Canterbury Cathedral’s Graffiti Art Exhibit Sparks Controversy
In a move to provoke meaningful discourse, Canterbury Cathedral has become a focal point of debate following the installation of a temporary graffiti art exhibit. The exhibit, designed to highlight minority voices and pose challenging theological questions, resulted in an emotional response from the cathedral’s curator due to backlash from certain Christian communities.
Jacquiline Creswell, the curator, expressed her distress over the negative reactions, which included personal attacks from individuals identifying as Christians. The exhibit “Hear Us,” featuring graffiti stickers on the stone pillars of the iconic church, was aimed at fostering dialogue on issues of faith and divinity.
According to Creswell, both she and exhibit leader Alex Vellis faced significant social media abuse. Creswell remarked, “The amount of personal abuse [exhibit leader Alex Vellis] and I have received on social media, from people who are ‘Christian’… that has been hurtful. In no way did we want to desecrate the building. I don’t think asking God a question is anything other than a beautiful reflection, and even a form of prayer.”
The exhibit gained notable attention on social media platform X after being criticized by Vice President J.D. Vance and X CEO Elon Musk. They condemned the exhibit’s provocative nature, which included questions like “Are you there?” and “Why did you create hate when love is by far more powerful?”
Welcome to the UK’s most famous cathedral…Canterbury Cathedral. ??
The Cathedral, which was founded over 1400 years ago, has been covered in graffiti art as part of an exhibition by an artist who identifies as an ‘agender goblin’, non-binary and a ‘queer vegan.’ pic.twitter.com/Q2OXKRTR7B
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) October 10, 2025
Vance expressed his discontent by tweeting, “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.”
Musk added his voice to the criticism, labeling the graffiti as “shameful” and indicative of the Church of England’s purported self-deprecation. “Relentless anti-Western propaganda has made so many people in the West want to suicide their own culture. Unfortunately, propaganda works,” Musk wrote. He also concurred with a user’s comment about the Church of England, describing it as “just [an] anti-white cult at this point.”
With a background as an arts curator at Salisbury Cathedral, Creswell sees controversy as a catalyst for conversation. In a previous interview, she stated, “There’s no room for error, potentially alienating those that work in or visit a sacred space. That’s not to say some works won’t cause some adverse comment, or sensitivities might be stirred.”
Creswell has faced similar issues before, reporting past incidents of verbal and physical abuse over art installations. During a 2022 interview, she noted, “I was told that I was turning the place into a theme park.” Her approach has been to educate the community prior to exhibitions to mitigate misunderstanding.
Canterbury Cathedral, founded by Augustine of Canterbury in A.D. 597, stands as one of England’s most historic Christian sites. Rebuilt in the 1070s, the cathedral is not only renowned for its architectural beauty but also its significant role in English Christianity, notably the 1170 murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
