From its opening gala filled with friends & artists to its final days, Work & Wonder: 200 Years of Latter-day Saint Art has been a major landmark retrospective exhibition. Its vast curation covering the entirety of the restored Church’s history has inspired its visitors, helping them reimagine and redefine what “Latter-day Saint art” really is.

Here at the Center, we’re immensely proud of this exhibition that has been years in the making. As it comes to a close this upcoming March 1st 2025, we're highlighting some of the most unique and rare pieces, sharing visitors' stories, and spotlighting some unexpected connections between art pieces. So buckle up, and let’s look back on Work & Wonder together.

You can visit Work & Wonder at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City until March 1st, 2025. Learn more and plan your visit.

Cyrus E. Dallin (American, 1861-1944). *Angel Moroni* (1891). Gilded plaster, 31 x 15 x 20 inches. Church History Museum.

Artwork, Objects, & Complete Rarities

A few surprising facts about Work & Wonder:

Every single item on display (over 120 of them!) is the original.
Some have not been displayed in 100 years (or ever before).
Once the exhibition closes, it is uncertain how long it might be until these pieces are displayed again.

It’s true! Once Work & Wonder wraps, items will be returned to their rightful homes – whether that’s museum archives, personal collections, or even the office walls of members of the Twelve Apostles.

While each piece plays a special part in the curation, here are some of our favorite “rare gems” in this exhibition’s crown you’ll want to see in person before they’re taken off display:

Eternal Progress from the The Chicago Worlds Fair

Avard Fairbanks (American, 1897-1987). *Eternal Progress* (1933). Plaster frieze, 144 x 122.5 inches. Church History Museum.

Would you believe that this plaster frieze has not been displayed fully since its unveiling at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair? The massive bas-relief sculpture shows the Church’s values of the 20th century and its title plays on the theme of the fair, “A Century of Progress.” With its pieces in storage for almost a hundred years, it was specially restored for Work & Wonder and welcomes visitors in the first gallery room.

Getting to See The Second Coming

Harry Anderson (American, 1906-1996). *The Second Coming* (1979). Oil on canvas, 120 x 79 inches. Church History Museum. Photo by the Church News.

Ubiquitously found in chapel foyers, materials libraries, and missionary pamphlets, Harry Anderson’s depiction of the second coming is practically iconic for Latter-day Saints. But with it being so commonplace, museum visitors are struck by the impressive size of the original. This piece, despite its frequent use by the Church and members, is uniquely one of the pieces in Work & Wonder not made by a member of the Church. Anderson was a Seventh-Day Adventist. Usually hung inside the Salt Lake Temple, it was available for this curation due to the temple’s construction.

A Relief Society Portrait: Fourteenth Ward Album Quilt

Fourteenth Ward Relief Society (Various). *Fourteenth Ward Album Quilt, Salt Lake City, Utah* (1857). Textile, 126 x 99 inches. Church History Museum and Private Collection.

After being auctioned at a Relief Society fundraiser and getting sliced in half by a well-meaning father for his two daughters, this historical artifact has been through a lot. After being separated for decades, both halves were miraculously reunited for Work & Wonder. The present-day Salt Lake 14th Ward even came to observe the storied handiwork of their ward’s predecessors.

The present-day Salt Lake Fourteenth Ward Relief Society.

The Relief Society Swimsuit

While it may sound surprising, this 1950 sequined swimsuit helped build a temple! To help fundraise for the construction of the Los Angeles temple, high-end fashion designer Rose Marie Reid worked with the Relief Society sisters in Southern California to hand-sewed sequins onto some of the designers most popular suits.

plan your visit to work and wonder

Top: Justin Wheatley (American, born 1980). *The House Where the Spirit Was Strong* (2021). Acrylic on panel, 22 x 22 inches. Collection of the artist. Bottom: Colby Sanford (American, born 1991). *Oh Let Me Mix Into You* (2022). Acrylic on board, 16 x 20 inches. Private Collection.

“An Unforgettable Experience:”
Stories From Visitors

Visitors came from far and wide during Work & Wonder’s run. Here are a few of the experiences people have shared:

Breaking and Lifting Hearts

“The story of the 14th Ward Relief Society Album Quilt both broke and lifted my heart. Each painting or sculpture is special. The works span generations and geographies. I love the interaction of experts and artists and the media to help these stories reach people around the world. They tell a story of faith and point to Jesus Christ in beautiful ways. Thank you to the artists and curators and @centerforldsarts for lifting so many through this exhibition.”

Celebrating Women in Art

“Seeing these works in person tonight at the LDS Church History Museum made me weepy. These women artists in Utah and Mormon history are so important and I’m so grateful they’re on display right now... Bravo to Heather Belnap, Ashlee Whitaker Evans, and Bronte Hebdon for curating such a powerful exhibition of LDS art and visual culture! And kudos to @centerforldsarts, Glen Nelson, Laura Paulsen Howe, Maggie Leak, and everyone at both institutions who made this happen!”

Seeing Favorite Pieces in Person

“Last month in Utah, I finally had the chance to see the original painting of one of my favorite depictions of Christ. “The Second Coming” by Harry Anderson. It took my breath away, the colors were extraordinary… it was so much bigger than I expected and I so badly just wanted to climb a ladder to see His face up close… to look into His eyes, to see the paint stokes on his cheek bones. I literally looked around tempted to find me a bench to stand on haha…

“Thank you @centerforldsarts for curating a fantastic collection of celebrated LDS artists. ✨🤍✨”

Did you visit Work & Wonder? Send us an email and tell us about your experience.

Paige Crosland Anderson (American, born 1989). *Think of Me, Thou Ransomed One* (2019). Oil on panel, 26 x 60 inches. Collection of the artist.

Three Centuries, Four Themes, and Countless Connections

When trying to create an art show that covers 200 years of history, it can be tempting to just line up the artworks from oldest to newest. However, rather than following a chronological or geographical path, the exhibition is thoughtfully arranged into four thematic sections—Memory and Archive, Individual and Church, Sacred Spaces, and Identity—each inviting visitors to explore different aspects of Latter-day Saint artistic tradition and innovation.

With artworks organized thematically, pieces are placed together in surprising ways. As one walks through the galleries, they’ll find lots of connections between works that may have been created decades apart. Throughout its run, we highlighted a few of these unlikely pairings that visitors and curators created:

Work & Wonder Art Pairings:

📖 Novel transcriptions of the Book of Mormon: Curator Brontë Hebdon

👸 The Power of Women: Creator Nia Lui

🔼 The process of revelation: Curator Ashlee Whitaker Evans

🐂 Symbolic geometry: writer & historian James Goldberg

🏜️ Pioneer stories - plein are on the plains, and pioneer journals: The Center Chairman Stanley Hainsworth

🪡 Stitches in time by Relief Societies: The Center co-founder Glen Nelson

This remarkable exhibition is the result of the vision and dedication of curators Heather Belnap, Ashlee Whitaker Evans, and Brontë Hebdon. It was organized by the Church History Museum and the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts, and made possible by the generous support of Center donors, including support from the Kahlert Foundation, the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, and the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation.