The Brigham Young University Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Of Souls and Sacraments: Symbol and Context in Christian Art” made its debut Friday.

Of Souls and Sacraments is dedicated to Christian symbolism, and is comprised of over 40 pieces of artwork from the 14th to 21st-centuries in the MOA collection, as well as several private lenders. This new exhibition will replace the museum’s popular “Rend the Heavens” exhibition as the MOA’s new long-term religious exhibit.

“Audiences of all ages and religious backgrounds will find Of Souls and Sacraments illuminating as they explore the artistic world of the past eight centuries through the lens of Christian artists from several countries,” reads a press release from the museum. “Everyone from university classes to local families to art historians to tourists to faith groups will find something in the exhibition that edifies, instructs, and remains with them even after their visit is finished.”

For Of Souls and Sacraments, the MOA was able to obtain and curate works from celebrated masters including Spanish painter Jusepe de Ribera, Flemish Baroque artist Anthony van Dyck and British-American artist Benjamin West, as well as contemporary artists like Argentinian painter Jorge Cocco Santangelo, Utah artist Paige Anderson, BYU alum Kirk Richards and Lisa DeLong.

According to a press release, these particular works were selected in order to give visitors the opportunity to examine how popular Christian symbols, such as the cross or Virgin Mary, have evolved and been adapted throughout time, all while maintaining their religious meanings.

Of Souls and Sacraments will examine some of Christianity’s most common themes, and the role that those themes have played in worship over time.

“This exhibit delves into some of the most notable and poignant themes in the Christian tradition and explores how depictions of these powerful symbolic ideas worked to inspire and enlighten the faithful, then and now,” Ashlee Whitaker said in a press release. Whitaker is the Roy and Carol Christensen curator of religious art at the MOA, and curator of the new exhibition.

“There have been many times while working on this show, spending time with these incredible artworks, that I have been overwhelmed at insights I’ve gleaned, and we are excited for all our patrons to step into the context and messages of these works and find something for themselves,” she said.

Of Souls and Sacraments will be on display until July 2024 and is free to the general public.

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