Art in Dialogue: At the Intersection of Divine Creativity and Cultural Relevance with Justin Wheatley

Artist Justin Wheatley created this large-scale mixed media work as a living embodiment of the Center’s mission: to exist at the intersection of divine creativity and cultural relevance.

Constructed in real time through layers of paint, collage, and architectural imagery, the piece captures the spirit of ongoing dialogue between faith and culture.

Look closely, and you’ll notice details that echo the richness of this intersection:

• A cursive pink typography of “Doll” from the movie poster for the Sundance-featured documentary New York Doll, about punk-rock bass guitarist Arthur “Killer” Kane directed by Emmy-winning director Greg Whiteley

• Triangles borrowed from Triangulating by Clayton Merrell

• Music lyrics from screenwriter and producer Cinco Paul’s “Book of Mormon Boogie”

• A nod to the Center’s mission statement, to exist at the intersection of divine creativity and cultural relevance

• References to works by Annie Poon, Kent Christensen, Clinton Whiting, and Sofi Wheatley

The result is a vibrant, abstract encapsulation of what the Center strives to do: convene artists, audiences, and ideas in ways that honor both the sacred and the contemporary. This piece stands as a reminder that creativity, at its best, speaks in both directions—toward heaven and toward the world we experience all around us.