The 13th International Art Competition exhibition at the Church History and Art Museum in Salt Lake City opened this morning.  The theme of the competition is based on Doctrine and Covenants 81:5: “Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” All told, 584 artists entered the competition, from which 150 pieces of art were selected for the exhibition, with artists from 26 different countries contributing to the display. Laura Paulsen Howe (Church History Museum art curator) compared the compilation to an international fast and testimony meeting in which artists from around the world share their faith and testimony through their art.

 

I had the opportunity to attend the opening this morning and to wander the exhibition. It was both moving and stunning to see the artwork, in all its varied forms. Media ranged from paintings to quilting to sculpture to pieces made from paper cutouts. One of my favorite pieces of the whole competition was “Abish: A Remarkable Vision” by Shelby Stroud, which was assembled out of a variety of materials, such as stone, leather, wood, textile, insects, and flowers. Up close, it was fascinating to see all of the components, but stepping away, it came together into a beautiful image.

The artwork inspired by the theme of “the hands which hang down” included several different themes. Family support and connection was one recurring focus. For example, one of the sculptures present was “C’mon, Mom . . .” by Ryan Moffett. In talking with Ryan, he expressed that he has observed how parents, especially mothers, get worn down and exhausted. Children, however, show a remarkable ability to energize and uplift those around them, and in this case, the sculpture depicts his granddaughter lifting up his daughter (her mother). When thinking about families and lifting hands that hang down, my mind tends to think first of mothers caring for their children, so it was a fun inversion of expectations.

Ryan Moffett with his piece, “C’mon, Mom . . .”

 

Another recurring focus was the life of Jesus Christ. Many of the big names in Latter-day Saint artwork had contributions in this area, such as Jorge Cocco Santángelo, Rose Datoc Dall, etc. focused on this topic. One of the most striking paintings there was “Reach: The Fisherman’s Faith,” by Robert Fuerer. The piece portrays Jesus lifting Peter by the hand after Peter walked on water and began to sink. Another favorite of mine was “Compassion’s Gaze,” by Brandon Gonzales.

 

It was fun to see the international nature of the exhibition as well. For example, I was able to listen in as Pamela Salinas Bernal, a native of Chile discussed her excitement about being a part of the exhibition with her paper-based piece, “The Garden of the Lord.” While a significant portion of the artwork was by Utah-based artists, there was also a significant amount of artwork by artists from diverse countries like Tonga, Nigeria, Argentina, and Hong Kong. It lived up to the description of an international fast and testimony meeting.

 

All around, it is worth the visit to the Church History Museum to see the new art exhibition for the 13th International Art Competition. I loved the experience of being able to see the artwork in person. Also, for those who aren’t in a position to visit Salt Lake City, the Church has also made the artwork available for viewing in an online gallery. Enjoy!