Our Thanks

Jesus and the Woman Taken in Adultery was kindly lent by Mr Cedric Vialleton

Pietà was kindly lent by Ms Isabella Weinstabel

* Free-to-view by anyone with a valid form of Cathedral sightseeing admission (including Cathedral Admission Ticket, Cathedral Pass or Friends’ Card).

Words from the curator

Renaud Muraire’s series of paintings represent a profound dialogue between traditional religious iconography and contemporary human experience. Stories from the Bible resonate with many aspects of human life, these narratives remain relevant today and encompass a wide range of emotion and address the challenges and achievements in our lives. Through his paintings, he creates a space for reflection that honours the past while inviting viewers to engage with their own identities, struggles and aspirations in today’s world.

Muraire’s approach is informed by the artists of the High Renaissance and Baroque period, Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio and Rubens, who began treating biblical figures as real people experiencing profound human emotions and communicating through dramatic gestures, symbolic colours and body language to bring the stories to life.

Traditional religious painting has historically provided people with comfort, guidance, and a sense of belonging. Artworks within sacred spaces have long been a point of reference, a reminder of shared beliefs, and a visual representation of faith. His reinterpretation acknowledges this legacy, tapping into symbols and narratives that resonate with collective memory. His work serves as a bridge, linking centuries of visual and spiritual tradition. These timeless narratives regain intensity and relevance today.

By gently stripping away the ornamental layers often associated with traditional sacred artwork, his paintings shift the focus from the divine toward the lived human experience within these narratives. This act of reduction emphasizes the raw humanity beneath the surface of religious symbols. His approach suggests that while the divine may seem to be distant or abstract, the human experience remains immediate and relatable. By concentrating on simplicity, Muraire enhances the emotional resonance of the subjects depicted.

Renaud Muraire employs vibrant colours and expressive gestures to create a sense of dynamism and presence in his paintings. Colours evoke specific emotions, and their intentional use can transform ordinary subjects into extraordinary reflections and emotion. Expressive gestures convey depth, capturing moments of contemplation, conflict, and connection. Through these techniques, he imbues his figures with life, inviting viewers to witness their inner experiences.

One of the most compelling aspects of this body of work is the invitation extended to viewers. Muraire’s paintings encourage individuals, regardless of their background or beliefs, to contemplate their own personal journeys. The stripped-down imagery acts as a mirror, reflecting the viewers' doubts, vulnerabilities, hopes, and longings for connection. This accessibility cultivates a universal dialogue, one that transcends specific religious frameworks and addresses broader themes of existence.

Exhibiting these paintings in the crypt at Canterbury Cathedral, he presents sacred imagery as a living language, emphasising that these images are not relics of the past but rather dynamic tools for understanding contemporary life. His artworks speak to people today, translating age old themes of care, love, redemption, and community into expressions that resonate with current societal challenges. The fluidity of these images reminds viewers that spirituality is not
static; it evolves and adapts to reflect the complexities of modern life.

Renaud Muraire shares “ I’ve always been deeply drawn to religious paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries, especially because they introduced a new sense of proximity. They didn’t just represent the sacred, they embodied it through human gestures, emotions, and bodies. Many of these images were simple, sometimes even naïve in their drawing, yet they carried enormous meaning.

What fascinates me is imagining how people related to these images at a time when visual culture was rare. They functioned as points of projection: people brought their own lives, fears, hopes, and inner struggles into them.

That’s what makes biblical narratives so powerful. It is that they depict condensed human situations. They focus on inner turmoil, doubt, compassion, abandonment, and responsibility, experiences that every human being encounters at some point. In that sense, they form a kind of concentrate of life. This is what makes them timeless and endlessly relatable.

And that’s why a work like my Good Samaritan is very central to my approach. Someone helping another human being in distress is one of the most fundamental and powerful human interactions. It embodies the continuity of the human condition. There is something timeless in the action, and something deeply elevated in the intention.”

Jacquiline Creswell
Curator