The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints got a look at some of the best in Mormon art Thursday, 10 March at the Church History Museum in downtown Salt Lake City.
President Thomas S. Monson, President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf participated in a ribbon cutting for two new exhibits, Pieces of Me: Quilted Expressions of Human Ties and Seek My Face: Recent Artwork on Scriptural Themes.
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Elder Marlin K. Jensen, who is the Church historian and recorder, says the exhibits represent a new day for the museum.
“We are 26 years old now and we needed some freshening up,” Elder Jensen said. “This museum has really come of age with these new exhibits.”
The Pieces of Me exhibit explores fundamental human relationships through quilts, artifacts and interactive displays, according to co-curator Jennifer Hadley.
“We wanted to put together a show that would be of interest to everyone whether they consider themselves quilters or not,” Hadley said. “If you talk to quilters, it is about more than just making something warm for their bed. They quilt with purpose and meaning. For this exhibit, we decided to focus on the stories behind the quilts. Those stories contain universal concepts that are relevant to everyone.”
The exhibit features 20 historic and contemporary quilts and examines how these quilts tell the stories of individuals, families, communities and the world. In addition to quilts, each display includes other artifacts that help tell the stories.
“We have tried to broaden the story that is being told by pairing the quilts up with other things,” Hadley said. “So you will find some things in our gallery that are not typical, such as sculptures, a dagger and a radio.”
The exhibit also includes hands-on activities for the entire family. Children can create their own magnetic quilt blocks or practice stitching. Visitors can record their own quilt memories in a video booth.
The Seek My Face exhibit features 25 contemporary artistic creations representing Jesus Christ and other scriptural themes. The diverse and global nature of the pieces is indicative of the current face of Latter-day Saint art, according to museum director Kurt Graham.
“This exhibit represents the whole spectrum of LDS art, from realist to modern to abstract,” Graham said.
Graham said the Church History Museum is not just for Mormons.
“One of our goals is to put Church history in the context of American and world history. Whether you are Mormon or not, there is something here for you,” he said. “And we are constantly changing our exhibits so there is always something new.”
Elder Jensen agrees that the museum merits a fresh look from anyone, whether in person or online.
“This museum is really an undiscovered gem,” he said. “There is a broad spectrum of things to see and do.”
The Pieces of Me exhibit will be on display through January 2012. Seek My Face will run through June 2011. For more information, please visit churchhistorymuseum.org.