Vance, Musk call out Church of England for simulated graffiti art display on walls of UK's oldest cathedral
The Church of England faced widespread mockery on Friday after it installed graffiti art on the walls and columns of the United Kingdom’s oldest cathedral.
Days after the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, was appointed, visitors were surprised by a new display simulating graffiti painted over the masonry of one of England’s most famous places of worship.
UK-based news outlet The Times reported that according to those working at the cathedral, the "Hear Us" installation, using large stickers simulating graffiti, was reportedly inspired by working with "marginalised communities and a team of skilled artists to create vibrant handwritten literature responding to the question: ‘What would you ask God?’" The project was conceived by poet Alex Vellis and curator Jacquiline Creswell.
These questions range from queries such as, "God, what happens when we die?" to "Why did you create hate when love is by far more powerful?" Numerous public figures have blasted the art display as one that is either a clumsy appeal to youth or a sign of civilizational decay.
Vice President JD Vance offered his observation, "It is weird to me that these people don't see the irony of honoring ‘marginalized communities’ by making a beautiful historical building really ugly."
"It is the equivalent of a middle aged elementary school teacher trying to rap to "reach the kids." Demeaning, embarrassing, and counterproductive for all involved," Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Brian Knight responded to Vance’s post.
Elon Musk replied to the news by arguing, "Whoever approved this travesty should be fired immediately." He also added that "Relentless anti-Western propaganda has made so many people in the West want to suicide their own culture. Unfortunately, propaganda works."
"Graffiti in #CanterburyCathedral is not art. It’s a symptom of how far we’ve fallen - the intentional ugly-fication of a once-beautiful culture," Caitlin Boyle, the York County GOP’s 1st Vice Chair and Moms for Liberty Chair wrote. "We destroy what’s sacred, call it "expression," and wonder why nothing feels meaningful anymore. Raise the standard m… in art, clothing, literature, and life."
Cathedral staff, aware of the public backlash, have argued that such graffiti is not out of place, as there has been a "great variety of historical graffiti within the cathedral, including masons’ marks, religious graffiti in the form of crosses and Christograms, and marks made throughout the centuries by pilgrims and other visitors".
That said, the Church of England has done controversial and overtly political art installations before. In 2017 amid the height of the Syrian refugee crisis artist Arabella Dorman used 700 items of refugees’ clothing salvaged from Greece to create a display, "Suspended," where the items were hung over parishioners at St James’s church in Piccadilly, London.
When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, David Monteith, Dean of Canterbury, said, "Seeing the bold graffiti-style transfers juxtaposed against the Cathedral’s stonework is undoubtedly jarring and will be unacceptable for some. But how can considering sincere questions of faith and meaning within a place of worship be interpreted as sacrilegious or a travesty? Or how can a temporary transfer that will leave no mark or adhesive be seen as vandalism?"
He continued, "We could easily have rendered the questions to God as medieval-style calligraphy or in Times New Roman, neatly hung on canvas within the Cathedral, but they would likely have gone unnoticed and unremarked upon - with few if any choosing to engage with the questions of faith and meaning at their heart."
Monteith added, "People will love or hate our ‘Hear Us’ installation, no question. But rather than react just on the basis of a few online comments, I would encourage people to come and experience the artworks for themselves and to make up their own minds. Rather than be distracted by the aesthetics of the graffiti lettering, I hope that people will want to think deeply about the questions posed within the artworks, and experience the sense of meaningful encounter that we want all who come to the Cathedral to have."
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