SALT LAKE CITY — The grand opening of the Salt Lake Art Museum features an exhibit that has been the talk of the town for months.
Romance comes in all different forms. It could be through flowers or maybe chocolates, but the most romantic of all would be a love letter.
"To me, this museum is really about a love letter to Utah. To its landscapes... to its artists, to its people, to its history. You name it. To me, this museum will be this love letter," shared museum executive director Chris Jensen.
The stained glass inside the historic B’nai Israel temple now reflects Utah's artwork, and Jensen explained how the love for the state lies within the exhibitions that showcase landscapes, religions, and local history.
“That’s what we are focused on. Uplifting the art community of Utah and Utah artists and really showcasing them here," he said.
Who is Julia Reagan? Here's the story of the woman on all the billboards in SLC:
But one exhibit in particular has captured the attention and hearts of people.
“Everyone was like, who’s Julia Reagan? Who’s Julia Reagan?" said museum visitor Michael Greene.
"Yeah, and it was cool to see something other than just a standard billboard," added Kym Greene. "I was scrolling social media and saw a post for the exhibit, and I was like, we’ve got to stop.”
The "Love in Landscape" exhibit features 360 billboards and Julia Reagan.
“It’s beautiful; this building is amazing," said Kym. "I don’t think they could have came up with a better use for this space.”
The exhibit is meant to explore the meaning behind the loving Julia Reagan billboard campaign that spread from Utah to Tennessee, Minnesota, and Indiana.
“The exhibition [features] Julia Reagan and the intersection of pop culture with those billboards. So, you’ll get to explore that and see several themes that tell sort of who she was and how those billboards translate into pop culture and art," explained Jensen. "And also a broader discussion on billboards in general and how they interact with our landscape.”
The Julia Reagan billboards sprang from grief, but grew into a symbol of human experience.
“This exhibit is amazing," shared another visitor. "It’s been fun to watch as a member of the community as the billboards go up. Obviously, a hard time for their family, but I had no idea it spread across the country as much as it did. It’s pretty incredible. To learn about her life, it’s pretty impressive."
And now, it’s a love letter all on its own that’s left a lasting impression in Utah's history.
