The major fire that occurred at the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral on April 15 and 16, 2019, transformed for nearly fifteen hours the most famous cathedral in France into a monumental blaze. The disaster having occurred at the end of the afternoon inside the framework quickly took on a disproportionate scale.
The flames completely destroy its spire, the roofs of the nave and transept as well as its framework. By collapsing, the arrow causes the collapse of the vault of the transept crossing, part of that of the north arm and that of a. Span of the nave. The belfry of the north tower is slightly touched and the staircase leading to the floor is burned. The intervention of hundreds of firefighters until daybreak allows to save the overall structure of the building and to spare the south tower, secured a few hours after the start of the fire, as well as the western facade, the treasury and most of the works of art of the cathedral. This is the largest disaster suffered by the cathedral since its construction. The fire is causing very strong emotion both in France and in the rest of the world, significant media coverage, as well as significant private and public financial donations. After debates on the construction of a more modern building 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, and in love with history and cultures, Patrick Rimoux has been tasked with rethinking the lighting of this iconic monument. His project is to transform each ray of light into an instrument of life and revelation, amplifying the majesty and spirituality of the building. Its lighting concept, designed to exalt the mystical and architectural depth of Notre-Dame, includes 2175 light points and 1550 projectors. The variations in intensity and temperature of the light, ranging from a warm white of 2200K, recall the glow of a candle (bachelor flame of a candle). His installation offering the public 10 architectural scenarios, 30 liturgical scenarios and 10 concert scenarios offers a range of atmospheres adapted to every occasion, from solemn celebration to silent contemplation.

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It is in this historical context that we have chosen to propose to the artist to intervene within the framework of the gallery Soufflot in order to bring us a part of the breath that he impulses within the framework of this renewal of the cathedral Notre Dame.

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Artist-entrepreneur Patrick Rimoux is a light-sculptor. Light is his element, his substance, his work, he shapes it and captivates it. Because since childhood, he has been fascinated by forms, volumes and materials: he experimented with multiple before working on the art of light. Thus, after training as a professor in new technology, he turned to the Beaux-Arts de Paris, notably in the workshops of Claude Viseux and Piotr Kowalski. With them, Patrick Rimoux unleashes his creativity and launches into the passionate exploration of the fields of light: cinema, photography, architecture, painting, sculpture... Light is everywhere and essential. He therefore applies himself to making it alive, palpable, and a messenger of emotions.