Aiming to redefine the experience of art and design by breaking away from traditional trade fair conventions, THEMA Fair dynamically entered the Parisian art and design scene last year with an immersive show at the 17th-century Hôtel de Guise in Paris’s 7th arrondissement. THEMA’s second edition, held from October 15 to 20 in the same hôtel particulier, continued the ethos established in its first iteration, showcasing artists, designers, and artisans from various disciplines through a carefully curated journey that blur the boundaries between traditional and contemporary artistry. Unfolding across the building’s myriad of rooms and its courtyard, with emerging talents standing alongside established names, the experience felt more like visiting a salon or private residence than a design fair.
Central to THEMA’s ethos is the concept of a fair as a place of exchange and dialogue. Describing the event, THEMA’s founder Michael Hadida states: “With THEMA, our ambition is to rehabilitate the original idea of the salon as a space for exchange and expression.” The fair’s design fully embodies this vision, eliminating traditional booths and rigid divisions in favour of an immersive and integrated experience, part of THEMA’s objective to connect artists and art lovers in a setting that encourages discovery and interaction, making each piece feel like a natural extension of its surroundings.