designboom's guide to paris design week 2023: what not to miss in and out of maison & objet

DESIGNBOOM GUIDE TO PARIS DESIGN WEEK 2023

Paris Design Week, the must-attend event for design professionals and enthusiasts around the world, returns to the French capital for its 2023 edition. Organized by Maison & Objet, the 10-day event runs from 7 to 16 September, offering a journey filled with the latest trends in interior design and lifestyle. Alongside the fair, which takes place at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center from 7 to 11 September, visitors can explore an array of galleries, prestigious institutions, and unconventional venues spread throughout the city.

designboom’s Paris guide unveils a curated selection to help you make the most of this exciting week. Read below to find out more about this year’s Maison&Objet, as well as the must-see exhibitions, installations, and cultural events taking place during Paris Design Week 2023.

image courtesy of Maison et Objet (head image courtesy of Paris Design Week)

Maison & Objet 2023

Maison & Objet (find more here) is one of the world’s leading trade fairs for the lifestyle, interior design, and design industries. Each edition brings together some 2,300 exhibitors, promoting new contacts and emerging talents, and highlighting current and future trends. Taking place at the Parc des Expositions of Paris-Nord Villepinte, Maison&Objet 2023 is on a ‘quest of pleasures’, proudly displaying colors, extravagance, audacity, and humor as many added values of this new edition.

Amid the numerous participants, guests can find Masquespacio (find more here) with its Home exhibition featuring a range of ceramic objects created in-house combining 3D technology and craftsmanship. The objects boast the signature playful design and vibrant colors of the Valencia-based creative studio. 

What’s more, at Maison & Objet, Bitossi Home (find more here) unveils its new 2023 collection that captures the creative spirit of the Tuscan brand. The series is enriched with a palette of soft colours, like the shapes, which find their primary inspiration in nature. Contrasting edges mix with primordial symbols; hearts, flowers, fruits decorate the plates of the collection, born in collaboration while stars, gold, and silver light up the festive table.

In addition, Japanese designer Hiroyuki Murase introduces his new project Creation as Dialogue, which aims to connect the cultures of craftsmanship between Nagoya and Europe. In collaboration with three established designers, Sawako Furukawa, Daisuke Hirabayashi, and Kodo Nawa, and ten Nagoya-based companies, the project launches a collection of products that embody the synergy between the two cultures. 

For more dedicated coverage of the 2023 edition of Maison & Objet, check here. 

what: Maison & Objet
where: Parc des Expositions of Paris-Nord Villepinte, ZAC Paris Nord 2, 93420 Villepinte, France
when: September 7-11, 2023

PARIS DESIGN WEEK FACTORY

The Paris Design Week Factory (find more here) is a space for emerging designers to showcase their work and connect with potential clients and collaborators. The initiative is held at two locations: the Espace Commines houses an exhibition of gallery design under the curation of an expert while the Galerie Joseph Froissart presents a panorama of the young French and International design scene. The Factory will host a variety of events, including exhibitions, workshops, and talks. with the goal to create a vibrant and collaborative environment where emerging designers can develop their skills and build their networks. Among the participants of the Factory, visitors can see Prisca Razafindrakoto’s Mullca 510 school chair (find more here) which swaps its plywood back and seat for inflated, flame-colored copper.

what: Paris Design Week Factory
where: Espace Commines,  17 Rue Commines, 75003 Paris and Galerie Joseph Froissart, 7 Rue Froissart, 75003 Paris
when: September 7-11, 2023

image courtesy of Prisca Razafindrakoto

india mahdavi

On the occasion of Paris Design Week 2023, India Mahdavi spotlights her latest collaboration with Gebrüder Thonet Vienna. In response to their invitation and for the second year in a row, the designer delved into the Austrian brand’s unique savoir-faire to unveil a lounge chair called Mickey. ‘The Mickey chair is high and comfy, but also embracing, colorful and kind. A friend to cherish and with big ears, who listens to all your fears,’ India Mahdavi says.

where: 29, Rue De Bellechasse
when: September 7-October 7, 2023

image courtesy of India Mahdavi

BATIIK STUDIO

Rebecca Benichou and Florence Jallet of Batiik Studio (find more here) present their first design collection at the 2023 edition of Paris Design Week. The series, titled Dans le sillage de Nérée (In the wake of Nereus), is inspired by the god of the sea and his descendants, and it features a series of furniture pieces with a summery feel, made from natural materials such as wood and rattan.

what: Dans le sillage de Nérée (In the wake of Nereus)
where: Élitis showroom, 5 rue Saint-Benoit, 75006 Paris
when: September 7 – October 31, 2023

image courtesy of Batiik Studio

Feu! by MEET MET MET 

At the Paris Design Week 2023, the MEET MET MET collective (find more here) presents its first exhibition, Feu!. The exhibition brings together 20 designers from France and around the world to explore the iconic and timeless object of the ashtray. Founded by designers Helder Barbosa, Thibault Huguet, and Jean-Baptiste Anotin from the studio Waiting For Ideas, the MEET MET MET collective aims to promote a new wave of independent and often self-published creatives. The exhibition is an opportunity for these designers to experiment with the ashtray form and materiality, and to showcase their unique visions of this humble object.

what: Feu!
where: 7 rue des Gravilliers, 75003 Paris
when: September 6-10, 2023

pure polished mirror aluminium⁠ seat by Waiting For Ideas | image courtesy of MEET MET MET

paf atelier 

Paf Atelier (find more here) has realized the scenography for the Parisian edition of Itinerance Design, the traveling show dedicated to the new guard of design. Directed by the founders and co-curators Jean-François Declercq, Marie Godfrain and David Herman, the show focuses on a multidisciplinary experience dedicated to the reinvention of lifestyles.  

where: Electric Paris, 128 Rue La Fayette, 75010 Paris
when: September 7-10, 2023

image courtrsy of Paf Atelier

kimsooja presents ‘to breathe’ at GALERIES LAFAYETTE

At the invitation of Galeries Lafayette (find more here), Korean artist Kimsooja (find more here) has installed a site-specific, light-oriented artwork To Breathe in its Paris Haussmann. Kimsooja has applied a special film to the historic building’s iconic glass dome, causing the light to disperse into a spectrum of colors. Throughout the day, the exterior surfaces and interior spaces of the building become iridescent, ever-changing landscapes. ‘To Breathe’ is the first installation of its kind in Paris at this scale, and it invites viewers to contemplate the sensory and meditative qualities of light. See designboom’s previous coverage of the installation, here.

what: To Breathe
where: Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, 40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris
when: April 14-October 29, 2023

AlUla, the Land of Design

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will present the winners of the second edition of the AlUla Design Award (find more here) at Paris Design Week. The winners will be announced on September 7th and their work will be on display at a gallery at 21, Rue de Turenne from September 8th to 16th.

The competition invited designers to create products that reflect the culture and landscapes of the Arabic oasis city of AlUla, so that visitors can take home a bit of the spirit of the desert. Over 200 candidates participated, 20 prototypes were made, and ten finalists were selected. The five winners will be chosen by a panel of professionals at Paris Design Week.

what: Alula Design Award
where: 21, Rue De Turenne, 75004 Paris
when: September 7-8, 2023

image courtesy of Maison et Objet 

CARPENTERS WORKSHOP GALLERY

Carpenters Workshop Gallery (find more here) will be at Maison&Objet 2023, presenting its latest selection of artworks by international artists, designers, and architects. The gallery is known for its focus on boundary-pushing work that challenges traditional notions of what is presented in galleries and art fairs.

what: Carpenters Workshop Gallery
where: 54 Rue De La Verrerie, 75004 Paris
when: September 6-16, 2023

image courtesy of Carpenters Workshop Gallery

MAESTRIA GALLERY

From September 8th until September 18th, 2023, Maestria Gallery (find more here) presents Léa Zeroil’s first collection, Lune Rousse (Blood Moon) in an immersive exhibition in which dreamlike furniture and objects emerge from a tent decked out in the colors of warm summer nights. Drawing from the Blood Moon, that mysterious celestial phenomenon that occurs when the full moon is tinged with a warm, orange glow, the pieces presented in this exhibition are a blend of materials such as wood, stone and glass, metal, and textile.

what: Lune Rousse (Blood Moon)
where: 16 rue Saintonge, 75003 Paris
when: September 8-18, 2023

Lune Rousse (Blood Moon), Léa Zeroil | image courtesy of Maestria Gallery

Molteni&C Flagship Store

On the occasion of Paris Design Week 2023, Molteni&C (find more here) Flagship Store is showcasing its 2023 Collection coordinated by Vincent Van Duysen (and here). Inspired by the ancient Roman Domus, the collection narrates a connection between indoor and outdoor, between intimacy and sharing, between private and public. Among the novelties the Augusto sofa and the Mateo lounge table, designed by the Creative Director, the Porta Volta chair by Herzog & de Meuron and the Cinnamon armchair by Naoto Fukasawa. Also starring in the space is the first Molteni&C|Outdoor collection.

Mateo Table by Vincent Van Duysen | image courtesy of Molteni&C

GALERIE ANTHOLOGIE & NIKARI FINLANDE

Galerie ANTHOLOGIE (find more here) is teaming up with Finnish design furniture manufacturer NIKARI to present the Centenniale table by Helsinki-based Studio Joanna Laajisto (and here). Establishing a Finnish-Japanese dialogue, on the trilogy of simplicity, functionality, and durability, the design piece celebrates the timelessness of carpentry skills, all while revealing the unique qualities of wood. Centenniale will be on view starting September 7th, with an opening ceremony scheduled at evening time. 

what: Centenniale table 

where: Galerie Anthologie, 56 Rue de l’Université, 75007 Paris 

when: September 7-16, 2023

image courtesy of Galerie Anthologie

Ko-Tone Spyral Xylophone by invisi

Japanese studio Invisi will take over the courtyard of the Hôtel de Soubise, headquarters of the Museum of the National Archives in the Marais, with its eye-grabbing wooden constructions, namely the Ko-Tone Spyral Xylophone, made from wooden slats and fanning out to human height. An artwork, a design piece, and a musical instrument, the xylophone installation gets activated when users place a wooden ball at the top, allowing it to slide down the small steps carved so that the sound of its bouncing plays Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, a cantata by Jean-Sebastian Bach.

what: Ko-Tone Spyral Xylophone

where: Musée des Archives Nationales, 60 rue des Francs Bourgeois 75003 Paris

when: September 7-17,2023 

image courtesy of Invisi

reflexions by emmanuel barrois

From September 15th to November 15th, 2023, a 15-meter-high glass art installation will cast its luminous glow at the heart of the Palais Royal Garden in Paris, France. Crafted by glassmaker Emmanuel Barrois, the monumental glass scaffolding, titled REFLEXIONS, serves as a tribute to the art of construction, inviting the public to reflect on humanity’s role in shaping the world of tomorrow, as well as the intricate interplay between the tangible (the artwork itself) and the intangible (the play of light). The public artwork starts its international journey in the French capital during Paris Design Week 2023 before moving to Italy and Japan. Read designboom’s full coverage of the project here. 

what: REFLEXIONS

where: Palais Royal Garden, 2 Gal de Montpensier, 75001 Paris

when: September 15-November 15, 2023 

MATHIEU LEHANNEUR at THE FACTORY

From September 10th to 16th, designer Mathieu Lehanneur is opening the doors to his Factory, an 800 square meter space located in a historic building at the gates of Paris. Professionals and visitors alike will be invited to immerse themselves in the creation, production and exhibition of Mathieu Lehanneur’s collectible design and functional art pieces. Lehanneur is also the designer of the torch for the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

where: The Factory, 70 Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau, 94200 Ivry Sur-Seine

when: September 10-16, 20203 (for professionals, by appointment) / September 13, 2023 (for public)

image © Felipe Ribon

IN PARIS, BEYOND DESIGN WEEk

20 ANS DANIEL ARSHAM AT PERROTIN

Marking a 20-year collaboration between Emmanuel Perrotin and Daniel Arsham (find more here), Perrotin Gallery is launching two solo exhibitions for the NYC-based artist across Paris and New York, dubbed 20 ans. It encompasses multiple projects highlighting Arsham’s artistic evolution over the past two decades. His signature style, turning cultural objects into eroding elements, unfolds across these two shows, nodding to Arsham’s powerful take on nostalgia ‘by conflating past, present, and future,’ writes the gallery. ‘Arsham returns to his oeuvre to examine and reflect on his longstanding appreciation for the complexities of materiality and space.’

what: 20 ans

where: Perrotin Gallery, 76 Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris

when: September 2 -October 7, 2023 

exhibition view: 20 ans at Perrotin Paris (2023) | image © Claire Dorn, courtesy of Daniel Arsham & Perrotin 

AVANT LE JOUR BY VINCENT BEAURIN 

Taking place in the heart of Paris’ Sentier District is Avant le Jour — a new exhibition by artist Vincent Beaurin at Galerie Strouk. For the first time throughout his artistic career, Beaurin is showcasing works made of bronze alongside art pieces in polystyrene, one of his favorite materials to work with. ‘In this way, he encourages us to ask ourselves, once again, what is the value of an art piece: is it what constitutes it, and which justifies its success, or what it enables us to access?‘ states the gallery. The exhibition will be held in Strouk’s second space, a converted fabric factory at 5 Rue du Mail. 

what: Avant le Jour 

where: Galerie Strouk, 5 Rue du Mail, 75002 Paris 

when: September 7-October 7, 2023 

image © Gregory Copitet, courtesy of Galerie Strouk

JR AT THE PALAIS GARNIER OPERA HOUSE

As part of the restoration work on the Palais Garnier, the Paris National Opera invited artist JR to dress the scaffolding covering the monument — creating a poetic installation titled RETOUR À LA CAVERNE – Acte I – L’entrée de la caverne. From September 6th until September 25th, the facade of the Opera House will morph to reveal the entrance to an immense cavern opening onto a perspective of rock and light. With allusions to the romantic codes of the 19th century and the grand scenic designs of opera, the elements of Napoleon III architecture seem caught in a double temporal movement. JR elaborates on Instagram: ‘They appear both as ruins, reflecting the fragility of Parisian monuments and questioning their eternal nature. Simultaneously, one can perceive work in constant reconstruction, as evidenced by the numerous scaffolds present, a nod to the real and necessary work that physically supports this installation.’

what: RETOUR À LA CAVERNE – Acte I – L’entrée de la caverne

where: Palais Garnier, Place de l’Opera, 75009 Paris 

when: September 6-25, 2023 

image courtesy of JR

RON MUECK AT FONDATION CARTIER

The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain (find more here) has invited Australian artist Ron Mueck to showcase a selection of sculptures, some of which have never been seen in France. New works were created specifically for this occasion, highlighting Mueck’s artistic development. At the heart of this exhibition stands a monumental installation dubbed Mass, originally commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria in 2017. The artwork comprises one hundred colossal human skulls, artfully arranged and reconfigured by Mueck for each venue where it is displayed. This installation offers an immersive physical and mental experience, inviting a deep reflection on essential aspects of human existence. This event also marks the first presentation of Mass outside of Australia. 

what: Mass

where: Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, 261 Bd Raspail, 75014 Paris

when: June 8-November 5, 2023