A chance to slow down and admire art is something many of us don’t schedule into our everyday lives. It seems like an out-of-the-way luxury — however, it does not have to be. The Salt Lake City Public Library is home to some spectacular art, conveniently located directly next to the Library TRAX station on the Red Line, a straight shot from the U.
Art at the Main is an art gallery unique to the Salt Lake City Public Library, located on the main level in the atrium. It is a cooperative gallery dedicated to featuring the work of emerging Utah artists. The gallery displays the best in local talent with creations in a variety of mediums. One can find pieces in everything from watercolor and acrylic on canvas, to pottery and metalwork. Apart from featuring local art, Art at the Main also holds art events and demonstrations that are open to the public.
The exhibit currently featured in the gallery is “Crushed Light,” fused glass paintings by Christine Kende. Kende’s work alone is worth a trip to the gallery. The pieces feature a unique blend of textures and details that one would not often associate with paintings. Glass is not the easiest medium with which to create, but Kende’s pieces radiate an amazing fluidity and ease. The pieces are also unique in that they are framed in metal and some are cross-hatched, so you feel as if you are looking through a window-pane onto a glowing aspen grove. Kende’s art is versatile; some of the pieces are influenced by the natural world while others are more abstract. Kende’s exhibit runs until Nov. 14.
After you finish exploring the small Art at the Main gallery, take a short walk to the ground level, where the atrium houses a new exhibit every month. Currently the walls feature an exhibit titled “The Spirit of High Places,” which includes photography by Jonathan Duncan. The photos are a showcase of the world’s highest mountains. The awe-inspiring photos capture peaks in places like Perú, Chile, Alaska and right here along the Wasatch Front. The nice thing about browsing the exhibit on the ground level is that you will likely have the hall all to yourself, so it is a nice time for some quiet contemplation. The photo exhibit runs until Nov. 5.
One of the best ways to get the full Art at the Main experience is by checking it out on the gallery stroll on the third Friday of every month. If you cannot make it to the gallery stroll, the gallery is open Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Hop off the train a couple stops early and get a little peace and inspiration from some awesome local art.
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