T. rex bones, a chemistry set, a cello, a diving helmet, and myriad other objects are tucked away in Greg Olsen’s new painting, making it an I-Spy treasure hunt of sorts. But the exploration is more than visual: commissioned and donated to BYU by Annette and Leo Beus (BA ’67), the seven-foot-wide Treasures of Knowledge invites viewers to seek understanding, both sacred and secular. “My hope for [audiences is] that they can become aware of the extended metaphors that they might create from the simple random objects in it,” Olsen says.
At its unveiling, Elder Neil L. Andersen (BA ’75) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “A piece like this helps us understand that everything does testify of the Savior. Everything shows the magnificence of the gifts we’ve received.”
Treasures of Knowledge is on permanent display in the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center.
