New MOA Exhibition Showcases Multiplicity of American Art
PROVO, UT – A new exhibition opened Friday at the BYU Museum of Art, which will feature over 100 artworks from the Museum’s American collection. Crossing the Divide: American Art from the Permanent Collection portrays a wide variety of artistic styles, featuring artists from throughout the region’s history working in diverse media and representing a multitude of artistic styles and movements. Like all MOA exhibitions, Crossing the Divide is free and open to all.
Over the next five years, visitors to the exhibition will be treated to the wondrous breadth and depth of American and beyond. They will see landscapes embodying artists’ unique vantage points across the continent, perspectives on complex and contested histories, the development of distinct styles as wayfaring artists carved out spaces for their work, and a vast range of the lives, cultures, and perspectives woven throughout the fabric of art history. Those familiar with the Museum will recognize works by familiar artists like Maynard Dixon, Minerva Teichert, and Mahonri Young, and they will also discover rarely shown marvels by artists such as Benny Andrews, Valentina Sireech, and Xavier Tizoc Martinez.
“Co-curated by two new curators at the museum, this exhibition recontextualizes the permanent collection to highlight the plurality of experiences that continue to shape American art,” said MOA Curator Isaac King. “We are so excited to share these stories and this collection with the community!”
Each year, the exhibition will feature additional light-sensitive artworks on a rotating basis. Each rotation will explore additional themes in American art history, including monuments, the environment, industry, and more. Each yearly addition will ensure that there is always something new for visitors to discover on their next visit.
“We’re thrilled to showcase selections from the MOA’s substantial holdings in prints, drawings, and photographs—many of which have never been on view before at the museum—to new audiences,” added MOA Curator Miri Kim. “Come and take a look.”
The Museum celebrated the opening of the exhibition with one of its signature Art After Dark events. Featuring live music, art activities, and refreshments, Art After Dark has become a favorite for BYU students and other residents of Utah Valley. Friday’s event was attended by more than 2,000 people.
“I really like that there was all kinds of art and music making it a fun and enjoyable event,” said Gracie Newell, a BYU Freshman studying sociology who attended the event. “It made me want to come back.”
Crossing the Divide: American Art from the Permanent Collection will be open at the Museum until 2029. Details of the exhibition, including previews of several artworks featured in it, are available at https://moa.byu.edu/crossing-the-divide.
ABOUT THE BYU MUSEUM OF ART
One of the largest and best-attended university art museums in the Mountain West, the BYU Museum of Art offers a dynamic exhibition schedule that includes displays of its permanent collection, world-class traveling shows and thought-provoking exhibitions organized by museum curators. One of the museum’s most important roles is its contribution to the academic mission of Brigham Young University. From the research and study of the artworks in the permanent collection, to the teaching and learning that occurs in classrooms and galleries, the museum plays an important role in the academic pursuits of many students at BYU. Concurrently, the museum seeks to connect to broad community audiences through its exhibitions, educational programming, and online outreach.
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