Types and Shadow:"Imitations of Divinity"

I really liked the exhibition Types and Shadows: “Imitations of Divinity.” All of the artwork was well chosen to portray the exhibition’s overall message. While I liked some of the interpretations of the artwork, I thought that some of them were a little overanalyzed. Sometimes artwork should just be admired for how it makes you feel, not about every little detail that may of may not mean something else.
My favorite piece was the 3-D art that was copper colored and seemed to come to life right before your eyes. The bodies of the two men looked like they were real and you could just reach out and feel them. I really like the symbolism of the larger man as our Father in Heaven, reaching out to help us from beyond the veil. This piece really made me feel the hardship in the young man’s life and the hope he gained from reaching out to his Father.
Another favorite of mine was the drawing of two simple chairs, one draped with a red robe and the other with white. The red chair was lying down at the feet of the white chair, which was very interesting. The interpretation I liked of this painting was that the red represented the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ, while the white represented his resurrection three days later. Jesus Christ, as the chair, laid down his life for us that we many all receive the gift of resurrection, and the chance to be clothed in white and live with our Heavenly Father forever.
The last art piece I found interesting was the depiction of Lehi’s family crossing the sea to the Promised Land. I have seen this picture numerous times throughout my life but have never really given much thought to it’s meaning. The picture, upon closer inspection, is much more than just a depiction of Lehi’s family in a boat. Everything about the picture points towards Christ. The tilt of Lehi’s head, the waves, and the white birds in the sky all are allusions that point the viewer towards Christ. This made the picture much more meaningful to me as I contemplated on how much this family leaned on Christ as they made their voyage to a new land.
I am grateful for the chance to visit the Types and Shadows exhibit. I think every BYU student should take the opportunity to view this great artwork, while at the same time being edified and pointed towards Christ.