Five years after the devastating 2019 fire, Notre Dame has reopened to the public, thanks to the tireless efforts of thousands of workers in a €900 million restoration. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges, triumphs, and artistry that brought Notre Dame back to life.
New York Times journalist Aurelien Breeden, carpenter Hank Silver, architect Axelle Ponsonnet, and photographer Tomas Van Houtryve will share their unique perspectives on the restoration process. Moderated by Erin Ogunkeye, broadcast journalist with France 24.
About the speakers:
Aurelien Breeden is a Franco-American journalist who has been a reporter at the Paris bureau of The New York Times for over a decade. He covers a broad spectrum of news, including the 2019 fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral and the efforts to rebuild it. He has a dual master’s degree in journalism and international affairs from Sciences Po university in Paris, where he teaches an eight-week writing and reporting workshop. He lives in Paris with his wife and three daughters.
Erin Ogunkeye grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia but has spent more time living in Paris than any other city. She studied French law before realising she wanted to feel a closer connection to the rest of the world by following, relaying and breaking down current events; perhaps not too differently from the way a lawyer connects with a jury. She is an anchor at France 24 and presents ‘Around the World’ from Thursday to Sunday.
Axelle Ponsonnet, an architect graduated from the École d’Architecture de Paris Belleville, has been involved in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral for the past four years, overseeing the lead roofing. Passionate about imagery and drawing, Axelle has been sketching the site since 2020, providing an intimate and privileged perspective on the rebuilding process of the iconic structure. Her book, “Balade dans Notre-Dame, carnet de chantier,” a unique and intimate exploration of the reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral, is forthcoming.
Hank Silver is an American timber frame carpenter who has spent close to two years working on the restoration of Notre Dame de Paris. Born in New York City, Silver honed his craft in Vermont, before opening his own workshop in western Massachusetts. Since 2018, Silver has been a member of the France-based volunteer crew, Charpentiers sans frontières (Carpenters Without Borders) whose mission is the restoration of world carpentry heritage and the transmission of the skills and techniques to future generations of craftspeople. Silver currently resides in Paris.
Tomas van Houtryve is a Paris based artist, photographer and filmmaker whose major works interweave investigative journalism, philosophy and metaphor. Van Houtryve was selected to document the Notre-Dame cathedral of Paris after it was devastated by fire in 2019. With rare access to the rebuilding of the Paris icon, he made images using a wide range of techniques: 19th-century wet plate collodion, traditional photo reportage, and aerial drone videography.
