A sculptural design contract for a new exhibit at the Washington Pavilion has turned into a full-time position for Luverne’s Cody Henrichs.
The local artist began July 15 as the curator of the visual arts center at the downtown Sioux Falls museum.
As a result of his new position, Henrichs recently resigned as facilitator of the Southwest Minnesota Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program.
Henrichs will continue to operate Coffey Contemporary Arts and the Lord Grizzly Gallery on Main Street in Luverne with his wife, Nicole.
Dinosaur Discovery
In May the Washington Pavilion opened a newly expanded Dinosaur Discovery exhibit in the Kirby Science Discovery Center.
Henrichs was contracted as the primary sculptural designer for the exhibit and worked on the project from November to May.
The work included creating a 30-foot cave, two smaller caves, trees and other elements to design the dinosaur-era-inspired exhibit.
The exhibit includes a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex and an area to dig for dinosaur bones, among many other features.
Curator of Visual Arts
While working on the dinosaur exhibit, Henrichs also joined the visual arts advisory board at the Pavilion.
His work on the project and on the board led Pavilion management to offer Henrichs the curator position for the museum’s visual arts center.
“I had not applied for the position and was not looking for a new job,” Henrichs said.
The opportunity to work full time as the only art curator at an accredited museum in South Dakota was an opportunity that Henrichs couldn’t pass up.
“Being the curator at the Washington Pavilion and having that platform to coordinate contemporary art throughout South Dakota and the region is just a great opportunity,” Henrichs said.
The curator manages and selects the art displayed within the seven galleries at the Pavilion. The museum includes approximately 1,600 works of art.