Several months ago I was walking out of the ancillary building (our apartment building) to find many of the custodial staff collected around a painting in our lobby. It was of Christ entering Jerusalem on a donkey - Palm Sunday. They were pointing at something in the painting. I joined them, and soon discovered what they were all talking about - in the shadow was a black man - a soldier I believe. They told me that they loved that painting because one of their own race was depicted in it.
I determined then that I would with the permission of the Area Presidency search for some religious art work depicting African's. My contacts at the museum where I was a docent began the search. But little has resulted from that exploration. Meanwhile other's recognized the need. President Snow ordered 2 paintings of an African family that were painted by a student at BYU who did an internship here in Africa acquiring images to take home and paint. Then Steve and Sally Murray ordered a painting by Greg Olson which they gave as a gift to the workers in the Area Office before they left to go home after living here for 3 years.
We are thrilled to have these two paintings which hang in the lobby of the Area Office. The African's love them and the paintings illustrate that God is no respector of persons. "he denieth none to come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile" 2 Nephi 26:33."
2 comments:
Mom--last quarter BYU magazine had an article about some girls who went to Africa to paint the saints there. I threw the magazine away, as I was moving and it was one more thing to back, but maybe you could look in the archives somewhere and find out more information . . .
wow they are beautiful paintings! I am glad that some were found that suited the african's delights.
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