De Mains De Maîtres
Luxembourg

The Fine Contemporary Craft Biennale
20–23rd November 2025
19 Liberté, Luxembourg

In an era marked by climate change and the many disruptions for which humanity bears much responsibility, nature has never been so present in our collective consciousness. Living with it—and rediscovering our full belonging to the living world—invites us to observe, in new and diverse ways, the other kingdoms with which we share this planet, particularly the plant realm, so essential to life on Earth.

To share rather than merely exploit, to nurture rather than exhaust, to make wise use of the riches offered to us while ensuring their preservation for those who will follow—these are the principles that should guide us. Artisans, alongside farmers, are perhaps those who have best upheld this respectful relationship with the living world, at least until the mid-20th century and the rise of consumerism in our so-called civilized societies.

It is now urgent that we reclaim these values of living well together, of cultivating beauty without degrading the fragile and unique nature that surrounds us.

More than reclaiming it, we must imitate it, sublimate it, redraw it, reinvent it—and perhaps even enhance it through our creative genius, as the greatest artists have done since antiquity. This Singular Natureis the theme we have chosen for the 5th edition of De Mains De Maîtres, to be held from November 19 to 24, 2025, a theme that feels more relevant than ever, and one we hope will inspire all our artisans: ceramicists, glassmakers, wood or stone sculptors, weavers, cabinetmakers... exceptional creators, all alchemists of beautiful materials.

We trust that this fifth edition, prepared under the best auspices with our guest of honour, the Czech Republic, will be a source of inspiration and renewal for all artisans and creators, and for our ever-growing public, a moment of wonder and discovery through a collection of truly exceptional works.

Architects / Set Designers of the Exhibition

Josef TomšejJosef Tomšej (1990) is an exhibition designer and craftsman. Through his critical approach to craft heritage, he challenges conventional ideas about materials and objects, blurs the boundaries of usability, and questions the established principles in the field of product design and exhibition design. He currently works at the Faculty of Art and Design at J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem and collaborates with both exhibition and commercial galleries, including the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague.

Jiří Žid Jiří Žid (1983) is an architect and one of the founders of the architectural studio re:architekti, which he co-manages. He also works at the Faculty of Art and Architecture at Technical University Liberec, where he runs an architectural studio and, following in the footsteps of Petr Rezek, leads a student workshop in Slavonická Huť and the faculty library.

The workshop has beautiful spaces. Architects often come and ask, "Who designed this for you, that it is so beautiful?" The builder just smiles discreetly under his beard.