MATERIALIZING MORMONISM

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum
Mesa, Arizona
May 10, 2024 - August 4, 2024

Materializing Mormonism: Trajectories in Contemporary Latter-day Saint Art showcases a broad spectrum of contemporary art created by artists affiliated with and adjacent to the faith. These objects explore ideas such as community and belonging; natural and built environments; worldmaking; peculiar “Mormon” iconography; and the body as a privileged and yet contested site. Together, these artworks demonstrate the vibrancy and complexity of artistic dialogues in recent Latter-day Saint visual culture and seek to expand visitors’ expectations of fine art inspired by this increasingly worldwide faith.

Materializing Mormonism: Trajectories in Contemporary Latter-day Saint Art is organized by Heather Belnap, Ashlee Whitaker Evans, and Brontë Hebdon. It is produced by the Center for Latter-day Saint and made possible by donors to the Center.

View the virtual tour of the exhibition

Installation views

Installation photograph credit: Angela Mason Houston Photography

Materializing Mormonism: Trajectories in Contemporary Latter-day Saint Art. Heather Belnap, Ashlee Whitaker Evans, and Bronte Hebdon, curators and Cameron King, graphic designer

Brian Kershisnik, Madyson Ysagaga, Stephanie Kelly Clark, Mary Sauer, Eduardo Alvarez

Brian Kershisnik, Ryan Moffet, Stephanie Kelly Clark, Mary Sauer

Mary Sauer, Eduardo Alvarez, Madyson Ysagaga, J. Kirk Richards

Emily Hawkins, Fidalis Buehler, Corrine Geertsen, Casey Jex Smith

Maddison Tenney, Gregg Deal, Emily Fox King, Michael Whiting, Gi (Ginny) Huo, Megan Knobloch Geilman, Rachel Stallings Thomander, Emily Hawkins, Jared Lindsay Clark, Fidalis Buehler, Corrine Geertsen, Casey Jex Smith

Jared Lindsay Clark, Kelly Brook, Emilia Wiing, Danielle Hatch, Whitney Johnson

Kelly Brooks, Emilia Wiing, Danielle Hatch, Whitney Johnson

Stephanie Leitch, Michael Whiting, Susan Krueger-Barber, ARCH-HIVE Collective, Brittany Long Olsen, Matt Page, Amber Lee Ramos, Lane Twitchell, Edward Bateman, Corrine Geertsen, Madeline Rupard, Jared Lindsay Clark

Daniel George, Page Turner, Susan Krueger-Barber, ARCH-HIVE Collective, Matt Page, Brittany Long Olsen, Amber Lee Ramos, Lane Twitchell, Edward Bateman, Michael Whiting

Aïsha Lehmann, Maddison Tenney, Gregg Deal, Michael Whiting, Emily Fox King, Gi (Ginny) Huo

Michael Whiting, Gregg Deal, Emily Fox King, Gi (Ginny) Huo, Megan Knobloch Geilman, Rachel Stallings Thomander, Daniel George, Susan Krueger-Barber, ARCH-HIVE Collective

Maddison Tenney, Gregg Deal, Emily Fox King, Gi (Ginny) Huo, Megan Knobloch Geilman

Emily Fox King, Gi (Ginny) Huo, Megan Knobloch Geilman, Rachel Stallings Thomander, Daniel George, Page Turner, Susan Krueger-Barber, ARCH-HIVE Collective

Page Turner, Megan Knobloch Geilman, Rachel Stallings Thomander, Daniel George

Page Turner, Mary Sauer, Madyson Ysagaga, Eduardo Alvarez, Kwani Povi Winder, Susana Isabel Silva, , Michael Whiting, Danielle Hatch, Stephanie Leitch

Watch Mykal Urbina, executive director of the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts' welcome guests to the exhibition, March 10, 2024.

Exhibition reactions

We asked local visitors to write essays of their responses to the exhibition.

Exhibition opening photographs, credit:: Angela Mason Houston Photography

"Filling My Soul" by Toria Trendler

Read the essay
"Materializing Mormonism: An Exploration of Identity and Community" by Francis LaBianca

read the essay
"Creativity: A Universal Gift" by Scott Higginson

Read the essay
"Outside Zion Looking In" by Michael LaBianca

read the essay
"A Personal Review of Materializing Mormonism—It's Worth It, and Not Just for the Air Conditioning" by Adam C Anderson

Read the essay

Exhibition checklist

Heather Belnap, curator

Bio
Ashlee Whitaker Evans, curator

Bio
Brontë Hebdon, curator

Bio

Acknowledgments

This exhibition was developed with a trio of curators over a period of three years by the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts and was accomplished with the sustained efforts of many people. We gratefully acknowledge the following:

Curatorial and design team:

Heather Belnap, curator
Ashlee Whitaker Evans, curator
Bronte Hebdon, curator
Cameron King, exhibition graphic designer
Allan Lucas, SketchUp gallery layout
Tim Boyle, virtual tour design
Lenders of artworks, including artists, collectors, and public institutions

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum personnel:

Mandy Tripoli, deputy director
Mary-Beth Buesgen, interim Museum Contemporary Arts curator
Frank Gonzales, exhibits designer/preparator
Judy Dahms-Brouillard, registrar
Laura Jacobson, curatorial office assistant
The City of Mesa, Arizona

Mesa Committee for the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts:

Candice Copple
Scott Higginson
Chris and Toria Trendler
Gerrit and Judy Steenblik
Christy Worsley

Donors to this exhibition:

Chris and Toria Trendler
Atmosphere Architects, Mesa Arizona
Donors to the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts

For the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts:

Mykal Urbina, executive director
Richard L. Bushman, chairman of the board
Stanley Hainsworth, chairman of the board-elect
Glen Nelson, director of special projects
Emily Larsen Doxford, director of marketing & communications
Emily Spung, administrative assistant
Ron Schneider, finances
Erin Eastmond, special projects intern
Hannah Keime, social media intern
Thatcher + Co., public relations