Révélations: the International Biennial of Crafts and Creation is held every two years, and is the not-to-be-missed event that celebrates French and international creation. Conceived and created by Ateliers d’Art de France, a professional organisation representing the 281 French fine crafts, the biennial is the major economic event of the sector. The stage for countless meetings, Révélations brings together the creation market’s professionals and fine crafts aficionados around unprecedented works and exceptional expertise.
The 2023 (6th) edition will take place from 8-11 June at Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris. Details can be found on the Révélations website here.
“Révélations is more than just a trade show. It’s an opportunity to meet new people,
share ideas and expand your network. It’s an event to showcase fine craftsmanship and
the key role it plays in our respective cultures and in the global creative economy.”
– Aude Tahon, former chairman of Ateliers d’Art de France and Révélations
OPPORTUNITY
World Crafts Council Europe (WCCE) will present a series of pieces at Révélations 2023, by artisans from around Europe, which respond to the concept of ‘Praxis’ in the European Year of Skills’. A signature of the fair is Le Banquet, a central exhibition space where 10 countries showcase around 150 fine craft artworks in 10 distinct spaces, one of which will be for WCCE. Le Banquet presents and shares the most contemporary and unseen craft expressions from a country or a special area of the world.
Selected works will pay homage to the evolution of craft techniques from traditional through to the contemporary moment and demonstrate current discourses around the human relationship with the digital and the global move away from working with one’s hands and body in education, economy and everyday life, toward values of efficiency, precision and scale.
Praxis is embodied in both skill and knowledge and in a time of rapid development in processes, techniques and information access, the selected works will seek to represent how craft acts as an expression of human values and achievement and as a result, reflects upon us, something of the spirit of the time.
The featured artisans will have an opportunity for their work to be present in an international environment, gaining visibility and recognition among over 37,000 visitors. The biennial is truly a forum for encounters among collectors, aficionados of exceptional objects, artistic directors, architects, decorators, gallery owners, art dealers, and more.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Requirements:
- Applicants must be professional craft practitioners based in a European country.
- Applicants must submit a statement that responds to the core of the presentation and describes how their piece represents how craft acts as an expression of human values and achievement and as a result, reflects upon us, something of the spirit of the time.
- Applicants must submit high quality photographs of completed works for consideration (no works in progress).
- A maximum of 3 works may be submitted for consideration per applicant, one application form per work.
- Works must fit into the size guidelines of: +/- 30cm minimum and +/- 150cm maximum
- Submitted works can be produced in any craft based medium including but not limited to: glass, ceramics, metals, wood, textiles, feathers, resins, glass, wood, innovative materials… and demonstrate a relationship with the practice of craft skills.
In order to apply, please visit this form.
Applications are open from 12 December 2022 – 9 January 2023.
Successful applicants will be notified in due course.
EXHIBITION PROCESS
The selected works for exhibition, will need to arrive in Paris at the venue on 7 June 2023. Shipping and insurance will be arranged by either WCCE or the WCCE member organisation in the artisan’s respective country.
The selected works will not be sold directly by WCCE, but interested buyers will be invited to contact the artisan or their representative directly to arrange purchase and pricing can be communicated by WCCE if desired.
The works will be under the care of WCCE for the duration of the event 7 – 12 June, after which, there is the option that the selection will be showcased at a new event in September 2023 which is still to be confirmed. If not sold, the item will be returned as originally packaged.
REPRESENTATION
Selected artisans will have their work featured both online and in the exhibition catalogue. The artist’s profile and examples of other works, will also be shown to the interested public and through social media and the WCCE website.
This is an opportunity to have work represented on an international stage and WCCE is unfortunately unable to support any costs for artists to attend, but independent attendance is welcome.