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The Hoedeman Gallery of Sacred Art

The Hoedeman Gallery of Sacred Art is strategically placed within the Iversen Center for Faith. The Iversen Center is a celebration of the religious diversity of the university community and is meant to foster dialogue and cooperation between faiths. The Hoedeman Gallery participates in that mission by presenting exhibitions of sacred art that reflects this rich diversity. It offers opportunities for reflection, but also learning and engagement with the arts.

Exhibitions are changed twice a year and the Gallery hopes to draw upon the many collections in the Twin Cities and beyond!

Call for Art Exhibitions

We welcome proposals to exhibit sacred art in our gallery. See the bottom of the page for proposal guidelines. Contact Jacob Benda with any questions:

Dr. Jacob Benda
Director of Music, Liturgy and Sacred Arts
jrbenda@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-6570

Student Views Tell Me A Story By Mary Griep

Tell Me A Story (Mary Griep, 2020)

Internationally known Minnesota artist Mary Griep’s multi-panel work, Tell Me A Story, is a series of prints based on Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Islamic, and Mayan sites dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. Located under the western transept of the chapel and visible upon entry from the upper quad, her work reveals the power of architectural traditions in dialogue with one another.
Student Views Kelly Cruse Triptych Artwork

Mikros Kosmos and Embodied (Kelly Kruse, 2020)

Missouri artist Kelly Kruse’s two triptychs, Mikros Kosmos: the celestial, immortal soul and Embodied: the earthly immortal soul and the battle of becoming, welcome visitors into the Iversen Center for Faith’s eastern lobby. Kruse’s non-representational paintings convey the idea of a holistic human design that speaks to all, regardless of race, gender, or religion, and reaffirms our commitment to educating the whole person as part of a liberal arts education.
Father Dease Crucifix Collection On Display

Divinity By the Hand of Humanity

This exhibition highlights a selection of objects from the Father Dease Crucifix Collection, part of the University of St. Thomas Art Collection. The crucifixes on display were gifts to Father Dease while he was the university’s fourteenth president (1991-2013).
Icon Of St. Thomas Aquinas

Permanent Installation

Icon of Holy Thomas, Angelic Doctor

In 2012, Campus Ministry commissioned Nicholas Markell ’84 to write an icon of St. Thomas Aquinas, the university’s patron saint, called “Holy Thomas” in the tradition of Eastern iconography.

Call for Art Exhibitions

The Hoedeman Gallery of Sacred Art is committed to providing art exhibitions that foster dialogue centered on the diverse religious and sacred identities that make up the St. Thomas community.

We welcome proposals to exhibit sacred art in our gallery. We have two major displays during the academic year (September through December and February through May). You are welcome to submit a proposal at any time and it will be reviewed during the next quarterly cycle.

An exhibit can be scheduled for Gallery A or Gallery B, or a larger exhibit utilizing both.

Gallery A is 20' 6" wide.

Gallery B is 31' 4" wide.

A hanging rod system is mounted 11' off the floor in each gallery.

Digital proposals only, please. To submit a digital proposal, please include the following:

  1. Letter of introduction stating the intent of the exhibit and how it complements the mission of the Gallery.
  2. Digital images: In JPEG format, 72 dpi, 600 pixels in longest direction
  3. Image list: title, artist, medium, dimensions for each
  4. Contact information: phone number and email address

Send all questions and submissions to:

Jacob Benda
jrbenda@stthomas.edu
(651) 962-6570

  • The Iversen Center for Faith is the architectural embodiment of the multifaith reality of the University of St. Thomas. It is a space for people of different faiths to gather/meet in order to deepen their own religious expression, to learn about the diversity of faith traditions, and to join in collaborative ventures. This will be done through interfaith dialogue in a spirit of respect for the other.
  • As part of the Iversen Center, the Hoedeman Gallery of Sacred Art shares in the overall purpose and goals of the center in promoting the understanding and appreciation of multiple faiths and traditions.
  • Since the Iversen Center falls under the purview of the Office for Mission, that office is responsible for securing the funding for the gallery and maintaining the mission and purpose of the gallery.
  • Exhibits may draw from diverse religious traditions or may feature the sacred art of one particular tradition. An effort to reflect faiths that are active on campus should be a priority. Exhibits should represent both contemporary expressions as well as those connecting us to our long history of sacred creations.
  • Proposed exhibitions will be reviewed by representatives from the Department of Art History, Campus Ministry, University Advancement, the Office for Mission, the Department of Theology, and others, and will include student representatives. This representative advisory group may include experts from outside of the university community. Final approval for exhibits will rest with the Office for Mission.
  • As stated in Ex corde ecclesiae, part of the mission of a Catholic university is to offer “the rich experience of the Church’s own culture.” The Hoedeman Gallery is a venue for the university to highlight the artistic contributions of that tradition.
  • While the gallery is first and foremost to benefit students and the university community, it is also a resource for the larger community. Thus, an invitation should be extended to the broader community to appreciate and benefit from exhibits.