Up until creating sculptures for Temple Square in Salt Lake City, sculptor Michael Hall’s artistic life had taken many unexpected turns, including facing financial and health challenges. He questioned how well he was built for the profession. Yet by persisting in cultivating his gifts and talents, Hall found his relationship to God had developed in the process.
Reflecting on his artistic and spiritual journey, Hall spoke to the Church News on the process of creating two sculptures — one of Jesus carrying the cross and one of Joseph Smith’s First Vision — for the newly renovated Temple Square site.
In an interview featured on the Church News podcast on June 2, Hall spoke about his upbringing, how he found God in the details of his life and the process of depicting Jesus Christ in his work.
Hall’s family members, including a loving mother and talented uncle, had fostered his love of art from the beginning.
As a young child, Hall’s great-uncle Avard Fairbanks handed him a chisel and brush and encouraged him to help with his carving of a marble statue in progress.
Later, in his teenage years, Hall mimicked Michelangelo by painting copies of the artist’s paintings on the unfinished concrete walls of his parents’ basement. He hoped to learn the Renaissance artist’s craft.
Developing talents through service
Hall’s appreciation for art continued into his time as a missionary serving in Russia, where he encountered artwork in museums in St. Petersburg, including the Hermitage Museum.
In exchange for service, the museum offered Hall and his companion free admission.
The Hermitage, whose name comes from a French word meaning place of solitude, was a place of contemplation for Hall.
Artwork in the museum, such as a marble sculpture by Michelangelo, and an encouraging companion had a profound effect on him.
“It was at that point that I knew what I wanted to do with my life,” he said.
While Hall had always loved the visual arts — including painting, drawing, sculpture and photography — an opportunity to start a business with his brother sidetracked him for a season.
“I kept having this prompting that I needed to be focusing on my artwork,” Hall reflected, thinking back to recurring spiritual impressions and guidance from family members.
Heeding promptings
Hall bravely listened to the prompting and returned to art, studying under Swiss artist Patrick Devonas, who advised him to stick to sculpture full time. He listened — and still practices sculpture 20 years later.
Mentors like Devonas and family members spoke “truths to me that Heavenly Father wanted me to understand,” said Hall.
He had always wanted to depict Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through his artwork and, if he could, develop a relationship with them in the process.
The journey from aspirational to occupational artist came with obstacles.
“There were plenty of times that I wanted to quit,” remarked Hall. Financial and other struggles continually discouraged him from pursuing a career as an artist.
Still, he felt called to the work. Even when difficulties mounted, the confidence that he would be blessed for committing to a career as an artist motivated Hall.
Then came a miraculous request from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to submit a portfolio. After careful review, he was chosen as a finalist to create sculptures for Temple Square.
Artistic revelation
What began as a submission from Hall turned into an exchange with prophetic authority and other artists.
In listening to Church leaders, Hall trusted that they had special insights about the sculpture, “even though I was an artist and they weren’t professional artists.”
After an extensive and collaborative refining process involving leaders such as the late President Russell M. Nelson and Elder Gérald Caussé, the latter serving as presiding bishop before his call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Hall’s submission of a depiction of Christ carrying the cross became a reality.
He titled the statue “Jesus Christ Carrying the Cross.” It depicts three people in addition to Jesus to represent different belief systems, Hall noted. The one closest to Jesus is a Jewish woman, directly behind her a Roman woman, and the third is a Roman soldier with his helmet tucked beneath him.
Hall said he did this with the “hope that whoever was viewing the piece would be able to connect with one of those figures.”
Later, Hall was asked to sculpt the First Vision.
He chose to depict Joseph Smith sitting barefoot and reaching up to the figures of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, with Joseph Smith’s finger mimicking Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel image of the finger of Adam reaching for God’s.
The statue depiction of Joseph was left barefoot to allude to one biblical story of Moses, in which he showed reverence by removing his shoes in the Lord’s presence (see Exodus 3:5).
‘How do you depict God?’
Hall felt humbled in the process.
“How do you depict God? How do you depict God in a way that will help people to feel the Spirit and not look at the piece and be critical constantly?”
Guided by the Holy Ghost, Hall aimed to make Jesus the focal point of the sculpture. With this in mind, he placed God the Father slightly above Jesus, with Jesus closer to Joseph.
“Heavenly Father is giving the glory to His Son, putting His Son first and foremost,” remarked Hall on the placement of the figures.
In the process of creation, Hall reflected on the miracles he experienced, including receiving revelation, more peace in his life and the joy and happiness of knowing that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know and love him.
That knowledge of God’s love — “I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
