CThis announcement risks knocking some critics out of their seats. This Wednesday, December 18, the Élysée announced the choice of Claire Tabouret to create new stained glass windows in six chapels on the aisle of the nave of Notre-Dame de Paris, which reopened its doors on the weekend of the 7th and 8th. December. The 43-year-old artist is “one of the most recognized artists of her generation and exhibits her works throughout the world”, specifies the press release.
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The stained glass windows will be manufactured by the Reims glassworks workshop Simon-Marq. “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,” responded Claire Tabouret, whose work has already conquered part of the world.
Claire Tabouret, major contemporary artist
The painter, who graduated from Fine Arts in 2006, has presented exhibitions in Nantes, Paris and Marseille, but also in Miami, London, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Rome. The works of this contemporary artist who has come of age are part of important collections, such as those of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma), the Pinault Foundation or the agnès b. collection. Claire Tabouret lives between France and Los Angeles.
ALSO READ Stained glass windows of Notre-Dame: “We are attacking Viollet-le-Duc” According to Artprice, in 2021 she was “the most highly valued living French artist on the art market”. “Young beginners, migrants at sea, portraits of groups from yesterday and today, couples, families, children, self-portraits, the artist recomposes an immense gallery of portraits questioning the complexity of identities and human bonds. It is also part of a revival of contemporary painting very popular with major collectors. »
Seven of his works have already sold for a total of two million dollars. She also entered the top 10 of the most highly valued French women in history, being “in line with the rising stars of new American figurative painting (particularly African-American) that collectors are currently snapping up”. Suffice to say that his choice, against Philippe Parreno, Daniel Buren, Gérard Traquandi and Yan Pei-Ming, does not seem surprising given his reputation.
ALSO READ Notre-Dame: in 1939, stained glass windows were already causing controversyThis will not prevent this choice from being the subject of disputes. Last July, the National Commission for Architecture and Heritage, an advisory body of the Ministry of Culture, spoke out unanimously against the installation of contemporary stained glass windows. Because the installation of these new stained glass windows requires dismantling those of the architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, classified as historic monuments.
“Stained glass windows that will have the right presence”
“We are waiting for the publication of the work authorization signed by the regional prefect to attack”, indicated to Telerama Julien Lacaze, president of the Sites and Monuments association, who set up a petition from opponents which collected more than 230,000 signatures. As a matter of principle, he defends the protection of “historical monuments” and the integrity of Viollet-le-Duc’s work.
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“Installing contemporary stained glass windows could be interesting, but we must not destroy the creation of the past. They could be placed in the north belfry, where there are white windows. Thus, we would add instead of subtract,” he defends, intending to take the matter to court. “It seems essential to me to create stained glass windows that 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,” explained Claire Tabouret.
The stained glass windows should be installed at the end of 2026. They will only represent 5% of the surface area of the 120 glass roofs in place in the cathedral. Will this be enough to change the minds of the most reluctant?
