Mormon Arts Center Festival helps try to answer question 'What is Mormon art?'


13 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

NEW YORK — Throughout New York City, art and music are a part of everyday life. So, it's not surprising that on the Upper West Side, there was a gathering that some say constitutes a new art movement.

The unique gathering — also known as the Mormon Arts Center Festival — took place in New York City last weekend.

Participants from the New York area, the country and beyond looked forward to answering the question, "What is Mormon art?"

It really began with Glen Nelson. He and his wife, Marcia, are longtime New Yorkers and began collecting art decades ago. Along the way, they decided to purchase only Mormon art and have an extensive collection in their Midtown apartment. He created the Mormon Artist Group in 1999 but envisioned more.

"Is there a way that we can engage the artists themselves, also other people who could be advocates and patrons?” Glen Nelson asked. “So that's how this idea of forming a Mormon Arts Center happened."

Historian Richard Bushman, credited with encouraging and bringing together Mormon historians, collaborated with longtime friend Nelson about the idea of a festival.

"There are Mormons who can do splendid art that's recognized and is powerful and path-breaking,” Bushman said. “And I think that's what we're capable of doing."

Last week's gathering took place in the beautiful and iconic Riverside Church, which now opens its doors to many different faiths for diverse worship services and meetings.

Two dozen Latter-day Saint artists were invited to display works created in the last three years — some religious or devotional, and some not.

Laura Allred Hurtado, who is the global acquisitions curator for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ history department, oversaw the exhibition. She emphasized that this was a first, not all-inclusive because there are thousands of Mormon artists throughout the world. She hoped this would be an intriguing glimpse.

A unique gathering took place in New York City last weekend: the Mormon Arts Center Festival. The participants looked forward to answering the question, "What is Mormon art?" (Photo: KSL TV)
A unique gathering took place in New York City last weekend: the Mormon Arts Center Festival. The participants looked forward to answering the question, "What is Mormon art?" (Photo: KSL TV)

"There's installation art and video pieces and photography. So the medium is diverse and the artists that are included are diverse," she said.

While on vacation, President Dieter Uchtdor, second counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church, his wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf, and their daughter, Antje Evans, toured Riverside's famous Heinrich Hofmann paintings and visited the festival. President Uchtdorf said art could add to one’s worship.

"In today's world, if we better learn to appreciate art, in ways it can communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the values in the gospel of Jesus Christ, like these paintings, how they transmit a message which is beyond words,” Uchtdorf said.

One hundred sixty-one portraits titled "Cristo" are the work of Utah artist J. Kirk Richards. "Hopefully, a lot of the attendees here will see my piece and it will make them see Mormon art in a new way," said Richards.

Festival participants heard lectures on various aspects of Mormonism and art. David Checketts and his family are longtime New Yorkers. He and his wife, Deborah, serve on the Festival Advisory Board. "From the get-go, from the time we started this effort, there's been a tremendous amount of energy around it and it all comes together tonight," he said.

President Dieter Uchtdor, second counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church, his wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf. (Photo: KSL TV)
President Dieter Uchtdor, second counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church, his wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf. (Photo: KSL TV)

Festival participants enjoyed the Deseret String Quartet, which performed the works of Mormon composers in the Riverside Church’s beautiful Christ Chapel.

"To be here with these people that are using Mormonism to access that deep creative self is thrilling," said Ethan Wickman, one of the festival’s featured composers.

The three-day festival ended with a sing-in by a 200-voice choir led by Craig Jessop, founding dean of the Caine College of Arts at Utah State University. The choir sang the music of Mormon composers and arrangers of the last fifty years.

"It is a beginning of visibility for our Latter-day Saint composers, both within the Church and to the greater musical world," said Jessop.

The festival founders said this was simply the beginning of wider acceptance of contemporary Mormon art and an opportunity for the artists to find inspiration and discovery and to even someday have their own Mormon Arts Center in an American center for the arts: New York City.

More information on the Mormon Arts Center can be found on their website.

Photos

Most recent Religion stories

Related topics

Religion
Carole Mikita

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast