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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
When was the last time you had the opportunity to see works by master painters like Claude Monet, J.M.W. Turner or John Constable up close? Starting this weekend you can see pieces by these and many other masters at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts with the opening of "The British Passion for Landscape: Masterpieces from National Museum of Wales."
To understand the significance of this exhibition, Gretchen Dietrich, executive director of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, says the UMFA is the only venue in the Western United States and one of only four venues in the U.S. for this privilege. It's rare to have this significant collection travel in the U.S. especially since it's housed in National Museum of Wales. The exhibition traces the path of landscape painting from the 18th Century through today. Many of the distinguished artists are figures in the history of landscape painting, like Monet, Thomas Gainsborough and others.
In 2011, during a lecture series, Gretchen connected with the exhibit curator, Tim Barringer, the Paul Mellon Professor of Art at Yale University. He was working on creating an exhibition of British art from National Museum of Wales that would tour the U.S. After being introduced to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, he was impressed with Gretchen and the museum, so he suggested bringing the collection to Utah. With so many Utahns descended from the British Isles and the strong arts culture in the state, Gretchen thought it would be a great connection and experience.
"The British Passion for Landscape" opens August 29 and will run through December 13, so be sure to make your plans to see it now. As for pricing on the exhibition, children under 6 are free, it' $14 for adults and $12 for seniors and youth 18 and under. Admission to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts is free the first Wednesday and third Saturday of every month, so anybody can see the exhibition, which Gretchen estimates will draw at least 35,000 visitors.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts 410 Campus Center Dr. Salt Lake City, UT 84112 801-518-7332 www.umfa.utah.edu
