REXBURG — From modern to religious art, from Argentina to Japan, Jorge Cocco Santángelo has impressed the world with his unique perspective of the life displayed through his paintbrush. Now, March 5 through April 9, his newest art exhibit, “Sacred events from the Book of Mormon,” will open in Brigham Young University-Idaho’s Spori Art Gallery. An artist reception with Santángelo will also be held on March 4.

This new art exhibit includes new Book of Mormon paintings included in the “Come, Follow Me” 2020 curriculum.

Santángelo was born in 1936 in Concepcion del Uruguay, in Entre Rios, Argentina. A self-taught artist, Santángelo won his first citywide art award at the age of 9, and by his early 20s he was already recognized around the country and had won several state prizes. Since then, he has gained an international following, showing his works in Argentina, France, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay and the United States with more than 80 exhibits. After traveling around the world and increasing his influence, in 1991 he returned to Argentina with a goal to start new art schools.

Santángelo has mastered diverse art techniques such as painting, sculpture, lithograph, etching, and ceramics. After years of experience, he created the “sacrocubism” art, which portrays sacred religious events expressed in a form of cubism.

Speaking of the new exhibit, Jacob Spori Gallery curator Kyoung DaBell says, “Cocco’s sacred paintings have inspired viewers worldwide in recent years. I think the reason is that his sacrocubist style is so unique, where a religious subject was delivered in a reverent, yet unexpected modern style, and this just struck a chord with so many. We are pleased to be able to premiere his collection of Book of Mormon paintings here at BYU-Idaho.”

The gallery is open to the public, free of charge, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. The artist reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. March 4 at the Gallery with merchandise available for purchase. Santángelo will also appear at the University Store from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 5 for an artist signing event.