Altar/Alter
March 24 – April 18, 2025
Visual Art Institute
2900 South 300 West
South Salt Lake, UT
801-474-3796
In conjunction with The National Council on the Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference
Curated by Heidi Moller Somsen
OPENING RECEPTION March 27, 6- 9pm
Altar/Alter explores the interplay between transformation and devotion, examining how change and ritual coexist in the human experience. The exhibition uses the homophones "altar" and "alter" to reflect on the way beliefs, identities, and rituals evolve over time. It’s about finding the sacred in both permanence and transformation—and sometimes, questioning what we hold sacred in the first place.
An altar suggests a stable, sacred space of offering, while to alter is to embrace change, whether gradual or sudden. The works in this show consider how these forces shape our personal and collective histories, especially those of women who have navigated evolving religious and cultural landscapes. In the midst of global upheaval, these artists offer pieces that encourage reflection—and perhaps even a little levity—about the nature of belief, identity, and the "sacred." After all, transformation doesn't always have to be heavy; sometimes it’s a playful reimagining of what once was.
- Curator Heidi Moller Somsen
March 24 – April 18, 2025
Visual Art Institute
2900 South 300 West
South Salt Lake, UT
801-474-3796
In conjunction with The National Council on the Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference
Curated by Heidi Moller Somsen
OPENING RECEPTION March 27, 6- 9pm
Altar/Alter explores the interplay between transformation and devotion, examining how change and ritual coexist in the human experience. The exhibition uses the homophones "altar" and "alter" to reflect on the way beliefs, identities, and rituals evolve over time. It’s about finding the sacred in both permanence and transformation—and sometimes, questioning what we hold sacred in the first place.
An altar suggests a stable, sacred space of offering, while to alter is to embrace change, whether gradual or sudden. The works in this show consider how these forces shape our personal and collective histories, especially those of women who have navigated evolving religious and cultural landscapes. In the midst of global upheaval, these artists offer pieces that encourage reflection—and perhaps even a little levity—about the nature of belief, identity, and the "sacred." After all, transformation doesn't always have to be heavy; sometimes it’s a playful reimagining of what once was.
- Curator Heidi Moller Somsen
