Crescendo by Stephen Dean

Stephen Dean'ssuspended installation Crescendo, specially created for the chevet of the cathedral basilica of Saint-Denis , rises to a height of 15 metres. Taking the form of a ladder decorated with coloured dichroic stained glass, the colour of the glass changes according to the angle of view and the source of light.

Stephen Dean was inspired by the history of the site: in the ^12th century, Abbot Suger launched an exceptional programme of stained glass windows in the abbey church, which was consecrated on 11 June 1144. He used rich iconography and shimmering colours to create a veritable showcase of light in the choir of the basilica.

This symbolism continues with Stephen Dean'sCrescendo. This installation, suspended in the centre of the Gothic architecture, is designed as a celebration of the radiance of light. Its title, with its musical connotations, is inspired by the intensity of light and celebrates the acoustic dimension of the cathedral.

A universal symbol: the ladder

This work is also an invitation to contemplate a universal symbol: the ladder. A link between the terrestrial and celestial worlds, the symbol of the ladder spans all eras, cultures and religions. It is present in various stories such as the famous biblical episode of Jacob's ladder (Genesis: 28) or in "Mohammed's book of the ladder", sometimes also in Buddhism and certain forms of shamanism, and right up to the present day with the sociological notion of the "social ladder". The ladder is a constant source of literary and poetic inspiration, evoking an upward or downward dynamic, uniting opposites and underlining the spiritual passage through initiatory levels.

The Crescendoinstallation takes on a whole new look at night. Darkness combined with artificial lighting gives the installation a whole new dimension. Come and enjoy it for the first time during Grégoire Ichou's nocturnal singing tours.