Containing 12 original sculptures along with over 70 stones that have been engraved with Mormon scriptures, poems and literary texts, Gilgal Sculpture Garden has become an especially unique attraction for Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the result of a vision to arouse thinking and curiosity for viewers while also creating a landscape of meaning. In doing so, it has become “an absolute jewel” for Salt Lake City.
The Legacy of Thomas Child
Thomas Child was a masonry contractor and Bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) beginning in the 1920s. His desire to give physical form to his deep-felt beliefs compelled him to begin building a sculpture garden in his backyard in 1945. He envisioned it as place that would serve as a retreat from the world as well as a tribute to his most cherished religious and personal beliefs.
He named the garden Gilgal after the Biblical location which can be translated to mean “circle of standing stones.” Gilgal is also the name of a city and a valley in The Book Of Mormon. He knew that many people would not understand what he was trying to do with the garden but hoped it would nonetheless inspire viewers to ponder the unsolved mysteries of life while also arousing their thinking and curiosity.
Child went to incredible lengths to obtain huge stones that would become these sculpture. He had a complete workshop in his yard, including special equipment for handling and cutting the stone. This dedication allowed Gilgal Sculpture Garden to create a landscape of meaning and serve as a collective work of art.
Child dedicated much of his time and effort to Gilgal Sculpture Garden and even pioneered artistic innovations until his death in 1963. The garden was then privately owned until it became a Salt Lake City park in the year 2000, fulfilling his vision of making the space that much more accessible to public. This access has come to provoke the thinking and curiosity for viewers in ways that Child always envisioned.
The Sphinx, Monument to Trade and More
Many of the 12 original sculptures and over 70 engraved stones have a connection to LDS history, scriptures or poems. The engravings feature quotes and texts that refer to religious themes which resonated with Child. However, these engravings are secondary to the numerous large sculptures that dominate the space.
The Sphinx is the best-known sculpture in the garden. With the face of Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS Church, the piece represents Child’s belief that the answers to life’s great questions cannot be discovered with the intellect, but only through faith.
The Monument to the Trade features a representation of Child himself and conveys his great love for the masonry trade and for his religion. Captain of the Lord’s Host represents the Biblical story of the captain who appeared to Joshua and gave him a plan to assure the Israelite’s victory over Jericho. The Alter is Child’s interpretation of an ancient sacrificial altar described by Joseph Smith. The Monument to Peace, Elijah’s Cave and The Monument to the Priesthood are just a few of the other notable sculptures in the garden, highlighting the variety that can be found it in.
Listed as one of the top free things to do in Salt Lake City, Gilgal Sculpture Garden has been referred to as “hidden local treasure” of the city and an “absolute jewel” by the mayor when it became a public park. The garden has also became Utah’s first site in the Distinctive Destinations program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. These distinctions highlight the transformative power of a vision and how it can make an impact in the present that continues to resonate with audiences in the far future.
A Visionary Art Environment
What was once just a vision that was confined to a backyard is now a public park that is open to everyone. That access has compelled some to refer to it as strange but such interpretations and challenges connect back to the original vision for the landmark.
As the only identified “visionary art environment” in Utah, Gilgal Sculpture Garden is a place of meaning and curiosity but is also a spot where visitors can relax and enjoy the scenery, further enabling the landscape of meaning that was originally envisioned.
