Grote Sint-Laurenskerk

Alkmaar, Netherlands

Artist: Fiona Tan

At 6 meters wide and 23 meters high, the two transept windows of the Protestant Grote Sint-Laurenskerk in Alkmaar, Netherlands, are among the largest Gothic windows in Europe. One of them was recently redesigned by photographer, filmmaker and video artist Fiona Tan. It is Tan’s first work in glass – a deliberate choice by the selection committee. Tan’s stunning design was inspired by her uncle’s kaleidoscope, which she used to play with as a child. A soldier in the second world war, he had crafted the kaleidoscope himself using shards from the broken windows of Reims Cathedral.

The window consists of 214 stained glass panels, each containing up to 250 individual pieces of glass. Each piece was hand cut and assembled at our studio in Taunusstein, Germany. Artist Fiona Tan was heavily involved in the fabrication process – selecting each color, visiting for several reviews, and approving each panel. Overall, the planning, fabrication and installation took approximately 12 months. The window was inaugurated in early October 2023.