Salt Lake City, Utah — An exhibition showcasing global expressions of faith in various art forms is now on display at the Church History Museum of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. Running from April 24, 2025, through January 3, 2026, the exhibition is open to the public with free admission.
The collection features works selected from the 13th International Art Competition, which this year carried the theme “Lift Up the Hands Which Hang Down.” This theme, drawn from Doctrine and Covenants 81:5, emphasizes the call to help the weak and support those in need. The scripture reads: “Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”
Out of hundreds of submissions, five jurors carefully selected 150 works to be featured in the exhibition. The pieces on display represent a wide array of media, from sculpture and ceramics to textiles such as chitenge and tapa. The diverse range of artistic expressions is part of the exhibit’s aim to highlight the global reach and cultural variety of faith-based art.
Artists participating in the competition hail from across the globe, including countries such as Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bolivia, and more. One of the featured artists, Pamela Salinas Bernal from Chile, expressed her gratitude for being part of the exhibition. “For me, it was a privilege to participate,” Bernal shared. “I feel really grateful.”
The exhibition’s jurors, including Amy Maxwell Howard, noted the significance of the diverse media used. “I love not just the diversity of stories but the diversity in the art forms,” Howard commented. “It’s not like other exhibits I’ve seen.”
Laura Paulsen Howe, art curator at the museum, also highlighted the importance of this diversity. “A different style of art is like a different language,” Howe said. “The 13th International Art Competition will showcase creators speaking many artistic languages and sharing their thoughts on what it means to lift up the hands that hang down. We hope to encourage the creation of quality art and showcase the breadth and diversity of Latter-day Saint cultural production.”
The exhibition’s artworks reflect a range of themes, with several recurring ideas: the beauty in helping others, the healing power of love and service, and the uplifting support of Christ for humanity in its weakness. While the exhibition cannot be comprehensive, these repeated themes underscore the message of the competition—lifting up those in need.
Sculptor Ryan Moffett, who contributed the piece C’mon, Mom…, praised the show’s international scope. “The show is fantastic,” Moffett said. “It has artists from all over the world expressing themes that I think everybody needs to see.”
The exhibition is an opportunity for visitors to engage with powerful messages of service, support, and faith through the lens of global artistic expressions.
