Putting together an exhibit like this, reading stories of church history, they serve as landmarks to me of just people worldwide doing their best to become like Christ. And I see examples throughout the world

and throughout time, would you give me a place and identity and a confidence that I can

continue doing my best to make covenants and grow closer to the Savior? And so we hope

people will come and see and ask, what does this mean?

Because the answer, I hope, will uplift them and help them become closer to Christ.

This is John Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News. Welcome to the Church News podcast.

Today we're taking you on a journey of connection as we discuss news and events of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints nears the bicentennial of its founding in 1830, the Church History Museum and the Center for Latter-day St. Arts have come together to celebrate nearly 200 years of the rich doctrines, history, and culture demonstrated in artwork.

In the new exhibit titled Work and Wonder 200 years of Latter-day Saint Art, a wide variety of works are presented,

having been created by individuals

connected to the faith across the world over the last two centuries. In this episode of the

Church News podcast, we take you behind the scenes of the exhibit, which includes 118 pieces of art,

organized not in chronological order, but thematically. Together we discuss with

the organizers and artists about the many ways faith and testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ

are represented through art. We start with my conversation with Riley Lorimer, director of the

Church History Museum, as she offers some insight into what goes into curating such a large

endeavor and why it is she feels art can be an important medium in representing one's faith.

First off, I want to start with 200 years of art. Yeah. I think it would have been really easy

for the Church History Museum to say, hey, let's just do this linear, we're going to start

it this year and end it this year, but you didn't do that. Can you talk about why you didn't do that

and what the experience is for people who are going to come see it? Yeah, absolutely. So actually,

I think that would have been really hard, and I'll tell you why, because there are periods where

...