CHURCH HISTORY MUSEUM and BYU MUSEUM OF ART NEW EXHIBITS

The Church Museum has two new exhibits, which is always fun for us docents because more people visit the museum, and we learn something new!  If you read the plaque below, 29 professional American LDS artists contributed to the exhibit.  They were invited to create art based on gospel themes--especially Jesus Christ. 

Brian Kershisnik has a very large painting on display titled "Descent from the Cross."  When I first became a docent I really didn't appreciate Kewrshisnik's work, but now I love seeing one of his new paintings.  There is so much detail and interpretation to be observed.   

I especially love the Hosts of Heaven being involved with taking Christ off the cross.  All of them are very concerned and many have tears in their eyes.

You don't see the double nails very often on paintings of Christ on the cross!

To fully appreciate the paintings, you really need to see it in person!

One of my most favorite LDS painters is Walter Rane; he paints like the old masters.  He also has a way of painting angels demonstrating lots of motion without having wings!!!

When I first saw this painting, chills just went up and down my whole body.  This painting depicts Christ's visit to America and the Hosts of Heaven described in 3 Nephi 7--"And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them."

Everyone is so thrilled and full of love!


This is the other new Church Museum exhibit--Pieces of Me--Quilted Expressions of Human Ties

This exhibit helps us to appreciate how completed quilts helps the person understand themselves a little better.

This gorgeous quilt was done by a docent that I work with on Fridays.   While seeking peace about her husband's terminal medical condition, she created a physical expression of her inner search.   The Easter lilies motif represents the Resurrection of the Savior and the knowledge that her husband will live eternally.

In addition to its beauty, she alone hand quilted the entire quilt using gold thread, which is very delicate!  

The maker of this 100 + old sampler above was displaying her sewing skills by practicing a variety of techniques, such a gathering, seaming, pleating and repair.

The sampler on the left was made by a lady in 1793 and the one on the right by her granddaughter in 1842.  The granddaughter developed a sense of aesthetic, learned her figures and letters and copied stitches exactly from her grandmother's sampler.


BYU Museum of Art--Three Exhibits
Through May 7, 2011, BYU Museum of Art is hosting Carl Bloch, an exhibit of Bloch's paintings and etchings.  If any of you live close by, you definitely should see this exhibit.

Nine years in the making, the exhibit highlights four larger-than-life altarpieces of Christ from churches in Denmark and Sweden, and one former altarpiece.  This is the first time they have been shown together.

Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890) was a Danish painter, who's early work featured rural scenes from everyday life. He began painting scenes from the life of Jesus Christ when commissioned to produce 23 paintings for the Chapel at Frederiksborg Palace in Denmark. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has extensively used Bloch's paintings of Christ for the past several decades.

We couldn't take pictures, so I borrowed these off the internet.   This picture above, Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, is one of my favorite.  I just know that God the Father sent down angels to comfort Christ in his great hour of need.

Christ Blessing the Little Child is another of my favorites.

The Daughter of Jairus--This painting depicts the lamenting of the mother at her daughter's bedside when she knows her daughter has died.  When Jesus learned that Jairus's daughter was dead, He said, "Be not afraid, only believe."  At her home, He said, "The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth."  Then he took the hand of the 12-year-old girl and said, "Arise," and she "arose"  (Mark 5:36, 39, 41-42)


Pictures just don't do the paintings justice, however, I wanted to share a little with you.  The April "Ensign" has an article with the exhibit and some of the paintings.  


At War!  The Changing Face of American War Illustration Exhibit
This exhibit consists of 70 works of art, including posters, paintings, comic strips editorial cartoons, animation and video examining both the medium and message of American war imagery from 1913 to 2003.  

This was a very well-known poster

Camille commented on the meaning of this poster, and that my generation grew up with parents that really lived the principle of not wasting anything, especially food!!

Two of Norman Rockwell's famous "Four Freedoms" pictures

Dorothea Lange's--Three Mormon Towns

This exhibit includes 62 vintage photographs of Dorothea Lange's interest in the people of southern Utah and their relationship with the land, their heritage and transformation of the West in post-war America.  Dorothea was once married to Ansel Adams!

We couldn't take pictures in this exhibit!


Just a little note:  I appreciate the 13th Article of Faith so much now in my life, where it states, "If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we SEEK after these things."  The word "seek" is of special importance.  There is so much media in the world today that is not worthy of our time, but on the flip side there is so many wonderful things to see, just like these museum exhibits.  It is important to spend the time researching movies, TV programs, music, art work, etc. to discover all that is good in the world!!