This Easter, a collection of modern paintings depicting the Easter Story is being showcased in businesses across Powys, giving the public a chance to experience the artwork in everyday settings.

The project features 15 paintings by artist Mark Cazalet, which are usually displayed in galleries and cathedrals.

These works reimagine key moments from the Easter Story in modern-day London, with locations including flyovers, London Underground stations, and the streets outside Wormwood Scrubs prison.

The paintings are on display in cafés, pubs, butchers’ shops, and other local businesses in Crickhowell, Talgarth, Llangors, and Hay-on-Wye. The initiative was organized by the same team that brought live camels to Brecon for a public nativity in 2023, and it aims to make the Easter Story more accessible by placing it in familiar, everyday settings.

Richard Parry is the director of the New Library, Llantwit Major and Rev Anna Bessant is the vicar of Llyn Safaddan Churches around Llangors Lake.

"We’re hoping that people will be able to glimpse the traditional Easter Story in a new way, whilst out shopping and relaxing in their local towns and villages”, said Rev Bessant, who has helped to bring the Easter paintings project to life.

“The paintings are very immediate and shocking. And because the scenes are set in modern Britain we hope it will move people to think about the relevance of the story today.”

In Talgarth, the window of the butcher’s W J George is displaying one of the paintings until the project’s end on Good Friday. Georgina George who runs the Deli Pot at the village butchers is pleased to be taking part.

“It’s a privilege to be hosting one of these important pictures,” she said.

“We’re delighted to be telling part of the story here in Talgarth, and people can see some of the other paintings just a few yards away at the Black Mountain College office and in the cafes.”

The 15 paintings illustrate the trial, torture and execution of the Easter Story. The picture titled ‘Women of Jerusalem Weep’ is set amongst street market stalls on Portobello Road in West London and as part of the project is now hanging on the wall in Llangynidr’s Walnut Tree Café.

“Our café is mainly run by women so it’s very apt for us to be hosting this painting,” says Claire Preece, who runs the café.

“It’s a pleasure to be taking part in the Easter Story in the area, collaborating with local businesses and churches. Walnut Tree Café customers are very intrigued by this painting and the meaning behind it. It’s certainly different from lots of the artwork usually found in cafes in the Usk Valley. We’re more used to rural scenes in our art, like the nearby picturesque Table Mountain - not a military convoy in the Portobello Market!”

Richard Parry from the New Library, Llantwit Major who organised a similar project last year in pubs and cafes on the south Wales coast said: “These paintings in Powys are very important. They remind us of the everyday compassion of people on pavements in the face of cruel violence in the world. They deal with our modern predicament today and link it to the passion, degradation and transformation of the Easter Story.”

All the paintings remain on display in Powys cafes, pubs and shops until Good Friday, April 18 when they will all be brought together for public viewing as a full set at the small Celtic church at Llanywern near Lake Llangors from Saturday, April 19.

The paintings in Powys can be seen at the following locations:

Webbs of Crickhowell : 15. Emmaus

Book-ish : 5. Simon of Cyrene

ASDA Express Petrol : 9. Third Fall

Gallops Architectural Salvage : 4. Meets mother

Pugh’s: 13. Pieta

Kutz Barbers: 1. Sentenced

Three Tuns: 11. Nailed to the

Small Farms Butchers: 6. Veronica

Black Mountains College Office: 2. Takes cross

W. J. George Butchers: 3. First Fall

The Strand: 10. Stripped

Talgarth Mill: 14. Entombed

The Walnut Tree: 8. Women of Jerusalem weep

Base Camp Cafe, Llangors Multi Activity Centre: 12. Crucified

The Red Lion: 7. Second Fall

A full list of the pubs, shops and cafes displaying the paintings can be found here: https://www.newlibrary.wales/modern-easter-paintings-in-powys-shops-cafes-and-pubs/