Loss, Memory and Identity

The Western Facade of Notre Dame de Paris
May 2001

The fire at Notre Dame on 15 April 2019 was devastating, nearly destroying the ancient cathedral. I have been in the church several times and that afternoon my first thought was maybe I had not taken enough photographs. But in the following days I learned that Notre Dane had been systematically photographed and digitized. Perhaps my inclination to catalog sites and places would be better served in other, less familiar places.

Six weeks later, I had the chance to walk along the Seine and see the damage for myself. The twelfth century structure remained unsafe. People sat and stared in disbelief. The near destruction of an iconic building, well over 800 years old, startled people; it was a stark reminder of the transient nature of all things. It would be rebuilt. Its memory would continue to be cherished. It would remain a part of our collective identity, even if we were not French or Catholic.

Yet a year on, the great fire seems like a distance footnote to those of us who are not in Paris. The COVID-19 virus has disrupted life wreaking havoc not just on a building but on the entire society and much of the world. The gargoyles perched around Notre Dame seem to look down on the city and the world

Notre Dame: late May 2019