Eleven years after "The Flight into Egypt", the artist Timur D'Vatz has returned to the Marist parish in London with a second Marian work, a vivid depiction of Pentecost.
On Sunday 20 September, Notre Dame de France celebrated the opening of its pastoral year with the 'Messe de Rentrée'. One of the highlights of the day was the unveiling of a new painting in the church, showing Mary and the disciples at Pentecost.
The work complements an earlier painting by the same artist, "The Flight into Egypt", which was unveiled in the church in 2015. That earlier piece used a pale palette, drawn from the dust of the desert and the sadness of its subject. The new painting is full of vivid colour. It celebrates the light of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church, and it takes its cue from the sunlit stained glass of Gothic cathedrals, in reds, blues, greens and gold, "the colours of eternal life."
At the heart of the scene is Mary, gathered in prayer with the Apostles and the women who waited with them for the coming of the Spirit. The artist chose to portray her in a stylised, icon-like form. This draws on the tradition of icon painting, in which the image is built up from darkness into light. It is a fitting way to present the Mother of the Church, who was present at its birth as she was at the birth of her Son.
Above the gathering, the Spirit descends as blue flames. This choice emerged as the work progressed. For the artist, the flames became the sky, the celestial realm, igniting the disciples' mission on earth and pointing to a spiritual rather than a literal fire. "I see art as one of the ways to God," Timur D'Vatz said, describing the commission as a beautiful chapter in his life.
Fr Pascal Boidin sm, parish priest at Notre Dame de France, shares some thoughts about the painting and its Marist significance.
Why this theme?
The birth of the Church is one of the important Marist themes. Our founder, Jean-Claude Colin, was inspired by the first Church gathered in the Upper Room. The descent of the Holy Spirit on that gathering is a pivotal moment: from there the disciples disperse so that all nations can receive the good news of the Gospel. Pentecost is already depicted in a bas-relief on the columns at the entrance of the church. We wanted this theme to be more present in this place where the Church of today is being built.
Why Timur D'Vatz?
In 2015, for the 150th anniversary of Notre Dame de France, Timur offered us a painting of the Flight into Egypt. It recalls the exile Jesus and his parents suffered as they fled the violence of Herod. It hangs on the wall next to the rooms where the Refugee Centre welcomes the undocumented migrants it supports. In this way it links the church, a place where the Christian faith is celebrated, with the social action of the Refugee Centre. Ever since, we have hoped for another work by Timur that could respond to the first. After eleven years, it has happened!
What does it mean to you?
It has been a great joy to welcome this work: to discuss the sketches with Timur, and to see it come to fruition during a visit to his studio in Normandy. I am happy that contemporary artists can express the beauty of faith. Seeing how the painting has been received, I believe we were right to carry out this project.
