For Paris Design Week, the Hôtel de la Marine is hosting Hanjimania, an exhibition exploring the dialogue between French and Korean designers through traditional hanji paper.
Overview For Paris Design Week and the European Heritage Days, the Hôtel de la Marine is hosting Hanjimania, an exhibition exploring the dialogue between French and Korean designers through traditional hanji paper. Above all, Hanjimania is the story of a longstanding friendship between two curators and aesthetes who share a passion for art and design. For this exhibition at the Hôtel de la Marine, Catherine Lurault and An KangEun have chosen to create a dialogue between two cultures, bringing together the finest French and Korean craftsmanship around an exceptional material: traditional hanji paper, soon to be added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The Hôtel de la Marine, formerly the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne in the late 18th century and an embodiment of the decorative arts in all their forms, is a vibrant space for passing on knowledge, where traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary forms of expression. This iconic monument on place de la Concorde therefore provides the ideal setting for a Franco-Korean cabinet of curiosities, staged in the exceptional surroundings of its state rooms. Six renowned French designers—Studio KO, Pierre Yovanovitch, Constance Guisset, Aline Asmar d’Amman, Harry Nuriev and Jérémy Pradier-Jeauneau—will reinterpret the ancient craft of hanji paper with the help of talented Korean artists including Sim Jiseon, Lee Sun, Kim Woncheon, Studio Foh, Ko Somi, Yang Ji-Yoon, Yoo Ehwa, Jin Hyoseung, Kim Yongho and Kim Heewon, as well as master artisans (Living Treasures) Kim Samshik (Mungyeong hanji paper) and Lee Byung-Seop (Andong hanji paper). Visitors will also be invited on a unique journey through the stewards’ apartments, where works by renowned Korean artists will punctuate the exhibition route. This program is co-organized with the Province du Gyeongbuk. It forms part of the celebrations marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea in 2026. Photo credit: ChangKi CHUNG Hanji paper Created in Korea more than a thousand years ago, hanji paper is made from mulberry fibers using ancestral techniques passed down from generation to generation. A true symbol of Korean culture, it has become an iconic material over time, prized for both its beauty and functionality. Traditionally used for writing, painting, folding screens, clothing and even windows, hanji paper once played a central role in Korean daily life and decorative arts. It continues to inspire artists, artisans, designers and conservators around the world today. Recognized as an exceptional traditional craft, hanji paper is currently being considered for inclusion on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, reflecting its universal importance and living legacy. ABOUT PARIS DESIGN WEEK Paris Design Week is a major contemporary design event that transforms Paris into an open-air creative trail each year, bringing together designers, fine craftspeople, galleries, publishing houses and cultural institutions. Over ten days, the event showcases new forms of creativity and craftsmanship, as well as dialogues between heritage, innovation and the decorative arts.
Admission: Included with the monument admission ticket
Source: paris.fr — photo: ChangKi CHUNG