My article “Artists present an uncensored view of Mormon history” appears in this week’s issue of The Christian Index. See here for a long thread of comments.
According to the Church:
“The First Presidency was reorganized following the death of the Church’s 15th president, Gordon B. Hinckley, who passed away on 27 January.
President Monson is the 16th worldwide leader of the Church. President Eyring, who serves as first counselor to President Monson, previously served as second counselor in the First Presidency. Second counselor, President Uchtdorf, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles prior to his new assignment.
The First Presidency is the most senior governing body in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
I think the painting photograph is mediocre at best. Anyone else want to weigh in on style?
Here is my interview with David Keller, computer science professor at Utah Valley State College. This is all part of my RNS article on Mormon art. See also interviews with Scott Gordon and Greg Kearney.
I am another FAIR volunteer and I take full responsibility for the views (which are not necessarily that of FAIR or the LDS Church) expressed in this email.
The prime example that critics use to complain that the LDS Church’s art misrepresents historical facts are pictures that show Joseph Smith translating the Book of Mormon with the golden plates present, rather than placing his face in a hat to limit outside light from interfering with revelation received from a seer stone.
I suspect there are two main reasons for this. First, I do not think the artists were aware of the historical accounts that report the seer stone in a hat method, although those accounts have appeared in church publications. Second, the accounts show that the translation process did not always occur the same way. Joseph translated the Book of Mormon in two locations: first Harmony, PA and second Fayette, NY. Witnesses to the Fayette process all report the seer stone in the hat method, while most witnesses in Harmony report there being a curtain between Joseph Smith and his scribe, with the golden plates being present. One of Smith’s first scribes, Martin Harris, reported that Joseph switched processes, hence he would have likely done so before Oliver Cowdery took over as a scribe in Harmony. Since the translation pictures in church publications usually portray Joseph and Oliver together, they mix and match elements from different translation periods. Continue reading ‘Interview: David Keller, Utah Valley State College’
Here is my interview with Scott Gordon, president of the Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research (FAIR). The picture is from blacklds.org.
Greg Kearney sent you a good response already, but I wanted to make additional comments.
First of all, in looking at the blog I would consider it anti-Mormon. The artwork and blogs, are an attempt to attack Joseph Smith or to shock our sensibilities. We are familiar with the issues portrayed, and they are favorites that are brought up and highlighted by antagonists of the LDS church.
Art is, well, art. As art, it typically is there to represent ideas or evoke emotions.So just as the art on this blog is meant to evoke negative feelings, the art depicting some of Church history isn’t accurate. The Freiburg paintings, the Teichert paintings, and Greg Olsen’s paintings are probably the most popular from LDS artists, but Carl Bloch, the non-Mormon Danish artist, is probably still one of the most popular within the church.
There are no restrictions on art.
This is my interview with Greg Kearney, BFA design, 1980, Brigham Young University. I reached him through FAIR, but he spoke only for himself, not the organization. The image is from FAIR’s site.
MW: I am working on an article about the blog, Images of the Restoration, particularly its claim that art on Church-sponsored websites often misrepresent Church history. (E.g. the claim on IOTR that Joseph Smith never looked at the Golden Plates, but translated them sitting on stairs looking into his hat.) Can you comment on the blog and whether it represents serious criticism of Church art?
GK: I’ll comment on this blog but please understand that I speak only for myself and not for FAIR or the Church.
I have seen any number of critical sites about the church but this one is one of the more unique in its approach if not in it’s content. It uses the technique of having us look at 19th century people with 21st century eyes which make Joseph Smith and his contemporaries look strange to us.
Of course Smith and others believed in dowsing. Dowsing is still in wide practice today in New England. He likely believed in a whole host of folk beliefs of his day as did most people.
The image “Oliver Cowdery” which seems to be the best of the lot does not even give an accurate image of dowsing or water witching as it is sometime known. The stick shown is far to thick for that kind of work. But as I said these were common practices of the day and to some
extent still are. This is a kind of historical “got ya”.
Art, and religious art in particular, is not intended to be a historical record. Do we really believe that the holy family wore renaissance clothing or the the Star of Bethlehem appeared as a brilliant beacon in the night sky? Continue reading ‘Interview: Greg Kearney, BYU BFA in Design’
