{"id":99094,"date":"2025-11-14T07:53:59","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T14:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=99094"},"modified":"2025-11-19T10:59:56","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T17:59:56","slug":"the-salt-lake-art-museum-slam-finds-sanctuary-in-the-temple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/the-salt-lake-art-museum-slam-finds-sanctuary-in-the-temple\/","title":{"rendered":"The Salt Lake Art Museum (SLAM) Finds Sanctuary in the Temple"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Exterior<\/a>

The B\u2019nai Israel Temple, completed in 1890 and now home to the Salt Lake Art Museum, stands as one of Salt Lake City\u2019s most significant surviving historic structures. Image by Steve Coray.<\/p><\/div>\n

Completed in 1890 for Salt Lake City\u2019s first Jewish congregation, the B\u2019nai Israel Temple carries a depth of cultural memory rare among the city\u2019s remaining historic buildings. Its survival is uncommon in a city where progress has a habit of erasing the physical traces of its own past. Restoring the temple and establishing the Salt Lake Art Museum (SLAM) within it brings into view a narrative that has long remained at the margins of the city\u2019s broader historical accounts.<\/h4>\n

SLAM\u2019s founder, Micah Christensen\u2014who holds a doctorate in the History of Art from the University College London and a master\u2019s degree from Sotheby\u2019s Institute, London\u2014has longstanding ties to both Utah\u2019s arts community and the Jewish history embedded in this neighborhood. His grandfather worshiped in the B\u2019nai Israel Temple, and his family\u2019s business, Anthony\u2019s Fine Art & Antiques, has shaped the cultural life of the area for decades. In discussing his hopes for the new institution, Christensen explains: \u201cI envision an art sanctuary\u2014one that nurtures both those who create and those who appreciate art.\u201d He adds: \u201cIt\u2019s been said that art washes the dust of life from the soul. That is something we need, both individually and communally.\u201d The museum\u2019s presence in the building reconnects threads of family, art, and community that converge at the site.<\/h4>\n

Utah\u2019s artistic production has been consistently strong, yet the state\u2019s museum infrastructure has expanded slowly. The Wall Street Journal reports that Utah ranks near the bottom nationally in museums per capita, fewer than every state save West Virginia. The adaptation of a historic building for new institutional use responds to this scarcity while also signaling a meaningful commitment to preservation. SLAM\u2019s formal opening is scheduled for Spring 2026, but its early programming already outlines the position it intends to hold within the region\u2019s cultural landscape.<\/h4>\n
\"Two<\/a>

Utah artist Galina Perova (left) and SLAM founder Micah Christensen speak during the Utah Masters Series at the Salt Lake Art Museum, Friday, November 14. Image by Steve Coray.<\/p><\/div>\n