Here, elsewhere. Time is no longer… only the authenticity of passions sparked by unique pieces, with Thierry Grundman as their messenger. A globe-trotting antiques dealer with an uncompromising eye, he has spent the past 25 years scouring the world in search of wonder and rarity, amassing a collection of nearly 15,000 pieces of furniture and objects dating from the 9^th to the 20^th century.

In 1998, he founded Atmosphère d’Ailleurs. After India and then Indonesia, he went sourcing in China, where he discovered vernacular elm furniture with magnificent textures and proportions—too often hidden under a shiny honey-colored lacquer. He tried to have them stripped on site, but the result always remained too yellow. No matter: he returned with his cabinetmaker, with whom he succeeded in revealing that “driftwood” tone—the hallmark of rural Chinese furniture that he so admired, and which he showcased at the MAISON&OBJET fair as early as 2000.

Until 2005, he was the only one. But soon others followed, and then more still, until it became a major trend in interior decoration. Drawn to the wabi-sabi aesthetic long before he even knew of the philosophy, Thierry Grundman witnessed its rise, its dilution, and eventually its overuse to the point of becoming indigestible.

Today, he seeks to return to the essence—the quintessence—of this humble and discreet beauty, marked by patina and the passage of time. This is why he has opened the Domaine de Quincampoix—his 2,000 m² showroom and exhibition space—to artists, gallerists, and creators who share his taste for an aesthetic at the very opposite of ostentation.

Thus was born the idea of the Wabi-Sabi Lab: a unique event born from the desire to bring together a collective of aesthetes who embrace timeless beauty. “The more I work on it, the more this event feels indispensable. It answers an inner necessity—to open up—and a societal necessity.”

Calling upon Daniel Rozensztroch was an obvious choice. Daniel is both an inveterate hunter, a collector, and a scenographer of great talent. He could have written “the little dictionary of imperfection”—we share the same attachment.

Very quickly it became clear that the Wabi-Sabi Lab would be its manifesto: an engaged, selective, and demanding event. We embrace this fully.

Together, we dismissed the idea of a traditional fair. No rows of stands, no “exhibitors,” but rather actors, committed to an aesthetic they defend and promote. With his talent, Daniel will bring them into dialogue through an expansive scenography—creating harmony in the diversity of pieces, materials, and forms of artistic and artisanal expression.