unveil a groundbreaking mural at 901 Grand that does just that, thanks to a dynamic collaboration with Principal Financial Group®.

Internationally acclaimed Dutch artist Leon Keer is bringing his signature anamorphic style to Des Moines with an 8,000+ square foot mural that blends hyper-realism with augmented reality (AR). Through a free iOS app developed by our Foundation, viewers can watch the mural come to life, adding a layer of interactivity that’s never been seen before in our city.

This mural celebrates Iowa’s landscapes and heritage, featuring vintage televisions that display scenes curated in collaboration with the City of Des Moines, Pella Historical Museums & Tulip Time, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Madison County Tourism and the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge.

A Community Collaboration

Our collaboration with Principal has been essential in bringing this vision to life. Their commitment to community vibrancy and creative placemaking is evident not only in their support of this mural but in their broader efforts to foster spaces where imagination and connection thrive. As Beth Wood, Chief Marketing Officer at Principal, shared, “This mural reflects our long-standing belief that the arts and imagination can help shape a brighter future.”

The mural will be owned and maintained by Principal and will remain in place for at least six years. We’ll celebrate its unveiling at the Turn It On! Mural Festival on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 from 1 – 3 p.m. at 901 Grand Ave. in Des Moines. This free public event will be the first opportunity to experience the mural’s AR features in action.

This installation marks the beginning of a broader initiative to bring AR-compatible murals to Des Moines, creating new opportunities for local and regional artists to engage with technology and storytelling in public spaces.

Public art belongs in the streets, on buildings and in the everyday lives of our community. With this mural, we’re inviting people to see, interact and imagine in new ways.

I hope you’ll join us in celebrating this exciting moment for Des Moines. Let’s turn it on!

The Greater Des Moines Partnership calendar of events is a one-stop resource for activities taking place throughout the region. Find networking information for Greater Des Moines (DSM) businesses, including Chamber luncheons, roundtables and ribbon cuttings. You can also find live music happening each week thanks to the “Live Music This Week in DSM” blog series.