The curator of a controversial art exhibition, controversially branded “ugly” by US vice president JD Vance, has defended the display ahead of its official opening at Canterbury Cathedral.
From Friday, visitors can view the graffiti-style installations adorning the walls of the centuries-old landmark
. The three-month âHear Usâ exhibition is described as a “thought-provoking exhibition delving into the concept of raising a question to God in our contemporary society”, specifically focusing on representing voices from marginalised communities.
But the artworks have drawn criticism from both Mr Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk while the Dean of Canterbury, David Monteith, has acknowledged people will either love or hate it.
Writing on social media platform X earlier this week, Mr Vance said: âIt is weird to me that these people donât see the irony of honoring âmarginalized communitiesâ by making a beautiful historical building really ugly.â
Mr Musk replied: âAbsolutelyâ.
Speaking ahead of the public opening, curator Jacquiline Creswell said she had been âdelightedâ two âreally important figures in the worldâ had taken time to comment.
She told the PA news agency: âWell, I have to say that JD Vance and Elon Musk are really important figures in the world today, and they must be incredibly busy, so I guess I was delighted at the fact that they had actually taken time to research the exhibition before it opens tomorrow.â
She said she believed much of the ânoiseâ around the exhibition had now dissipated and people were having more positive engagement with the artworks.
She said: âI have to say that now that the noise has dissipated, Iâm finding that the press and people in particular are really beginning to engage with the real story behind the exhibition, and Iâm finding so many people far more positive about it now that they are better informed.â
The project involved asking people from marginalised communities, including people from ethnic minority backgrounds, neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ people:Â âWhat would you ask God?â
The results, in brightly coloured graffiti, include âWhere does love come from?â and âWhere is humanity heading?â.
The cathedral website states that the questions have been âexpertly and sensitively fixed to the ancient stone pillars, walls and floors of the cathedralâ and will remain there until the exhibition closes on January 18.
The installation is aimed at combining modern art with ancient architecture and builds on a history of graffiti on the building said to be shown by the already-present masonsâ marks, Christograms, and marks left by pilgrims and other visitors across the centuries.
Artist Alex Vellis said the project was about community and that they were proud to have played a part.
They said: âLanguage is the people who speak it, and graffiti is the language of the unheard.
âBy graffitiing the inside of Canterbury Cathedral, we join a chorus of the forgotten, the lost, and the wondrous.
âPeople who wanted to make their mark, to say âI was hereâ, and to have their etchings carry their voice through the centuries.â
Mr Monteith said âpublic opinion has been splitâ on the installation but encouraged people to see it for themselves.
He said: âPeople will love or hate our Hear Us installation, no question.
âBut 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.
âRather 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.â
