MATTHEW

This plate shows the moment that Matthew was called to become a disciple of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew tells us that he was working as a tax colector - this means that he would have been alienated from his family and community, so following Jesus became an opportunity for Matthew to turn his life around. He would go on to spread the word of God through evangelism and his written account of Jesus’ life, which would become part of the New Testament. Parts of the design were influenced by medieval-era illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells and the Lindisfarne Gospels. On the plate, I tried to convey an image of someone finding their way out of a difficult life. Matthew is restricted by the trappings of his work as a tax collector, but finds liberation by becoming a disciple