Rita Wright (museum director)

Rita Wright is an American museum director and art historian. Since 2012, Wright has been the director of the Springville Museum of Art. Before joining the Springville Museum of Art she was Curator of Art and Artifacts at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, UT. She sits on the worldwide committee for art selection for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[1]

Rita Wright
Born
Rita Riddle
NationalityAmerican
EducationBrigham Young University,
BA, MA;
University of Utah, PhD
Occupation(s)Museum Director, Art Historian,
Curator
EmployerSpringville Museum of Art
SpouseWes Wright
Children5

Early life and career

Wright completed bachelor's and master's degrees at Brigham Young University (BYU). She received a Doctor of Philosophy in European History from the University of Utah.[2]

Wright and her husband operated an art and design business in California before moving to Utah to become an instructor at BYU.[2] Wright led the academic department at the Brigham Young University Museum of Art (MOA) while also teaching at the university.[3] She worked for eight years at the MOA, working on major exhibits of the works of Carl Bloch and James Tissot.[4] "Artists through the ages have been able to express their testimony and beliefs through their work," explained Wright at the Bloch exhibit that hosted more than 250,000 visitors.[5]

Wright was the Curator of Art and Artifacts at the Church History Museum until October 1, 2012.[6] She also worked on the museum's exhibition team.[7]

Springville Museum of Art

Wright was named the new director of the Springville Museum of Art on August 16, 2012, replacing longtime director Vern Swanson.[2] She curated a number of exhibitions including Sacred Spaces: Archetypes and Symbols in 2017 and Curiouser & Curiouser: The Artwork of James Christensen, Cassandra Barney, Emily McPhie & Family.[8][9] Wright led the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Springville Art Museum and the Spanish Colonial Revival style building.[10] Wright has been called one of the "smartest critics we know" by the Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.[11]

Personal life

Wright is married to Wes Wright and has five children.[12] In 2020, she discussed the art of dying and her own near death experience on the podcast In Retrospect.[13]

References
  1. Hales, Laura Harris. "Art is sacred space with Rita Wright", Deseret News, 29 March 2017. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  2. Balzotti, Debbie. "Springville Museum of Art announces new director", Daily Herald, 17 August 2012. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  3. Clark, Ehren. "BYU Museum of Art is a production", Deseret News, 19 April 2007. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  4. Means, Sean P. "Springville Museum of Art gets new director", The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 August 2012. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  5. Warburton, Nicole. "Danish artworks resonate with LDS Church members", KSL News, 28 April 2011. Retrieved on 12 April 2021.
  6. "Springville Museum announces new director", 15 Bytes, 18 August 2012. Retrieved on 12 April 2021.
  7. "Rita Wright Appointed Springville Museum of Art Director", Mapleton News, 23 August 2012. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  8. Harris, Sarah. "Utah artists make spirituality visual — but not in the ways you'd expect", Deseret News, 19 October 2017. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  9. Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "Utah museum displays works of artist James C. Christensen and two daughters", The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 January 2014. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  10. Harris, Sarah. "Happy 80th, Springville Museum of Art! Utah's first museum gets ready to celebrate", Deseret News, 10 November 2017. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  11. Davis, Andi Pitcher. "The Absurd in Art and Mormonism", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. 52, No. 3 (Fall 2019), pp. 181-188. Retrieved on 12 April 2021.
  12. Hoag, Karen. "I learned at my mother's knee", Daily Herald, 10 May 2015. Retrieved on 10 April 2021.
  13. Thurman, Kendall. "Episode 041, "The Art of Dying," an interview with Rita Wright", In Retrospect, 28 March 2020. Retrieved on 12 April 2021.
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