SALT LAKE CITY — Behind the Utah Supreme Court justices deliberating some of the most pressing legal matters facing the state looms a massive painting.
But the public hasn't really had an opportunity to really see it until recently.
The work is called "Capitol Reef" by the renowned abstract artist V. Douglas Snow. The floor-to-ceiling work was created in 1997 and installed in the Utah Supreme Court chambers at the Matheson Courthouse.
"It just draws you in to this storm on canvas, if you will, in his colorization and his ability to take landscape and abstract it in a way that caused or inspired feelings inside," said Frank McEntire, an artist and friend of Snow's.
The work is described a thunderstorm in Capitol Reef National Park. Snow's studio was outside the park, where he would create his works of bold landscapes merged with abstracts.
The piece in the Utah Supreme Court chambers, McEntire said, was originally intended to be called "Conflict and Resolution."
"I got to watch him paint it on the floor of a state office building," he told FOX 13 News. "It was quite magnificent to watch him work on this piece."
Snow's work, ironically, created a bit of conflict. When it was first installed in the courthouse, it was derided as "distracting" by some jurists and lawyers. A giant gray curtain was installed to cover it while the Court was in session. Occasionally, the curtain would be opened when the justices were not on the bench.
"All it takes is one person to kind of get it under their craw to not like something and they can turn it all around and that’s what happened to that particular painting," said McEntire, who wrote a book about Snow's career called "Final Light: The Life and Art of V. Douglas Snow." (Snow died in a car crash in 2009.)
Earlier this year, the painting suddenly reappeared on full display. FOX 13 News noticed it during arguments earlier this year where the justices grilled lawyers involved in cases on redistricting, abortion rights and pandemic-related taxation. Lawyers were peppered with questions about significant legal issues and nobody appeared to be "distracted."
The Utah Supreme Court has undergone changes with Governor Spencer Cox recently appointing two new justices. It appears the new makeup of the Court is now majority art aficionados.
All five justices declined an interview request from FOX 13 News, but did issue a joint statement in response to questions about the painting. They confirmed that some of their former colleagues did not appreciate "Capitol Reef" as they do now.
The Court's full statement to FOX 13 News is here:
"We understand that some of our former colleagues worried that the painting might be a distraction from the important business of the Court. As a result, curtains were installed to cover the painting while Court was in session. Although we respect the decision of the justices that came before us, the Court as currently constituted no longer believes that the curtains are necessary. The curtains have remained open during oral arguments since January 2023 with no discernable impact on Court proceedings.
Our decision to keep the painting on display also reflects the Court’s general approach to handling diverse viewpoints. When we tackle divisive issues as a Court, we do not hide our disagreements. We share our opinions and try to persuade our colleagues and reconcile our divergent views. If we remain divided on a particular issue, we must explain our disagreement and justify our position in a public opinion.
Just as there will inevitably be conflicting views on difficult questions of law, there will always be disagreements over particular pieces of art. We understand that some people like the painting and others do not. Diversity of thought is healthy. To us, the painting represents the ability of individuals to hold differing opinions while still respecting each other and each other’s views. As a community, we must find ways to talk to each other civilly, especially about matters on which we disagree.
More fundamentally, both the painting and the courtroom belong not to the Court, but to the people of Utah. Members of the public should be able to view the painting and decide for themselves what they think of it. Oral arguments are open to the public, and we extend a warm welcome to anyone interested in viewing the painting or learning more about the work of the Court."
McEntire said he was thrilled to see his friend's work on display for the public to finally see and that the Court was inviting people to come view it.
"I think it’s wonderful that a piece of news is going out to let people know it's available, come and see and be able to partake of our own tax dollars," he said. "Feast your eyes on this great piece of Utah art."
