For the first time, the Domaine National de Chambord is hosting a stained glass artist, Kim En Joong, a major figure in this centuriesold art, for the exhibition Colors of the Invisible, from March 29 to August 31, 2025. The artist has been invited for a six-week residency at Chambord to create three canvases, one of which will
be selected for the exhibition.
Some of Father Kim’s most beautiful stained glass works,
displayed in the transepts and rooms on the second floor of the château, resonate deeply with the spirit of a monument whose very architecture is an ode to the circulation of light.The painting created during the residency will be exhibited alongside around
forty stained glass pieces, paintings, and ceramics.
Chambord: a heritage revitalized by contemporary creation
After welcoming around thirty artists, including Lionel
Sabatté, Wang Keping, Pablo Reinoso, and Julien
des Monstiers, the Domaine national de Chambord
now invites stained glass artist Kim En Joong for a
residency, followed by an exhibition.
Since 2011, Chambord has served as a creative
laboratory, hosting artists and writers in residence,
leading to unique exhibitions.
“Chambord is a château filled with windows, some
adorned with stained glass, with an architecture
designed to circulate light. Father Kim En Joong’s
works will find a luminous resonance here. By inviting
a stained glass artist for the first time, we aim not only
to highlight his talent but also to celebrate this everevolving art form that blends tradition and modernity.”
Pierre-Gilles Girault, Director of Public Engagement
and Cultural Programs at the Domaine national de
Chambord
Kim En Joong in residence at Chambord
Ahead of the exhibition, Father Kim will take up
residence at the château de Chambord starting
February 17, 2025.
During his two visits to Chambord, Father Kim was
struck by the monument’s spiritual dimension, with
its Greek cross-shaped layout oriented according to
the cardinal points—likely inspired by Saint John’s
Revelation and the description of the Heavenly
Jerusalem.
Deeply moved by this extraordinary architecture
and the shifting light that floods the grand vaulted
rooms of the second floor, the artist decided to create
monumental in-situ paintings (oil and acrylic, 2.16m
x 7m). These three canvases—one of which will be
featured in the exhibition—will be dedicated to Saint
Louis, in reference to the patronage under which
Chambord’s church is placed.
The Exhibition Colors of the Invisible
March 29 – August 31, 2025
From March 29 to August 31, the exhibition Colors
of the Invisible will bring together nearly 900m² of
space featuring around forty works by Kim En Joong,
including some never before shown to the public: 34
stained glass pieces (a total of 56 panels), ceramics, a
folding screen, a fan, and four paintings.
This exhibition is the result of a close collaboration
between the Domaine national de Chambord and
the International Stained Glass Center in Chartres,
where Kim En Joong’s work was in the spotlight until
February 2025. The center’s director, Jean-François
Lagier, serves as associate curator for the exhibition.
A dialogue with Light
Light plays a fundamental role in the exhibition.
The works installed under the coffered vaults are
positioned at the ends of Chambord’s transepts,
engaging with the natural light that shifts throughout
the day depending on the sun’s orientation. This everchanging illumination brings the works to life, casting
colored shadows onto the floor and walls, transforming
each space into a dynamic visual spectacle.
In the adjacent rooms, stained glass pieces, ceramics,
and paintings are displayed in an intimate setting,
allowing for a closer appreciation of Kim En Joong’s
artistic vision.
Kim En Joong: the art of painting with light
Kim En Joong was born in 1940 in Korea. From a
young age, he practiced calligraphy before discovering
Western art at the Seoul School of Fine Arts. In 1969, he
moved to Switzerland, where he found his true vocation
through the spirituality of the Dominican monks.
In France, he was captivated by the radiant light of
Provence and the more subtle hues of Brittany. His
first stained glass work, created for the new cathedral
of Évry in 1998, revealed his exceptional talent as a
painter of light within architecture.
With over a hundred stained glass creations for
significant spiritual sites in France and around the
world, his work has made a major contribution to the
history of stained glass and sacred art. His stained glass
pieces can be found in: Vaison-la-Romaine Cathedral
(France), N’Djamena Cathedral (Chad), Brussels
Basilica (Belgium), Numerous churches, chapels, and
monasteries in France, Korea, Italy, Australia, and
Germany.
By using modern techniques, such as large sheets
of float glass cut to fit architectural openings, Kim En
Joong has freed his brushstrokes from the constraints
of lead cames, which traditionally frame stained glass.
He concentrates bursts of vibrant color in specific
areas while leaving large white or transparent spaces,
creating heightened contrast.
Kim En Joong has profoundly transformed the art of
stained glass, opening new paths for contemporary
sacred art. He describes his approach as «painting
reality», a reality glimpsed through the union of faith
and art.
The Domaine national de Chambord
For over 500 years, Chambord has inspired admiration
and fascination worldwide. Listed as a historic
monument in France since 1840 and a UNESCO World
Heritage Site since 1981, it is one of the Renaissance’s
most remarkable constructions and the largest walled
park in Europe, covering 5,440 hectares. As the second
most-visited château in France, Chambord attracts over
one million visitors annually.
Owned by the French state since 1930, the Domaine
national de Chambord operates as a public institution
under the supervision of the Ministries of Culture,
Agriculture, and Environment, with the patronage of the
President of the Republic. The public institution, led by
Pierre Dubreuil since January 2023, also manages the
Grand Parc de Rambouillet.
