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December 12, 2017

David Linn, “...And Then I Looked...

David Linn, ... And Then I Looked ..., 2005, oil on panel, 17 1/2 x 24 x 15/16 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, purchased with funds provided by Lewis and Gail Burnham, 2007.

This highlight from the MOA collection demonstrates artist David Linn's incredible precision. He portrays familiar objects or imagery, then often deflects immediate or easy interpretation. His work demands inquiry, thoughtful contemplation, and tentative interpretation. Eventually, one might suppose that this work contains two elemental metaphors for Christ: the rock and the light. Potentially the jagged rock face also becomes a symbol for the obstacles that we face in mortality, while the illuminated summit could represent the pinnacle of our aspirations. This piece is currently on display in the exhibition To Magnify the Lord: Six Centuries of Art and Devotion.