Interfaith Week in Salt Lake City focuses on introspection, but this year students decided to look elsewhere.
The Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable promoted a gallery of spiritual art by Shauna Cook Clinger at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts at an event Tuesday afternoon. About 20 people visited the exhibit. Most of them were community members, and a handful were students. Afterward, the council screened “What Do You Believe,” a film that focuses on young people talking about their religion, but the lone attending student left before it was over.
“Why aren’t more freshmen or sophomores here in these seats?” asked Father Peter Rogers, director of the St. Catherine of Sienna Newman Center. More students could have related to this material, since studies show that 76 percent of college students are searching for spirituality in their lives, Rogers said.
Brett Allen, a junior in art, skipped his art class to attend the event. However, he arrived too late for the gallery, and skipped out of the film just as quickly.
Maxine Hanks, chairwoman of the Interfaith Week, said she wanted to add the paintings to the event because the artist’s theme of introspection would go well with a film about religion. However, she said her other motivation in featuring the gallery was to bring attention to it before it leaves the museum Feb. 15.
Rogers said he wants to screen the film again in the future so that students can have a chance to reflect on their own beliefs.
David Brading, a senior in art who viewed the gallery but not the film, said he didn’t walk away with any message or introspection, but as an upside, he loved the talent that went into Clinger’s artwork.
Correction: The original version of this article misrepresented the number of people in attendance. About 20 people attended part of the event, and more than two could have been students.
The original headline for the article was also misrepresentative. There is no Interfaith Week Council and no organizers of the event said they were disappointed by the turnout.
The article also misstated Maxine Hank’s position. Hank is chairwoman of Interfaith Week.
Sean SullivanA student looks at a spiritual art piece by Shauna Clinger during a gallery Tuesday afternoon. Not many attended Tuesday but the art will at UMFA thorough February 15th.