In a press release released on December 18, the Élysée, the public establishment Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris and the archbishopric of Paris revealed the name of the artist chosen from among the applications of Buren, Yan Pei-Ming and Alberola , to create a new set of stained glass windows for the cathedral. It is therefore Claire Tabouret, 43 years old, one of the 10 most highly rated French artists, who will create the designs for 6 new glass roofs for the chapels on the south aisle of Notre-Dame with the Simon-Marq workshop. Her project, which she presented in the cathedral construction site this Wednesday, won over the selection committee chaired by Bernard Blistène, because of “ its very high artistic quality of the proposal and its architectural insertion » as well as its adequacy with the figurative program chosen by the diocese of Paris.
Who is Claire Tabouret?
Born in 1981 in Pertuis, in Vaucluse, and based in Los Angeles since 2015, Claire Tabouret graduated from the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts in Paris. She is recognized for her expressionist figurative works which are regularly exhibited in France and internationally and have been acquired by prestigious collections (Centre Pompidou, LACMA, Collection Pinault, etc.). Inspired since childhood by Water lilies by Claude Monet, she explores melancholic and disturbing themes using ample gestures and muted shades. His portraits of young women, his bronze and ceramic sculptures, and his compositions evoke an ambiguous tension.
View of Claire Tabouret’s exhibition “The Eloquence of Tears” at Château La Coste, 2024 © François Deladerrière
His works, where we perceive the influence of masters like Courbet and Rembrandt, oscillate between the intimate and the universal. In 2024, she participated in the group exhibition of the Vatican Pavilion at the Venice Biennale and presented her recent works, including her first collaboration with the Sèvres workshops, at Château La Coste in Puy-Saint-Réparade. This summer, she also took over the ideal Palais du Facteur Cheval with a fountain which pays homage to Philomène, wife of the naive artist, patron of his crazy adventure, and a tapestry woven in Aubusson.
Claire Tabouret, sculpture-fountain of Philomène designed for the Ideal Palace of Postman Cheval, 2024 ©Margot Montigny
Claire Tabouret’s project for Notre-Dame de Paris
According to the press release, the project proposed by Claire Tabouret “ meets the requirements of the cathedral, both through the very high artistic quality of the proposal and its architectural integration – in particular its adequacy with the stained glass window representing the tree of Jesse (1864), present in one of the chapels of the same side aisle of the nave, which will remain in place – only by respecting the figurative program chosen by the diocese of Paris relating to Pentecost. »
« In a time like ours marked by wars, divisions and extreme tensions, this opportunity to put my Art at the service of unity through the theme of Pentecost is a magnificent outstretched hand.explains the artist. I viewed the visitor’s path as a deeply personal and spiritual journey through Notre-Dame. It seems essential to me to create stained glass windows which will have the right presence, will accompany this movement in space and will act as visual support for the interior journey, but without imposing themselves on visitors. » For the creation of the six glass roofs, i.e. a glazed surface of 121m² (which represents 5% of the surface area of the more than 120 glass roofs in place in the cathedral and dating from the 12th to the 20th century), Claire Tabouret will collaborate with the master’s workshops glassmaker Simon-Marq. Founded almost 400 years ago, these Reims workshops have produced numerous creations of religious stained glass, including the large bay by Imi Knoebel in Reims Cathedral.
Claire Tabouret in front of the sketches of her contemporary stained glass project for Notre-Dame de Paris during the press conference on December 18, 2024. ©Agathe Hakoun/Connaissance des Arts
Do not distort the light of Viollet-le-Duc
During the press conference, Claire Tabouret presented some 2 meter high scale sketches (each bay is each 7 meters high) to give an overview of the project. “ It will be a figurative work of art so that it can be understood, without explanation or cartel, by people of different cultures », adds the artist. In the Saint-Joseph chapel for example, Claire Tabouret will represent the figures arranged in a prayer circle to show the physical and spiritual dimension of the notion of interior. “ Every square inch of these stained glass windows will be inhabited and embodied with more detail on the drapes and colors », explains the painter. Also, it will use the grisaille patterns of the stained glass windows of Viollet-le-Duc to be part of the history of Notre-Dame.
Father Maxime Deurbergue, Bernard Blistène, Claire Tabouret and Sarah Walbaum during the press conference this December 18, 2024. ©Agathe Hakoun/Connaissance des Arts
One of the biggest challenges for the artist will be to recreate the neutral light of Viollet-le-Duc with the help of the Simon-Marq workshop. “ The challenge will be to balance the colors so as not to distort the white light », explains Claire Tabouret. The press release specifies that 6 months of studies prior to putting the project into production will be necessary when the creation of the glass roofs itself should take around 18 months. According to this schedule, the new stained glass windows should therefore be able to be installed at the end of 2026, after having received a favorable opinion from the National Commission for Architecture and Heritage.
A controversial project
The new stained glass window project, entirely financed by the Ministry of Culture (4 million euros) has sparked controversy since its announcement. For the Élysée and the Archbishopric of Paris: “ This choice and the continuation of the project mark the State’s support for artistic creation and the confidence placed in a recognized artist. ». « This debate shows the general public’s interest in our heritage and our history », adds Claire Tabouret during the press conference.
Philippe Jost, Father Maxime Deurbergue, Bernard Blistène, Claire Tabouret and Sarah Walbaum during the press conference this December 18, 2024. ©Agathe Hakoun/Connaissance des Arts
It remains to be seen what will become of the stained glass windows of Viollet-le-Duc, restored and presented in the six chapels on the south aisle of the nave until the completion of Claire Tabouret’s project. According to Philippe Jost, president of the public establishment Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris, two options are possible. Either, they will have their place in a museum dedicated to the cathedral. Either they will be installed in another religious building. In any case, the Sites and Monuments association has already planned to file an appeal. Launched in December 2023 by “ The Art Tribune », a petition against the removal of the stained glass windows of Viollet-le-Duc has gathered more than 243,000 signatures to date.
IN THE STUDIO WITH CLAIRE TABOURET
