EXHIBITION CELEBRATING RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IS VANDALIZED AND LOOTED

A show celebrating religious diversity has been looted and vandalized, writes Vanessa Thorpe of The Guardian. “Faith,” an exhibition by artist Russell Haines, opened at the eleventh-century Gloucester Cathedral in January. In addition to thirty-seven paintings by the artist, “Faith” also features filmed interviews with Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, and Christians—subjects of Haines’s paintings. Christian groups were deeply critical of the show when it opened, as it featured Islamic imagery and allowed for a Muslim prayer to be read within the church. Since the show’s opening, many of Haines’s paintings, along with audiovisual equipment from the exhibition, have been stolen. And Haines’s painting of Jesus giving the finger has been defaced, as have other exhibited works. Online, the artist and members of the church clergy have been called blasphemers and threatened with death.

“The point of this project was to show and to emphasize what we all have in common, precisely not to tell people what they ought to think. I never thought this would happen, although I knew some people would not like it,” said Haines. More than one thousand visitors attended the opening of the exhibition and were served foods from around the world. Imam Hassan from Gloucester’s Masjid-e-Noor mosque recited the Muslim call to prayer. A Jewish prayer was also recited, and a white witch spoke on behalf of smaller, alternative religions. Haines said the opening was “wonderfully surreal.” Only a couple of days later, however, the problems started. The Very Reverend Stephen Lake, Gloucester Cathedral’s dean, said, “We are proud to be holding the exhibition and would encourage everyone to visit to learn more about people of different faiths.” “Faith” runs through February 26.