About This Exhibit

More than three millennia ago, the Minoan civilization thrived. From Crete and other Aegean islands, it traded goods across the Mediterranean Sea and built sophisticated palaces that continue to astound us. Minoan artisans crafted exquisite ceramics, reflecting their society's unique culture, imagination, and connections to the natural world. Later, in the same space, ancient Greek artists developed a tradition of ceramics and sculpture that celebrated the human form and whose influence is found across civilizations for centuries – from Rome to the modern world. Even later still, Byzantine Christianity introduced another layer, intertwining faith and art to create icons and mosaics that still inspire devotion.

The works in this exhibition are the result of a dynamic field study that allowed a small group of BYU professors and students to travel to Greece in the early summer of 2024. Bringing together Art, Design, Art Education, Illustration, and Art History, it provided a unique opportunity to explore, study, and create. This exhibition invites you to journey through three distinct yet interconnected artistic traditions: the vibrant ceramics of the Minoans, the enduring humanistic ideals of Ancient Greece, and the sacred imagery of Byzantine Christianity. It seeks to bridge the past and present, offering a dialogue between ancient legacies and modern perspectives.

The Minoan Field Study was funded by a generous grant from the Laycock Endowment for Creative Collaboration in the Arts.