New Religious Art Exhibition Opens at BYU Museum of Art
PROVO, UT – A new exhibition of religious art opened at the BYU Museum of Art on Friday. Earthbound and Heavenward: The Sacred Art of Discipleship, features over 50 works ranging from a 15th-century French Book of Hours to a 2025 painting by J. Kirk Richards of an angel holding a child as it soars heavenward. Like all MOA exhibitions, admission is free and open to all.
“This exhibit puts on full display everything that we’re trying to accomplish as a University,” said BYU President C. Shane Reese of Earthbound and Heavenward. “We’re committed to producing the most amazing pieces of art and music (even statistics) that could be produced, but we’re also leaning in to who we are as people who are trying and striving to follow Jesus Christ.”
Visitors will find a variety of artistic styles, media, subjects, and perspectives throughout the exhibition. Each work navigates the gap between the disciple's embodied experience and divine aspirations. Amid this “sacred distance,” the artists featured in the exhibition have found beauty, virtue, and divinity in the mundane details of their spiritual journeys.
"We are thrilled to feature gems from our permanent collection in this new iteration and debut others that have never been displayed,” said Maddie Blonquist, the curator of the exhibition. “The human experience is often uncomfortable, and it is my hope that viewers will find peace within themselves as they encounter these relatable portraits of deity and divinized depictions of humanity throughout the exhibition."
The next three years will feature regular tours, events, and activities in the exhibition. Plans are underway to host artists, historians, religious scholars, and more at the Museum to help visitors learn the stories behind their favorite works in the exhibition. Additionally, audio guides featuring discussions with artists and scholars, as well as audio descriptions for blind and partially sighted visitors, are available on the Museum’s website for selected works.
“We are excited to provide visitors a wonderful opportunity to experience original works of art and think about not only the beauty and skill of these works, but also the messages they can communicate,” said Connie Broadbent, the museum educator for the exhibition. “Our upcoming programs, events and tours associated with Earthbound and Heavenward will enrich visitors’ experiences and understanding. We warmly invite you to come and be uplifted by this inspiring exhibition.”
Earthbound and Heavenward will be available in English and Spanish until September 2028. Details of the exhibition, including previews of several artworks featured, are available at https://moa.byu.edu/earthbound-and-heavenward.
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.
