What if installing contemporary stained glass windows in Notre-Dame-de-Paris wasn’t really such a bad idea? While the debate around the reconstruction of the identical damaged cathedral is still raging, in Brioude (Haute-Loire), it is the first solution that was chosen during the restoration of the Saint-Julien basilica in 2008 And no one regrets it.
“If it had to be done again, we would do it again without hesitation,” says Claire Gaillard, municipal councilor in charge of heritage. “The stained glass windows in the basilica had been partly destroyed during the French Revolution. The history of this building was a historic mille-feuille. We weren’t going to recreate pale copies of Gothic stained glass. “
A Korean artist, master glassmakers from Chartres
The basilica belonging to the city of Brioude, the local elected officials organized a competition to designate the artist who would create the stained glass windows of this Roman-style building. “There were 44 files including big names in contemporary art such as Buren, Buraglio and Alberola. It was ultimately a Korean artist and priest, Kim En Joong, who won the competition.
Its partnership with the master glassmakers of Ateliers Loire in Chartres gave birth to 37 stained glass windows. “We had chosen the abstract rather than the figurative. It took a certain daring, ”recalls Claire Gaillard. Audacity rewarded: “The stained-glass windows brought new life to the basilica. The light, the reflections are amazing. As a result, Brioude has doubled the number of its visitors to reach 100,000 each year. In 2017, it was also awarded three stars in the Michelin green guide. A success.
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