The visual arts have long been an important cultural component of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—historically known as the Mormons or Latter-day Saints—and its key beliefs and practices have inspired much artistic output. Many contemporary art makers reframe and expand upon Latter-day Saint theological and cultural concepts using a compelling range of media; their art invites new perspectives on important global themes.

As one of the presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Thomas S. Monson said, “God left the world unfinished for [humankind] to work [their] skill upon … leav[ing] the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that [humankind] might know the joys and glories of creation.”

Materializing Mormonism 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, Brontë Hebdon Patterson. It will exhibit at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, part of the Mesa Arts Center, selected by the museum by a prospectus process.