The artist behind a church painting that’s led to a national discussion has explained the challenges he faced and inspiration behind his already-iconic painting.

Manuel Farrugia, from Gozo, has already developed a name for himself with his incredible yet modern religious paintings.

Speaking about the challenge of creating poignant paintings in such restricted forms in an interview with Għawdex Illum, Farrugia said he had to find a way of respectfully telling the stories of his cast of characters in just one metre by one metre canvasses.

His work centres on vulnerable figures in society – such as the prisoner or the foreigner – and shows them with two figures by their side; one representing society, and one representing the church.

Emphasising how he wanted the paintings to fit in with the style of St George’s Basilica, Farrugia said that though the central figures weren’t canonised, they were representative of Jesus Christ as he would be among the most vulnerable in society.

“When it comes to art, you need to be contemporary not just in your technique, but even in the thought behind it,” he said. 

“The idea was that whoever looked at these photos would know they were made in 2021, because the subject applies today – Christ’s words apply till this very day,” Farrugia continued. “That’s why we included a woman holding a mobile in the Lassana Cisse portrait, the migrant killed in Ħal Far… the idea of the mobile was because the news often spreads via social media nowadays.”

“Anyone that looks at this photo will understand these are problems we face today.”