Campus Murals
Built: 5/30/1996
Matth Cupido, a nationally-noted artist, was invited to Redeemer as an artist-in-residence in 1996 and 1998 to envision, design, and complete the two distinctive murals. A close friend of past President Justin Cooper, Cupido resides in Canning, Nova Scotia and returns to Redeemer regularly to share both his wisdom and artwork.
The first mural entitled, ‘There is a River,’ resides in the academic building’s south wing. Its inspiration comes from Psalm 46:4 which reads, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”
The upper focus of this mural is the symbol of the Triumphant Lamb, which is also on Redeemer’s coat of arms. Seven spirits in the form of seven flames surround the Lamb, as well as the symbols for Alpha and Omega. Out of the throne of the Lamb flows the river of life, symbolizing the Holy Spirit. On each side of the river is the tree of life, whose trunks look like hands to symbolize Isaiah’s vision of the trees of the field clapping their hands in praise to God.
As the River of Life touches the hearts of stone, they become hearts of flesh that display the fruits of the Spirit, painted in red symbols on the stones. These stones are found both above and below the stairs, so that people walking on the stairs become part of the mural. This is a foretaste of God’s coming peaceable, lion-lamb Kingdom, spoken of in Isaiah 65, which you see on the lower portion of the mural. Altogether, the image is a powerful portrayal of the spiritual realities that underlie Redeemer’s mission.
Cupido’s second mural is located at the junction of the north hallways, and based on Isaiah 55:12-13. The lower left hand corner portrays the verse 13, “Instead of the thornbush will grow pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.”
On the right side of the mural a group of faithful followers “go out in joy and are led forth in peace” together with the mountains and the trees of the field. They look upward, with their eyes toward the Sun of Righteousness. This mural is an expression of Christ’s creation-wide work of redemption on which Redeemer’s mission is based.
Redeemer is honoured to have these murals in its academic building, and is very thankful to Matth Cupido for all the work and creativity that went into both these projects.