French painter Claire Tabouret has been chosen to create new stained-glass windows for Notre-Dame, a project supported by President Emmanuel Macron and the Archbishop of Paris but which has caused controversy.
Claire Tabouret, 43, has been chosen to create contemporary stained-glass windows for the newly reopened Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, in collaboration with Reims-based glassmaking studio Simon-Marq.
The initiative, which is being supported by President Emmanuel Macron and Archbishop of Paris Mgr Laurent Ulrich, aims to leave "a contemporary mark on the iconic building", which was devastated by fire in 2019 and has since been fully restored.
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The new stained-glass windows are set to replace six of the seven windows on the south aisle of the cathedral, originally designed by 19th-century architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
A joint statement from the Elysée and the Paris Diocese highlighted "the exceptional artistic quality of the proposal and its architectural integration – particularly its harmony with the stained-glass window depicting the Tree of Jesse (1864), which remains in place in one of the chapels of the same aisle".
Tabouret, who is based in Los Angeles, expressed her excitement at "the opportunity to use her art for unity," especially "in an era marked by wars, divisions and extreme tensions".
Shortlist
Following the signing of the contract with the public institution in charge of rebuilding Notre-Dame, a six-month study period is planned, followed by a year and a half for the execution of the windows, expected to be in place by late 2026
Eight artists, including Daniel Buren and Yan Pei-Ming, were shortlisted after a call for applications in April, which attracted 110 teams. The selection committee of 20 members included heritage curators, artists, members of the Paris Diocese, the public institution overseeing the restoration and the Ministry of Culture.
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Opposition to the project
However, a group of heritage defenders – led by Didier Rykner, head of the La Tribune de l'Art website – have opposed the project, on the basis that the original stained-glass windows were not damaged in the fire.
They have launched a petition, which has garnered nearly 245,000 signatures.
The Sites & Monuments heritage preservation group plans to take legal action, which will only be possible once a work permit for the project has been granted.
Julien Lacaze, president of the organisation, said: "These stained-glass windows are important for the architecture and will disappear, even though there are white glass panels in the north and south belfries that could accommodate contemporary stained-glass."
The contemporary project has also faced opposition from the National Heritage and Architecture Commission, though its opinion is advisory. The commission has previously opposed other now-iconic projects, including the Louvre Pyramid and Buren's black and white columns at the Palais-Royal.
Notre-Dame de Paris reopened on 7 December, after a monumental five-year restoration.
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(with AFP)
