HOW SHOULD JOAN OF ARC BE REPRESENTED IN HER CHURCH IN ROUEN ?

    In Rouen, once in the Old Market Square, as one is still impressed by the overwhelming memorial of Joan-at-the-stake, what next representation of Joan could possibly greet a visitor to her church ? I wondered indeed, when the order was put to me. It would have been easy to repeat one of the moments of her past life : Joan-at-the-stake, Joan during a court hearing, in battle, in Domrémy, her birthplace. But in this church, this unique place, Joan’s meeting us again from her Heaven seemed more in tune to me : meaning an accomplished woman, fully feminine in her wide-open dress and with her modern-styled hair, with her face all innocence, a welcoming look in her eyes, the smooth breathing of the Spirit within her, and the intense blaze here symbolized by the big bush of altar candles to convey how keen to love she is.
   What is more, as I was in quest of Joan’s features today, I drew a connection between her fortune and that of Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897) : both young women belonged to the same period when it comes to their canonization processes and the widespread success of their cults. But, what, in the case of “little Thérèse”, had stayed success for over sixty years -canonization included- was a false face and untrue writings. With the Church’s agreement, and due to a huge media coverage, Mother Agnès, Thérèse’s elder sister and the Prioress of her Carmel, had doctored everything : her translucent angel-like face, her mawkish eyes, her writings pious to excess (“The Story Of A Soul”). So it was to be until the end of the fifties when, after Mother Agnès’ death and historical research helping, Thérèse’s genuine photos were brought to light and abundantly issued, and her texts reprinted “in their original terms” (as articles to be found on Google, and hypocritically concealing that sorry affair, put it).
   Hence my question : as something resonating with that unique place (unimaginable in any other part of the world whatsoever), was not Joan hopefully relying on me to give her back her face ? First of all remove what was hard, mawkish and related to the cult of redemptive suffering as was displayed on the approximately 8.000 images and statues of her. I was aware of the existence of two basic versions mutually fortifying each other since the 1840ies : Michelet’s one relying on the theory of a secular Republic, a theory as far ranging eventually as the doxa the (extreme-right) National Front party –Joan as the daughter of the people-, and the version of the Bishop of Orléans such as exposed during her beatification process –Joan as the daughter of the Church prompted by heavenly voices. Alternative versions can be found, among which that of Joan as the Maid of Orléans, and who knows what future historical research may hold. The advantage of my sculpture is that it brings together and transcends all versions in a tacit, allusive, not explicitly stated language. For and into that woman’s mystery, for and into her presence.

   * N.B. For the launching of year 2000, the Orléans Joan of Arc Centre promoted a project : a poster with seven 20th century statues of Joan of Arc, among which mine.

(Translated by Michèle Bustros)