Through July 3 | Brigham Young University Museum of Art | Provo, UT

Hidden Treasures

BYU Museum of Art pulls from their own extensive collection to display both splendor and history.

Beginning in 1909, Brigham Young University Museum of Art began their now vast collection of European and American art, with a significant focus on art of the West. To honor and showcase the brilliance of such works, the museum has completed a deep dive into their private collection to bring the public Treasures from the Collection, a diverse exhibition with featured works that encompass time, location, theme and style.N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945), Smoky Face, 1917, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gifted in memory of Dr. L. Weston Oaks and Jessie Nelson Oaks, 1989.

With a collection that begins in the 17th century, the museum will not only display Western pieces but American coastal and Asian artworks, illustrating the museum’s history and development. “As a curator, I’m always diving into the collection and I’m always finding new gems,” says museum curator Ashlee Whitaker. “We have limited wall space and we have a lot in our holdings, so this was our chance to pull out some of these pieces showing how the museum collection started and how it’s evolved.”

Many might presume that simply pulling from one’s own collection would be an easy endeavor, but Whitaker found it a bit more challenging to find just the right pieces. “What I thought would be straightforward was really difficult,” she explains. “One thing that helped with the decision was the idea of balance. Yes, we wanted to pull out notable names and key artists, but we wanted to find a variety of samples. We wanted to build in these conversations and comparisons that might help the audience have discussions that take in the broader collection.”Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Volcanic Cones (Boulder, Nevada), 1934, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, 1937.

The museum is most known for its art of the West, and they went all-out in showcasing some significant Western works. Viewers will find several N.C. Wyeth pieces, one being Smoky Face, a piece that depicts a wild horse among a pack, set against a mountain range and grassy field. Wyeth was commissioned by Collier’s magazine to illustrate the short story of Smokey Face, an iconic cowboy’s attempts at taming a wild horse. “This image is what makes Wyeth a master,” Whitaker furthers. “He can imply a story with just one glance. [The horse] is shown throwing back his mane and leaving his pack.”Minerva Teichert (1888-1976), Rug Merchants, 1935, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art.

Another important artist among the collection is Maynard Dixon. “He’s the heart of our Western collection,” says Whitaker. Dixon loved to travel around the West and was enthralled by the desert landscape.” With his piece Volcanic Cones, he depicts the area of Boulder, Nevada.

Dixon was interested in and hired to document the construction of the Boulder Dam, that then became the Hoover Dam. “The painting really shows how evocative he can make such a barren land,” says Whitaker. “There are different tonalites and to look at this piece is to see a melody that evokes the heat and takes on a presence of its own. There’s also just a unique perspective; an atmospheric effect and the essence of the mountains.”Robert Reid (1862-1929), Against the Sky, 1911, oil on canvas. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, gift of Dr. and Mrs. Donald W. Walls.

The exhibition will also include works by Norman Rockwell, Dorothea Lange and Andy Warhol. Also in the show, Robert Reid, contributes to the collections prominent painters working in an impressionistic style from the turn of the century. His piece, Against the Sky, ties into the museum’s Western collection, as it celebrates a female figure adorned in red, white and blue, alluding to an optimistic American future.

Don’t miss out on Treasures from the Collection, currently on view through July 3. There is also a mobile tour of the exhibition on the new BYU Museum of Art app for those who wish to engage from home. This self-guided tour offers further insights into the work and the artists. —

Treasures from the Collection
Through July 3
Brigham Young University Museum of Art
Campus Drive, Provo, UT 84602
(801) 422-8287, www.moa.byu.edu