The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (HCSCC) is excited to announce an extension of the largest and most attended art exhibition in their history, Illuminating the Word: The Saint John’s Bible. After breaking both 4th quarter and total records in attendance and membership, HCSCC will keep this monumental art at the Hjemkomst Center through Sunday, February 4, 2018. The exhibition had originally been slated to end December 31, but popular demand will keep the Minnesota bible in Moorhead for another month.
HCSCC previously shared the project’s unique combination of art, history, and faith in reprinted editions, but this is the first time the historical society has had the original folios: hand-illuminated and hand-calligraphed with hand-cut quills and ancient inks hand-ground from precious minerals on calfskin vellum. The 68 folios on display at the Hjemkomst Center come from all seven volumes of The Saint John’s Bible: Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Books, Psalms, Prophets, Gospels and Acts, and Letters and Revelation.
HCSCC Executive Director Maureen Kelly Jonason was inspired to bring the original folios to Fargo-Moorhead by a corps of calligraphy artists who volunteered hundreds of hours to make it happen. “We are incredibly grateful for this last opportunity to share these folios with our community. This is a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition that we’d love everyone to come and see,” she stated.
After a record year, it seems as though the community is on its way to doing just that. Tim Ternes, director of The Saint John’s Bible, believes the response from the Red River Valley has been exceptional. “It’s gratifying to know that the crowds have embraced this project so warmly. From the very first mark, this project was created to inspire and be shared as widely as possible. Saint John’s Abbey and University is extremely pleased to be able to extend this exhibition in the Fargo-Moorhead community,” he said.
After the Hjemkomst Center’s exhibition ends on February 4, The Saint John’s Bible will be shipped back to Collegeville, MN, where the folios will rotate between storage and exhibition in The Saint John’s Bible Gallery in the newly renovated Alcuin Library on the campus of Saint John’s University. Watch The Saint John’s Bible website (www.saintjohnsbible.org) for future exhibition venues around the country.
For more details, please contact HCSCC Communications Coordinator Davin Wait at (218) 299-5511, ext. 6733, or davin.wait@hcsmuseum.org. For questions about accessibility or accommodations at the Hjemkomst Center, please contact HCSCC Programming Director Markus Krueger at (218) 299-5511, ext. 6738, or markus.krueger@hcsmuseum.org.
