Emmaus Partnership
The final winner has been announced in a prestigious religious art competition.
The highly popular Christian Art Network last month announced the selection of the top 10 entries for the Laudamus Award for Sacred Art. The competition – which was a call to artists to express their faith and spirituality through their creative works – drew an overwhelming response, with submissions from 48 countries.
A £25,000 First Prize was kindly donated by Christian Art’s benefactor John Studzinski CBE and the network’s panel of experts selected the top 10 submissions, which were then put to a public vote.
Christian Art’s founder and head writer Father Patrick van der Vorst said he was thrilled to be able to announce the winner of the Laudamus Award 2024 for Sacred Art.
“The competition received an overwhelming response, with 1,218 submissions that truly inspired us,” said Fr Patrick, who is a priest in the Diocese of Westminster.
“We were deeply moved by the creativity, craftsmanship, and spiritual depth expressed in each piece.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who articipated in the Laudamus Award:
- To all who entered: Thank you for sharing your artistic gifts and interpretations of faith. Each submission was a testament to the power of art to inspire and uplift.
- To all who voted: Thank you for your involvement in selecting the winning artwork. Your voice helped determine the piece that best captures the essence of contemporary sacred art.
- To our judges: A special thank you to our esteemed panel of judges for their meticulous review and thoughtful deliberation in selecting the top ten.”
“We are delighted to announce that the winner of the Laudamus Award 2024 for Sacred Art is Claudiu Guraliuc with his stunning piece, “Pietà”,” said Fr Patrick.
“Congratulations, Claudiu! Your artwork resonated deeply with both our judges and the public, and we are honored to present you with the grand prize of £25,000.
“We also want to acknowledge the incredible talent of the following artists who made it to the Top 10. These exceptional pieces deserve recognition for their unique contributions to the competition.”
Fr Patrick’s comments on the winning submission:
Claudiu Guraliuc is a full-time portrait photographer based in Cluj, Romania. He is a Master Photographer, holding the distinction of Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. Claudio’s photography echoes the tradition of old master paintings, creating a profound visual and emotional connection between contemporary art and historical masterpieces. I think this Pietà is truly magnificent and deeply moving.
The Italian Renaissance artists were known for their dramatic use of chiaroscuro, a technique that employs strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of depth. Guraliuc uses similar techniques to highlight the emotional intensity of the scene, reminiscent of Andra Mantegna.
Mary’s sorrow and loss are palpable. Tears stream from her left eye. Her right hand supports her son’s body, while her left hand cradles his head with tender affection. Mary mourning over her son’s body is laden with suffering, sacrifice, and redemption. The layers of realism and painterly texture draw us directly into the scene. The vivid, modern faces capture our attention: this scene feels not like an event from two thousand years ago, but as though it happened just yesterday. Additionally, observe the understated halos and the blood of Christ dripping from his hand onto his linen loincloth.
VIEW ALL ARTWORK SUBMISSIONS