The major fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15 and 16, 2019 transformed France's most famous cathedral into a monumental inferno for almost fifteen hours. The fire, which broke out in the late afternoon in the interior of the roof structure, quickly took on a disproportionate scale. The flames completely destroyed the spire, the nave and transept roofs and the roof structure. When the spire collapsed, it caused the collapse of the transept crossing vault, part of the north arm vault and one nave bay. The belfry of the north tower was slightly affected, and the staircase leading to the upper floor was burnt. The intervention of hundreds of firefighters until daybreak saved the overall structure of the building and spared the south tower, which was secured a few hours after the fire broke out, as well as the west façade, the treasury and most of the cathedral's works of art. This was the biggest fire to hit the cathedral since it was built. The fire provoked an outpouring of emotion in France and the rest of the world, as well as extensive media coverage and substantial private and public donations. After debates about building a more modern edifice on the site of the old spire designed by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1859, it was finally decided to rebuild it identically.

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Insatiable, curious, open-minded, a lover of history and culture, light sculptor Patrick Rimoux was commissioned by the French government to rethink the lighting of this emblematic monument. His project was to transform each ray of light into an instrument of life and revelation, amplifying the majesty and spirituality of the building. His lighting concept, designed to exalt the mystical and architectural depth of Notre-Dame, includes 2175 light points and 1550 spotlights. Variations in light intensity and temperature, ranging from a warm white 2200 K, recall the glow of a candle. His installation, offering the public 10 architectural scenarios, 30 liturgical scenarios and 10 concert scenarios, provides a palette of moods to suit every occasion, from solemn celebration to silent contemplation. Light, he strives, is alive, palpable and a messenger of emotion.

It's against this historical backdrop that Patrick Rimoux has honoured us with his presence at Sorbonne Artgallery (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne), sharing with us some of the inspiration he has given to the renewal of Notre-Dame Cathedral, transforming the exhibition panels into stained-glass windows of light for the coming weeks.

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