Notre Drâme, 2017

Etching on paper, limited series

2017, Atelier Contre Point. Paris

What were some of the reasons behind creating etchings of Notre Dame in 2017?

This work with the Notre Dame etching stems from a broader question the artist has grappled with: Why is there far more female representation in architectural façades, sculptures, and monuments than there is actual influence or agency of women in designing and constructing these images? This tension drew the artist to Notre Dame, a place noted as the most visited site in Paris.

The cathedral’s design, particularly the way its exterior buttresses provide crucial support for its delicate interior, embodies a societal construct that women require external support. This fallacy persists even though society often overlooks the immense contributions women make, particularly in the form of care as emotional labour. Simone de Beauvoir aptly describes this as le travail invisible (invisible work) in her book The Second Sex.

Through this etching, the artist seeks to delve deeper into these themes, exploring the tension between what is visible and what remains hidden while questioning the fragility of this religious icon. This exploration took on even more significance after the fire of 15 April 2019. The public’s emotional response to the event, widely shared through television and social media, offered further insight into how people value this heritage site, turning it into a symbol of collective memory and identity.

While sketching the spire, the artist noticed that the sculptures of saints on the roof were quite damaged—some reduced to just half a body or even just feet. Interestingly, these sculptures had been moved to a separate location for restoration when the fire occurred and, as a result, were spared from destruction.