Five Dangos Lesson Plan

Introduction

The Dango series are oval sculptures that resemble vases without openings. “Dango”means “dumpling” or “closed form” in Japanese. These hand-built, ceramic works stand about 7 feet tall and are dressed in artist Jun Kaneko’s signature geometric patterns. Even though the Five Dangos were not created specifically for the Riverwalk, they were selected because of the  energy that they lend to the space. The five Dangos enliven the Hub Spot and, as Kaneko says, “shake the air” around them. They also dialogue with Expansion, a glass mural, also by Kaneko, located just across the street, on the facade of the pump station. The proximity of these two works serves to aesthetically unify the segment of the riverfront at the mouth of Des Moines’ Court Avenue entertainment district.