Bill Viola. Sandy Skoglund. The Dutch masters. These are a few of the influences Megan K. Geilman cites for her photographic work. The Provo-based artist, who studied at the California College of the Arts and Brigham Young University, shares with these artists an interest in the tableau, the staged interior scene, the narrative possibilities that arise in the interaction of people and objects. Her work uses art historical reference and symbolic objects to explore doctrine, history, and social issues within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As the title of her current series of works indicates, it is a process of translation, as objects are placed in new settings and contexts.
2019 was a good year for the stay-at-home mom, freelance graphic designer and artist: she exhibited a collaborative video art piece with Page Turner and Samantha Zauscher at the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts in New York City; shortly before the arrival of her 3rd child, she had her first solo show at Writ & Vision, in downtown Provo; and she was awarded “Honorable Mentions” in both the Certain Women art show at Anthony’s Antiques and Springville Museum of Art’s Spiritual and Religious Show.
Things aren’t slowing down in 2020. To start the new year, her piece “Queen of the South” was featured on the cover of Exponent II, a print and digital forum “for Mormon women to share their life experiences.”
And she continues to produce new work. “I’m excited to dive into my next series of large production, highly composed photographic scenes — this time focusing on Christocentric images,” she says. “I’m especially honored to be working with [Spring City artist] Lee Udall Bennion on one of the pieces, scheduled to shoot later in the year.”
Every January we check in with Utah artists to see what the new year holds in store for them.
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