Een nieuw gezicht voor Madeleine
A new view on biblical figure
BEFORE
All photos and designs on this page remain the property of Birgit Verplancke, both intellectually and in form.
Project M, our affectionate nickname for her during the months spent in our studio, has truly made a statement. In the confines of a magnificent neo-Gothic church, we have harnessed the essence of contemporary glass art by crafting a stained glass window that embraces the boundless possibilities of the present. Immerse yourself in the harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, as this masterpiece brings forth a reimagined perspective on the art form.
Our deepest gratitude goes to our partners in crime: Yot with Koen Dekorte, the Church council Magdalenakerk with Koen Seynaeve, PK-Projects, The Mayor Dirk de Fauw, and his dedicated aldermen, especially Mercedes Van Volcem. It is their unwavering support that has created the perfect environment and provided the necessary funding for us to once again bring a church to life, just as our ancestor-craftsman did centuries ago.
AFTER
About Maria Magdalena ….
Wie is zij voor ons?
2023 … it’s already history
We became involved in the process when it was already well underway. Previously, we had helped with the construction of the mirrors on the front doors of the church. However, the next project was much bigger as the City and Church had found each other and together they created ‘De Waterkant’. An unused space in the church was given a new purpose, which included a new sanitary block that could be used by the church or the public. Additionally, the stained glass windows were old and needed restoration. We convinced the Church Board to add ‘something new’ to the restoration of losanges. Only after this, ‘De Waterkant’ was brought to life, with a new Madeleine.
In just a few lines .....
The more we talked about Madeleine in the studio and with our clients, the more she shed her neo-Gothic roots and embraced a daring, contemporary aestethic. We could almost feel her…Although she remained “M” for anyone else, she became a part of our studio.
Het maken van
Elk detail wordt op het raam geschilderd: niet alleen het hoofd van Maria Magdalena, maar ook de bladeren. Elk stuk glas passeert zo verschillende malen de oven…. dit dagen, weken, na elkaar. Ook andere technieken vergen hun tijd, zoals glasapplictaties (het verlijmen), het fusen (samen smelten van glasdelen, zoals de vlinders), het graveren (het oogje van het duiveltje)
De Plaatsing
Eens een ontwerp gemaakt is en het glasraam ‘bestaat’ moet het ook nog geplaatst worden. En dat is niet altijd vanzelfsprekend. Je kan tal van zaken tegenkomen die de uiteindelijke plaatsing tot ‘a piece of cake’ maken of tot het begin van een lijdensweg. Gezien de ouderdom van het raam, de grootte, … hadden we het tweede verwacht, maar … de plaatsing verliep bijzonder vlot! Hieronder kan je in een aantal beelden de plaatsing volgen.
Each detail is painted on the window: not only the head of Mary Magdalene, but also the leaves. Each piece of glass passes through the kiln several times… days and weeks following each other. Other techniques also take time, such as glass applications (gluing), fusing (melting together glass parts, such as the butterflies), engraving (the devil’s eye)
Once a design has been made and the stained glass window ‘exists’, it still needs to be installed. And that is not always easy peasy. You may encounter many things that make the final installation a piece of cake or the beginning of an ordeal. Given the age of the window, its size, … we expected the latter, but … the installation went very smoothly! Below you can follow the installation in a number of images.
