Salt Lake Art Museum holds its first event, celebrating Utah Capitol architect Richard Kletting

By Wes Long, City Weekly

Among the hallmarks of classical architecture are the principles of harmony, proportion and beauty, and all three were in rich supply at the Salt Lake Art Museum's inaugural public event.

Held on Jan. 7 at the historic B'nai Israel Temple building (249 S. 400 East), attendance was full and harmonious, the subject provided valuable historical proportion and the images shown throughout the presentation were indeed things of beauty.

Hosted by the Utah chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, the public lecture was given by esteemed architectural historian (and retired architect) Allen Roberts on the works of Utah's landmark architect Richard K. A. Kletting (1858-1943).

"He [Kletting] was really a master of all the architectural styles in vogue during his period," Roberts observed in the course of his remarks. "He was a genius, a prodigy—the most accomplished person in everything he tried to do, and he tried to do everything."

Indeed, Kletting was involved in a great array of activities during his lifetime, from education and environmentalism to philanthropy and publishing. He even played a crucial role in the naming of Salt Lake City's streets as well as organizing its early library catalog. But above everything else looms his architectural portfolio, which has had a greater survival rate than most other historic architects within this state. From the hundreds of projects Kletting designed, a remarkable 125 still stand today, most prominent among them being the Utah State Capitol and its grounds.

To provide a fuller picture of Kletting and his output, Roberts and co-author Nan Weber have prepared a thorough exploration of this unique "Renaissance man" in an upcoming book that is scheduled for release later this year. Following Roberts' lecture, both he and Weber fielded questions from their engaged audience.

The event itself was a fitting way to celebrate Utah art and culture in a spirit that Kletting himself would have likely appreciated. And this is just the start for the Salt Lake Art Museum, which is projected to open in 2026. "It will be the first new art museum in Salt Lake since 1984," said Micah Christensen, the museum's director. "Utah has the most artists per capita than any state in the union. However, we have the second fewest museums, second only to West Virginia. The purpose of this museum is to close that gap."

Christensen hopes that the Salt Lake Art Museum may partner with additional organizations to hold even more public discussions "that celebrate local artists, architects and culture" that combine to make Utah the place we all know and love.

And if this Kletting event was any indication, the Salt Lake Art Museum appears to be building upon a beautifully solid foundation.