NéoPaléo, a design time capsule

A dive through time, between imaginary archaeology and radical futurism.

With NéoPaléo, the Galerie des Ateliers de Paris becomes the stage for a sensory exploration where design, freed from codes, rediscovers the primitive force of gesture and the poetry of materials. A manifesto exhibition that establishes Paris as the world capital of experimental design.

Paris vibrates. Paris sparkles. Paris reinvents itself.

At the Gallery of Paris Workshops, a breach opens in time. Until October 31, NeoPaleo, the exhibition orchestrated by the duo BehaghelFoiny, offers a unique aesthetic experience: a dive into organic, tactile, and radical design. Here, design breaks free from smooth and sanitized trends to once again become raw material, instinctive gesture, and visual poetry.

This is one of the most memorable exhibitions of this Paris Design Week. I had the privilege of speaking at length with Antoine Behaghel et Alexis Foiny, founders of the BehaghelFoiny agency, two exceptional artist-curators who bring together a generation of avant-garde creators, deeply respectful of the environment. Their vision, both poetic and committed, infuses this exhibition with a rare force.

The space imagined by Antoine Behaghel and Alexis Foiny is not a simple exhibition: it is a manifesto.

Designers explore primary gestures, restoring the hand to its central role in design.

« Contemporary design must once again become a field of exploration, freed from the codes of smooth luxury and standardized production. " explains Antoine Behaghel.

« We wanted to show that beauty is sometimes born from chaos. »

The exhibition thus becomes a time capsule : each piece seems to come from a past civilization or a distant future. NeoPaleo doesn't follow trends: it surpasses them.

Created in 2019, the studio BehaghelFoiny has established itself as a major creative force. Their play Aluplié, presented here, illustrates their philosophy: metal, usually rigid and cold, is crumpled and shaped by hand, overturning industrial codes and reintroducing imperfection as an element of beauty.

The duo cultivates a festive and subversive aesthetic. Their work, always experimental, questions our relationship to objects, gestures, and materials. In NéoPaléo, they orchestrate an immersive, almost ritualistic scenography, where each work seems to float in time.

A graduate of the School of Decorative Arts, Alec Vivier-Reynaud embodies a new generation of hybrid artistsHis work blends microbiology, graphic design, and experimentation. His living pieces evolve like natural organisms, offering an organic and moving aesthetic. A radical vision that places the living at the heart of the visual language.

In his JAD workshop, Cédric Breisacher sculpts wood with rare intensity. Committed artist-craftsman, he creates pieces that celebrate the living. His almost ritualistic process turns the human body into a tool, transforming each object into a contemporary totem.

She is a designer-visual artist, he is a jeweler. Together, they form a visionary duo which transcends time and matter. Their project Chronos, Kairos combines ancestral know-how and contemporary research, giving birth to ritual pieces that seem charged with a mystical energy.

Based in Marseille, Dorian Renard is establishing himself as one of the most subversive voices in design. His series The Beauty of Distortion diverts acrylic to reveal its fragility and human imprint. His piece Actiniary, translucent and organic, evokes a futuristic underwater world.

This design duo brings forgotten objects back to life, enhancing their history. Their project Hot water bottles reveals a sensitive and narrative design, where each object becomes a witness to a past. Their universe mixes curiosity, research and fascination.

Rising figure of French design, Gala Espel sails between Paris and Tokyo, weaving bridges between ancestral craftsmanship and technological innovations. Her piece Archaeology of the future illustrates her refined approach: a sculptural aesthetic that questions time and cultures. A designer who is already a must-see internationally.

Designer, scenographer, artist… Jean-Baptiste Durand blurs the boundaries. His Dystopian Remains Chair looks like it came straight out of a post-apocalyptic science fiction film. Its free and bold style makes it a strong voice of narrative design.

Between Paris and Brussels, Nicolas Zanoni explores the border between sculpture and furniture. Her Starat Chair is a manifesto piece, where raw gestures reveal the poetry of poor materials. He belongs to that generation of creators who refuse compromise.

These two designers revisit contemporary ornamentation with remarkable artisanal precision. Their work on granular mechanics is anchored in the heritage of decorative arts while asserting a timeless modernity.

Researcher and designer, Samuel Tomatis is a true pioneerHe develops innovative materials from algae, opening up concrete avenues for sustainable production. His piece LX 3M is a poetic demonstration of science applied to design.

Canadian designer based in the Netherlands, Sarah Roseman embodies a future where sustainability becomes desirable. His creations, like Merulina, combining textiles, sculpture and experimentation. An artist-researcher who transforms matter into a manifesto.

Since 2011, Gaëlle Gabillet and Stéphane Villard have been exploring all facets of design: objects, scenography, research. Their project on "dark matter" from waste has made a lasting impression, confirming their role as essential precursors.

The Galerie des Ateliers de Paris becomes a futuristic cave : subdued lighting, organic signage by Alec Vivier-Reynaud, an almost mystical atmosphere. The exhibition feels like an archaeological exploration of design, where each object has its own aura.

Le Office of Design, Fashion and Crafts proves once again that Paris is the creative laboratory of tomorrowBy supporting emerging and established designers, it anchors Parisian design in a global dialogue.

More than an exhibition, NéoPaléo is a sensory and philosophical experience.

We discover living objects, materials that tell a story, a vision of design free from trends. It's a poetic manifesto, an immersion into the future of design. NéoPaléo is not an exhibition, it's an exploration. A dive into the soul of contemporary design, between craftsmanship, science, and poetry.

30 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris

Tuesday – Friday: 10am-18:30pm

Saturday: 14h-19h

 bdmma.paris

 @bdmma.paris

Anne CANDY